Back to the Future

True story: part of the trip I was most excited about prior to departure was today's destination: the Oracle of Delphi! I've read my whole life about the Oracle, and had a vivid image of what it would be like. A sure recipe for disappointment, and true enough, it was nothing like I'd imagined.

It was a million times better.

Basically, the town and temple of Delphi are located on the most gorgeous hillside on earth, overlooking the Aegean Sea. My initial reaction was this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHUSOrvkJ_8

Delphi is related to word dolphin, both from the Greek word for womb. Delphi was also known as omfalos, the bellybutton of the world (we saw the rock that was the 'bellybutton' too- check the photos!) In short, Delphi was the center of the world,  and I can tell you- it felt that way. It was an amazing feeling.

Then we went to  the site of the oracle. Indescribable. Luckily,  you can see for yourself!

http://youtu.be/DTBST7_FXsU
While at the theatre, my friend Claudia, a grad student in ancient Greek,  recited the first lines of the Illiad, a very famous epic poem/song/story about the Trojan war. In Greek. She recited from memory in Greek.
Listen:
http://youtu.be/rZGofCS_8Xg

THEN we went to the museum where they put all the cool stuff they dug up at Delphi. And we saw the COOLEST THING. Watch:

http://youtu.be/HreGYRO9kTM

Delphi, we had far too little time together. I'll be back.

Oh, and students, I got YOU a present there. :)

video issue

should be fixed. let me know if they still don't work, though we may not have internet tomorrow.

Pictures!

Finally got my photos uploaded to Picasa. You can view them here:

greece

Enjoy!

Acropolis Now!

Acropolis Now!

Wednesday morning- we were up and out the door to be the first ones at the acropolis. Acro- meaning top- and polis- city- yup, up a hill we hiked, to be rewarded with gorgeous morning sunshine on a spectacular view of the city of Athens and the most famous ruins in Greece.

So, can you guess who Athens ' patron god is? Well, Athena, of course. And the acropolis is all Athena, all the time. The Temple of Nike (yup, like the shoes, goddess of victory, pronounced nee-kee) guards the entrance, but Nike is either a handmaiden of or just a different aspect of Athena, goddess of battle and strategy. (Fun fact: the Nike swoosh is a Greek lowercase N, for Nike.)

Going through the arch, we have a temple to Athena dedicated to ritual worship on the left. On the right, a little building you may have heard of called the Parthenon. Down below, the Theatre of Dionysos, where the first Greek plays were held as part of the Festival of Athena (more on this Thursday, when I get to actually go there instead of just see it from above.)

(again, pics coming.)

Oh! What's that? You want to know more about the Parthenon? Fair enough.. Video #4.

http://youtu.be/KmCdTu97JiY

Get Me to the Greek

Greek Isle #1: Aegina (The g is an h. Dunno why.)

The isles of Greece are, if Aegina is any indication, gorgeous. Mamma Mia the movie does not lie. We drove to the center of the island, to a gorgeous mountain top, to see this lovely ancient temple, where I shot video #3.

http://youtu.be/nc9GmwUPZAU

THEN we went to this lady's house for lunch. So the reason we went to Aegina was the trip leader, Professor H, met this lady, Eleny, at a lecture in DC last year, and Eleny said 'come visit!' Greeks are famous for their hospitality and it is not uncommon to be invited in by strangers, but Professor H explained we'd be a group of 30.

(Pics coming- technical difficulties.)

“No problem!” said Eleny. (Imagine inviting 30 strangers over for lunch!) And so we found ourselves in a house on a hill, overlooking the sea and the hillside, eating gigsande beans and tzatziki and pistachios (Aegina is famous for pistachios.) The sun shtone down, we watched the sea, and Greece seemed a fine spot to spend a day, or forever.

Drama Unplugged

The theatre of Epidouros is an incredibly well-preserved Greek theatre. Unlike most of the 

Ancient things we've seen, it was neither ravaged and redone by Romans nor destroyed by earthquake or Persian marauders. Mostly, it got lucky because it is in the middle of nowhere, because Epidouros was a health center- a combo spa/hospital.

I know what you're thinking. “Um, why did the hospital have a theatre?” The ancient Greeks believed that sickness affected your mind as well as your body, so you had to heal both. An evening at the theatre consisted of watching 4 plays in a row- 3 tragedies, which allowed you to reflect on human flaws and be moved by sadness to tears, and then a very silly, slapstick comedy, usually involving satyrs (half-man, half-goat) to induce uproarious laughter. After laughing and crying, the satisfied, exhausted, empty-yet-full feeling they called 'catharsis.' (A word we use today!) Catharsis restored your mental and emotional balance that was critical to health.

(When my mom talks about balance some people call it 'New Age nonsense.” It's not! It's at least ancient nonsense!)

Here's my first video, live from Epidouros!

http://youtu.be/ym8abiPiZEo

After the video, I went and stood in the center of the orchestra and recited a little “To be or not to be” It was CRAZY. The second I spoke- it was electric. I could literally hear/feel my voice connecting with every seat- somehow you could hear it simultaneously where you were and everywhere else. Like a microphone, but more- magical. HOW did the ancient greeks, with only math and stone at their disposal, make an auditorium infinitely better than any performing space I've ever been in? Food for thought.

Here's a video  the back of the house (Greek for seats - auditorium) of illustrator/author Ashley Bryan. Sound issues due to my camera, not actual acoustics.

http://youtu.be/EwN2CqpoxWk

A few photos

The Acropolis at night, from the roof of the restaurant

Canal through the isthmus  to Pelopponesus (spelling? no idea.) I love saying isthmus.

I am a column!

Mediocre Roman ruins in Corinth.

You don't need to know latin to read this!

Agamemnon's tomb, supposedly. Agamemnon, right.

Mycenae was mostly fun because I got to hike a little. See that circle? It used to be filled with gold. 

So yesterday morning we went to Corinth (you know, like First Corinthians? From the New Testament? Me neither.) Then to Mycenae. ooh- gotta run or I'll miss breakfast- more tonight.