.jpg) Tropical Blues and Greens
Even in the Wet Season, you can have beautiful days with clear skies and wonderful views in the Australian tropics. Towards the end of my stay in Port Douglas, Far North Queensland, I took the short climb up to the Flagstaff Hill Lookout for uninterrupted views over the Coral Sea. (23February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Many, many years ago, I went to the cinema to see a then-new Australian film: Travelling North(1987) by prolific and much-loved playwright David Williamson. I was entranced! Not so much by the grumpy main character played by Leo McKern, or the plot, in which not much happens, but by the setting. After taking a road trip past Port Douglas, which is as far north as the road goes in Eastern Australia, a middle-aged (plus+) couple move from their cold, wet Melbourne home to northern Queensland.
From the moment I watched the movie, I wanted to visit their quaint wooden cottage where the tropical jungle wrapped around them like a warm blanket.
With COVID-19 travel restrictions still in place in 2021, Australian tourist destinations were offering all kinds of deals to local travellers to try to compensate for the lack of international visitors. We were prevented from even the thought of overseas trips; so – although mask and distancing rules abounded – it was the perfect opportunity for me to plan a lengthy domestic road trip.
Travel during the Wet Season in Tropical Far North Queensland might not be ideal, but while the rain can be heavy (think: a bathtub of tepid water being pour over your head), it doesn’t usually last all day. With the right shoes, you can still do and see a lot.
Even by the most direct route – which is not the one I took – the distance from my house to the end of the Eastern road is around 3000 km (1800 mi). But, I had a week in some very nice accomodation in the town of Port Douglas to look forward to, and plenty to do once I got there.
My drive north mostly followed the coastline. After a stop in Airlie Beach, where I made a trip to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef (see: In the Heart of the Reef), I continued to Mission Beach on the Cassowary Coast (spoiler alert: I didn’t see any cassowaries – only warning signs!), where I had two days of unremitting rain before proceeding to Port Douglas, a mere 16.484° south of the equator.
Luckily, I managed to just miss a couple the cyclones that were whipping up and down the coast. Join me for some wet wanders:
.jpg) Mission Beach
The coastal town of Mission Beach has a tropical-monsoon climate. One of the rainiest parts of the Wet Tropics, it has an average annual precipitation of around 3,000 mm (1800 inches). I felt like it all fell while I was there! (18February2021 – iPhone12Pro) .jpg) Dunk Island in the Rain
Mission Beach is the closest point to the Great Barrier Reef; Dunk Island, a popular resort location, floats off on the horizon just four kilometres away. (18February2021 – iPhone12Pro)  Flaky Barked Satinash – Syzygium Forte
As you’d expect, everything grows lush and fast in the tropics. (18February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Four Mile Beach
My accommodation in Port Douglas backed onto the aptly named Four Mile Beach. (20February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Lifesaver in a Sand Buggy
Four Mile Beach was quiet in the mornings, even so, the lifesavers were on patrol: think Baywatch or Bondi Rescue. (20February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Mangroves and Rocks
A rocky headland marks the north end of Four Mile Beach. Walking into ‘downtown’ from this point, I could treat myself to a beautiful breakfast. (20February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Bush Stone-Curlew – Burhinus Grallarius
Also called bush thick-knees, these large distinctive shorebirds are endemic to Australia, and are commonly seen near the coast. (21February2021) On a Segway
I decided to play tourist, and went for a Segway tour of Four Mile Beach. Luckily I was the only one, as I found that it took a bit of getting used to! (21February2021 – NMI) Orange-Footed Scrubfowl – Megapodius Reinwardt
Ranging across northern Australia and neighbouring New Guinea, scrubfowl are well camouflaged in the leaf litter at the edge of the scrub. (21February2021) Port Douglas Wharf and Storage Shed
I got a closer look at this historic heritage-listed wharf and shed, built in 1904, from the water the next day (see: On Port Douglas Waters). (21February2021) On the Mossman River
