Playgrounds of the Rich and Famous
Body clock encouraged me to check my watch and saw it was 7.30 am In my head I had decided I wanted to have a little exploratory run this morning, as many different locations on Strava as I can muster this holiday. It was very much improvised 5k just to give myself an early morning challenge as I knew much of the day was looking busy, plus running will not feature unless done early. Around from the windmills to a point I'd noted yesterday and back again. Job more or less done.
Chrissi then popped out to find us a light breakfast as our next Island (2nd technically landed on, 4th visited) was beckoning with a 10am departure from the Mykonos harbourside to Delos. Coffee and pain au chocolat was the name of the game before that.
So Delos something I'd been looking into well before our arrival here, a Greek Game of Thrones special I think. A free port around 2,500 years ago and the centre of Greek culture and life. A strategic point in their battles against the Persian Empire and a cultural heartland in the years we call 400 - 500 BC. And so well preserved that wandering around you could get a taste of the finery, the civilised culture, the architecture and engineering that ensured many of their simple pleasures not all that different to ours today.
Our 30 minute crossing from Mykonos a nice approach to the Island, good views from the top deck into the harbour they use today, right next to the harbour they used to use. I then put my Lonely Planet to good use which saved us a guided tour, 'Lloyds Tours' now in business. I did note our LP on Greece was published in 2009, forgot it was an old copy! So 15 Euros for the crossing became 25 Euros in those 12 years and all other prices are out of whack too. Luckily, the pages and pages on Greek ancient history didn't need updating ...
My tour took us anti clockwise and against the crowd. Highlights were the size and scope in general and the magnificent preservation of houses, tombs, temples; layer and layer of history, different Gods, opulence, even a gymnasium. I was particularly taken by the House of Comedians (drama, actors etc), and the Temple of Apollo (also a patron of the arts, amongst many other things!). Twin brother of Artemis, and son of Zeus, many of my favourite gods these, and this Island his birthplace.
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| Comedians |
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| A window into the past |
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| Welcome to the pleasure dome |
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| Headless something |
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| Mosaic |
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| City Limits |
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| Apollo Temple |
On top of that a hill with a view, I spotted soon after we arrived. Chrissi had also spotted it, said nothing, but knew what would happen. Was very much a stairway to heaven, and great views from the top of Delos and some of the surrounding Islands. It was called Mount Kythnos and the actual birthplace of Apollo.
A small beach in the town gave us opportunity to build in some sand time in this whistle stop visit, more for Chrissi than me. After a token dip in the 'Aegean' I quickly retreated to my local tavern, they have also done well from me considering our short stay here. Nice to find an anchor, a local, as everything else chops and changes.
We had to chop and change before our last night here, but other than a very meaty fill in .. we weren't going over the top tonight. Wolfed down gyros open sandwich piled high with lamb and chicken and sweet potatos, american style portion! Plenty of Americans here as it happens.
We could then join the masses to see a beautiful sunset. Chrissis niche idea for the night was an outdoor cinema, kept us out of the tavernas. It did serve beer though, and we watched Olivia Coleman in Wicked Little Letters... under the stars .. lucky not a horror but a dark comedy as the nearby bushes were rustling and my imagination was running riot.
Leaving the cinema we suddenly realised Mykonos has transformed into the affluent, exclusive maze of the rich and probably famous. The white houses, the white costumes, the glamour, the flash clubs, the jewellery and fashion shops. Not really conducive to our backpacker vibe, but I did take childish pleasure in blotting the image for just a short while as we got lost trying to find our way back to our Air Bnb. The quaint enjoyment of getting lost in the picturesque streets rapidly tests your temper as the number of flash harrys get in my way and I had lost my way.
Almost time to leave .. we've seen it all kid .. but not spent it all ...
Looks really nice guys! Looking forward to the next instalment.
ReplyDeleteMountaineer again Be interesting to compare prices on your next island
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mention of Delos, you have sent me off reading into its history - what a fascinating place. I reckon I might not have got to see anything spending to much time reading about it - so I'm glad you and Chrissi did the travelling when I did the reading.
ReplyDeleteToday's photos are especially evocative - it is really like I am there. The very first shot in the post is really spectacular.
As I mentioned a few days ago I've not done the Greek Islands - Drew has a bit of a blind spot about them having spent his placement year in Cyprus during his Computer Science degree and not really taking to the place! But you have changed my impressions of the places, so I look forward to the ones you see next.
Piece by piece I'm getting to grips with a bit of shallow Greek history, and Delos was particularly helpful in that regard. I couldn't even scratch the surface on the blog so am so pleased you have taken the time to delve so much deeper. Evocative is the word though, you could genuinely feel yourself back in time, and feeling the life and leisure in those houses. Probably helped by too much Game of Thrones watching over the years mind!
DeleteWe share the Game of Thrones obsession - having read all the books before seeing any of the series.
DeleteBut I'd also been interested in Greek History because of the way it overlaps Biblical history. Alexander the Great ruling the territory where the people of Israel were in exile with one of his successors Antiochus Epiphanes marrying a Jewish Queen (Esther) and then the development of the Hasmonean Dynesty with the Jews throwing off the Greek shackles. That, plus studying philosophy when I had to read Plato and Aristotle as well as the minor Greek philosophers - I remember, Heraclitus, Parmenides and Zeno. All of them influenced by the Greek empire built on water more than land. So, your journey broadens out that old interest of mine.
I need Carys back on this trip as this is the point where you and her can take this conversation in a completely new direction. Your shared love of food has now been complemented by her interest in philosophy and religion, she has just finished her A levels in those subjects, albeit is likely to be sociology/ politics the angle she is likely to read at University.
DeleteGreat subjects - I did Politics at A level, though back in my day the topic was called: British Constitution - which sounds less engaging but gave me a love for politics which continues today.
DeleteWhich University does she hope to go to?
Hey, Lloyd, you need to commercialise 'Lloyd's Tours' as you are really doing an excellent job! What is the connection between Apollo, the God, and the Apollo space program - if anybody knows, you will! Excellent detail, teaching us loads - thank you:)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteto save Lloyd breaking his relaxation I can explain the link.
Apollo, the Greek God of Light, was associated with the Sun and also the planet we now call Mercury (the Latin name for the planet). Mercury was the Roman God of speed, travel and messenges, like Apollo was of the sun.
The first manned space project which Nasa developed was called Project Mercury after the god of travel and speed - when the project came to an end the new project was named for the same god, but in this case the Greek version, at the naming ceremony they said: "Apollo riding his chariot across the Sun was appropriate to the grand scale of the proposed program".
Cheers Haydn, every day a school day for me too ... love this!
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