Delphi

Today we toured a major ruin complex and 3 additional nearby ruin sites.  The sites were just a 15-min walk adjacent to the town, sprawling up and down the slopes of a mountain.

Along the way we get another good view of how the modern town hugs the cliffs over a river valley and hundreds of acres of olive trees.  We also see a kitty assuming a statuesque pose.

Wikipedia:   Delphi in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The ancient Greeks considered the center of the world to be in Delphi, marked by the stone monument known as the omphalos (navel).  Delphi took its name from the Delphyne, the she-serpent (drakaina) who lived there and was killed by the god Apollo. It is now an extensive archaeological site, and since 1938 a part of Parnassos National Park. The precinct is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in having had a great influence in the ancient world, as evidenced by the various monuments built there by most of the important ancient Greek city-states, demonstrating their fundamental Hellenic unity.

Our guidebook tour begins:

The reconstructed Treasury of the Athenians, built to commemorate their victory at the Battle of Marathon.
(reconstructed from original remains)

The site truly lies among towering slopes and mostly wilderness (save for the highway passing by):

Our first look at the remains of the Temple of Apollo - not much much left of something that used to resemble the Parthenon:

A wider view from higher up - the Oracle did her stuff from within this temple.

We posed from within the amphitheater, one of the best preserved in Greece, as much of the original seating remains in place.  The backdrop for the stage, however, is mostly gone.

And now the athletic stadium, at the top of a short climb, in amazing condition after all these centuries have gone by.

The judge's seating at the center, halfway along the running distance.

Starting line....

...finish line.

Going back down to the exit, another fine view of the Temple of Apollo.  See that gentleman in the lower right, he has some sort of handicap, but was moving slowly and with determination along the tour path, going up up up - not missing a thing.

Zoomed in shot of partially restored columns of the Temple of Apollo.

We then moved along to see the Tholos, among the ancient structures of the Sanctuary of Athena. The circular temple shares the immediate site with other ancient foundations of the Temple of Athena Pronaia, all located less than a mile east of the main ruins at Delphi.

And now the "gymnasium", seen from above along the highway - the site was closed for some unknown reason - maybe for restoration work, or simply is too unstable (see the steel props along the wall).

Now, to the Archeological Museum to finish up our tour...here's a model of the un-ruined complex.

The Sphinx of Naxos, 570-560 BC., and now as an image on some lady's 21st century camera phone contraption.

Strange fish-horse, and men playing musical chairs...

Like new, original paint, the ultimate book ends for your library...

Twin Kouros Statues from around 600 B.C.

Socrates (left), Bronze Charioteer (center - we learned many later Roman stone copies are of earlier Greek bronze pieces) and a Roman statue of Antinous (right).

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And now a late lunch to get us through to dinner tonight - Tim gets his traditional Gyro from the Souvlaki place (2.50 Euro), and Gerri gets her Mushroom Gyro, and does window shopping for our dinner tonight (this is the place we decided to patronize for a sunset dinner).

Dinner - Gerri's whole grilled fish with beets and broccoli - we also got a taste of our first Ouzo in Greece (complimentary from the owner).  It was all very tasty.