Day thirteen was probably my favourite day so far. Actually, lots of days have been my favourite but this has been my favourite since coming onto the cruise ship. We weren't due to land in Mykonos until 4pm, but the ship was way ahead of schedule, so we arrived at 3pm. Some of us chose to do the Delos trip, and some didn't, so I bid goodbye to my buddies and my new little tour group headed to Delos on a little boat. It only took 35 minutes to get from Mykonos to Delos and despite people warning us it would be rocky and we would get sick, I didn't feel queasy at all.
Delos is one of the islands in the Cyclades, and is arguably one of the most important sites in Ancient Greek mythology, being the place where the twins Apollo and Artemis were born. It has 1400 years of history all on the one island, which is surprising when you are there, because you would expect somewhere lush and green to support such an extended history. In actual fact, the land is near barren and impossible to farm, and water was hard to come by. It was first a place for pilgrims to come and worship Apollo, then the Romans came in and made it a tax-free trading island, so it was an incredibly busy place before it was ransacked by pirates and abandoned by everyone who lived there, which was close to 25,000 people. The island was also purified by the Ancient Greeks, which means there must be no deaths or births on the island. Pregnant women and sickly people were taken to the island of Naxos in order to give birth or die.
The tour guide we had for Delos was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and was big on having us close our eyes and imagine life as it would have existed a thousand years ago. The second best thing about touring Delos was that it is usually closed on Mondays, but the ship arranged for the island to be open by talking directly to the Greek department of tourism. So it was just our little group, all alone on the island, and it was so quiet. After visiting amazing sites like the Acropolis and Sistine Chapel which were packed to the gills with people, it was so special to be all by ourselves.
Delos is one of the sunniest places in the world (scientifically tested), and it was so hot. But I felt freezing because I had goosebumps the whole time. The mythology behind the island is fascinating and it's so weird when you're there because you can just imagine it happening.
First we were shown the main market square, and the Temple of the Delians. We saw the Terrace of the Lions, which its statues that roar towards the Sacred Lake where Apollo and Artemis are said to have been born. Inside the lake, there is one lone palm tree, which Leto is said to have held on to as she was giving birth to the twins. We were incredibly lucky to be able to walk on the lake, as it has been drained, and touch the palm tree as well. Then we stopped for a drink, and then headed towards the more modern part of the island, where all the residents stayed after the island became a trading centre. The houses and shops are so well-preserved, and in the House of the Dolphins and the House of Dionysus, there were the most beautiful mosaics on the floor, in near perfect condition. Our last stop was at the ancient theatre, where the backings of some of the seats are still intact, and are actually really comfortable to sit in. After the conclusion of our tour, we walked back through the winding ancient streets, which were designed a lot like the streets of Mykonos, back to our boat.
Even just looking at the rocky ground past the houses, you could see discarded shards of terracotta that could have been a part of a jug or bowl. The island is filled with archaeology that hasn't yet been discovered. The whole time I was overwhelmed at the fact that I was walking where Ancient Greek mythology began, and I got a bit emotional towards the end just thinking about it. Thankfully some other people did as well so I wasn't embarrassed. I actually told the tour guide how I felt and she said she feels like that every day she's there. It's a really special place.
We took our boat back to Mykonos to meet the others who had shopped up a storm while we were gone. I had plenty of time to catch up - and catch up I did - before we had a delicious gyros dinner under the windmills as the sun was setting over the sea. The island of Mykonos is known for its party atmosphere, but we didn't visit Paradise Beach where all the action happens, preferring to stay in the town and wander the maze-like streets. It really was like a labyrinth, built to confuse pirates who would regularly visit and overstay their welcome.
All-aboard time for the ship was 10pm, but to avoid traffic we ended up coming back at around 9. Then we had a couple of drinks while watching Mykonos disappear before us as the ship sailed away for the night. It was another early night for us sick individuals.
Tomorrow is the island of Patmos, and Kusadasi! I'm also doing a guided tour of Ancient Ephesus which I am really looking forward to.
No comments:
Post a Comment