Many made the dawn light trek up the mountainside of Mount Parnassus, bathed in the first rays of Zeus. Crushing wildflowers underfoot and clinging to crumbling rocks as the path got steeper. Deep in the heart of the mountain, behind a veil of mist and smoke and otherworldly wonders, sat the Delphi Oracle, her mind’s eye seeing straight through the present and into the future. The old crone may be long gone, lost in the pages of history, but the slopes of Mount Parnassus still stand strong, unshaken by the winds and shrouded in a touch of mystery.
Image Courtesy: flickr.com/RonnySiegel
Those who visit Delphi should be sure to make the climb to the archeological site of the Oracle, the breath of the sweet mountains, the cypress trees, the flash of fig and vine and the parched ruins glinting in the sun still hold a resonance and magic about them. Ancient Delphi stretches back in history, standing since 700 BC.
Image Courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org/Electron08
The Sanctuary of Apollo still looks remarkable with its mighty pillars and its sun-bleached façade. The running track arcs around the tip of the hill with its spectator seats still echoing with the cries of the locals cheering on the games in all their glory. Travelers should be sure to dip their fingers in the sacred waters that run down the mountainside, marveling at how years of ancient history; tales and myth have rolled through the bones of these old hills, bringing everything to life.
Image Courtesy: flickr.com/PaulStephenson
New Delphi is the place to stay to use as a starting point for your pilgrimage into the mountains. The charming town flourishes with a taint of tourism but still boasts sublime surroundings and an ancient ease about it. Jewelry shops line the streets selling unusual pieces; taverns offer fresh fare such as bitter olives, sharp tangy feta cheese and rustic loaves fresh from the oven. Sitting in the shade on a bright summer’s day and watching the haze clear from the slopes, the ecstatic chanting of the oracle somehow seems to catch in the wind.
Top Image Courtesy: flickr.com/RonnySiegel
