Italy and Greece Day 12
Italy and Greece
Day 12 - Wednesday, September 19, 2001
After another continental breakfast at the hotel In Olympia, we got into the bus for a drive back to Patras and the mainland.
The temperature is significantly higher than Italy. The humidity is also high. What is surprising in Greece is the lack of trees - there are olives and grapes that are planted but on the countryside there are only bushes.
We got to Patras and Michael took us to a Greek Church. One can see the Orthodox influence in their architecture and paintings. While at the church there are the remains of the cross from the crucifixion of Christ. Unlike what I had perceived, it is an X.
After a tour of the church, most of us went across the street to a cafe to refresh and to use the facilities. Men and women had to use the same room and as they had one toilet without a door, men used that one and the women had to wait in line for the other.
We got back on the bus, went to the dock and took a smaller ferry from the little city of Rio across the Gulf of Corinth to the city of Antirio.
We got back on the bus and took the scenic drive along the coast toward Delphi. Around 1PM we stopped for lunch right on the coast.
As there were other tour buses there and more arriving as we waited, there was a family style seating at large tables. Gennie had a fish fillet and I had two hamburger patties.
After lunch we went to new Delphi (sitting at the top of a mountain at 2000') and were taken to the archeological site.
We had a tour guide through the museum and then went to the site where we walked through the Sacred Way and then to the Temple of Apollo.
As this old city is built on the steep hill side, we climbed all the way to the stadium at the top. We went by their amphitheater and all their construction.
What is impressive is that this site was built around 600 BC and has all these pieces that had to be pulled up to this height.
Just at nightfall we went to the bus and had a 3 minute ride to the Vouzas Hotel, built into the hillside. The reception and restaurant were on the top floor - where one walks in from the street.
Our room was on the 2nd floor - five floors below. The view out our windows was spectacular. The city is built at 2,000 feet and the ocean is at the foot of the mountains.
After a quick shower we went up for a Greek dinner with a bottle of Greek wine. After dinner I went on a quick walk around town taking some pictures of this quaint community.
There were still a lot of people around, even though it was late. Many were watching the UEFA Cup where a Greek team was playing a Spanish team. Lots of excitement.
Around midnight we went to bed.
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