Working in London as an archivist at a big London gallery. Interests are music, art, clothes, cats a...
Working in London as an archivist at a big London gallery. Interests are music, art, clothes, cats and parks.
Member since:12.07.2001
Reviews:42
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When I was 17, our Classics teachers decided to take us on an educational trip around Greece. A dozen girls, two teachers and their husbands went on a package tour for a week. As a part of this tour, we took in the sights of Delphi.
There was a much hyped Oracle at Delphi during ancient times that is mentioned in most textbooks and many ancient plays and poems. The Oracle was a priestess who was consulted on many important matters. The cryptic babbles she gave in reply were then interpreted and widely believed and followed, considered to be prophesies or advice. One of the modern explanations for the Oracle's words is that the priestess was merely high on something or other - hence the nonsense she spoke that made some kind of sense and seemed strangely believeable!
Walking around sites like Delphi is a worthwhile experience for anyone who has studied the classical world. It feels all the more real and is quite powerful to imagine people walking where you have walked, only thousands of years previously and wearing togas instead of lycra! Most of the site has been left as it was found, only tidied up a little. However they have 'rebuilt' one or two of the buildings from the stones found on the site, to give you an idea of what it would have looked like while it was standing. This was a very effective way of contrasting the ruins we all expect from ancient sites with the original image.
In Greece it is illegal for anyone other than a registered guide to take you round the heritage sites. Our teacher had permission to give us a guided tour on some sites but not in Delphi so we were being repeatedly told off by the officials who stand around making sure you do not damage the site and looking a bit threatening. Most people will therefore either have to hire an official greek guide (who don't come cheap) or rely on their guidebook for information.
The heritage site and museum in Delphi are definitely wroth a visit. They're only a short way out of the town, are a good example of a classical greek temple site, and the views are fantastic. Both the town and the temples are built on the side of the hills and so look out across the valley and mountains opposite and in the distance. It's really postcard-perfect landscape and you're guaranteed good photos, even if you're only a 17 year old with a disposable camera! The town itself I remember as being a typical quiet town, however, and it's probably not worth anymore than an overnight stay. The hotels themselves were quite curious though: due to being built on a hillside, you go in at the groundfloor and then down to your room, which looks out on the roofs of other hotels. Very odd!
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Advantages: Rich, varied site with variety of ruins, an excellent museum and outstanding views Disadvantages: Crowded, abundance of tour groups especially in the lower levels of the main site and the museum
magdadh 04.08.2005 ·
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Review of Delphi (Greece)
Advantages: Rich, varied site with variety of ruins, an excellent museum and outstanding views Disadvantages: Crowded, abundance of tour groups especially in the lower levels of the main site and the museum
magdadh 04.08.2005 ·
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Review of Delphi (Greece)
Advantages: breathtaking views, excellent facilities (new bathrooms, pool), nicely landscaped Disadvantages: on an expensive side (not for Delphi though); lack of proper tenting turf
magdadh 30.08.2005 ·
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Review of Campsite Chrissa
![Terra Mystica Delphi Greece [DVD] [NTSC]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/83907248.jpg "Terra Mystica Delphi Greece [DVD] [NTSC]")
Sep 12th, 2001
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