Playing tourist again, I found myself rafting on the nearby Mossman River through UNESCO-listed rainforest. (22February2021 – NMI) Top of the Beach
My walk along Four Mile Beach every morning was a real treat. (23February2021 – iPhone12Pro) The Viewing Platform on Flagstaff Hill
The climb up Flagstaff Hill makes for a nice walk … (23February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Mountains and Cloud
… and allows great views over the coastline and sea. (23February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Casuarinas, Mangroves and Coconuts
Another morning – another beachwalk. (25February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Mushroom Ragout
All my meals were a real treat; … (25February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Magpie Lark – Grallina Cyanoleuca
… obviously the peewee with his eye on my breakfast agrees. (25February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Casuarina Needles and Cones
(25February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Grass in a Rainy Season Puddle
(25February2021 – iPhone12Pro) Praying Mantis
Driving south out of Port Douglas, I pulled into the charming mountain village of Kuranda, and then stopped at the Barron Gorge National Park. Metal sculptures line the path to the viewing platform over Barron (Din Din) Falls. I’ve been here before – but I don’t remember the sculptures – or even the nice, level walkway! (26February2021) Giant Golden Orb-Weaving Spider – Nephila Pilipes
This beautiful creature along the walkway is one of Australia’s largest spiders. (26February2021) Barron Falls
In spite of all the recent rains, there is not much water in the waterfall. The last two times I was here, the falls were roaring full. Kuranda Scenic Railway
The first time I was here, we rode the heritage-listed tourist railway service from Cairns, over the Great Dividing Range, through the sugarcane fields of the Atherton Tablelands, and alighted in Kuranda. (26February2021) Kuranda Rail Conductor
The line was built in 1891; some of the cars look almost that old! I felt rather nostalgic staying behind in the station and watching the train pull away in the rain. (26February2021) Nature’s Artworks : Lattice Vines and Greenery
After the train pulls out, I walk back up the hill … Nature’s Patterns : Leaves Overhead
… admiring the jungle around me as I go. (26February2021) Almost Abstract : Tree Bark
(26February2021) View from the Henry Ross Lookout
My last stop on the way into Cairns was at the highest point on the Kuranda Range road. Here, we can lookout over Cairns, its northern beaches, Trinity Bay, and the Coral Sea beyond. (26February2021 – iPhone12Pro) The story of Travelling North was originally a play (1979) – which takes place in in Northern NSW, not Far North Queensland. I’ve been lucky enough to see the iconic Brian Brown in a more recent re-staging of the play (see: Stage Whispers). Of course, I had to pay more attention to the actors and the dialogue, because that wonderful, embracing tropical jungle wasn’t part of the cast.
I am so grateful to have visited it for myself.
Pictures: 17-26February2021
Posted in Australia,Nature,TravelTags: Australia,landscape,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,Queensland,travel,Travel Blog,tropics,UNESCO,Ursula Wall
Foix from the Château
The rain scrubs the rooftops of Foix as the little city drifts off into the clouds. It was a lifetime ago.
My husband and I had trudged into the Medieval town of Foix in the Occitanie region of southwestern France at the end of a 12-day walk along the Cathar Trail in the Pyrenees (see: Castles, Countryside, and the end of the Trail). As we descended through the foothills towards the town, it started to rain, making the central fortress – the Château des Comtes de Foix – looks like a fairy-tale castle in the mist.
We were lucky enough to arrive just as serious rains were setting in – but the inclement spring weather didn’t stop us getting out to explore the sights the next day.
Today, Foix is known as a centre of the Catharism, an early Christian movement. The Cathars, or Albigensians, thrived in Southern Europe between the 12th and 14th centuries, but attracted the ire of the more powerful Catholic Church. From 1209 to 1229, under the reign of Pope Innocent III, they were subjected to the Albigensian Crusade; this and the Medieval Inquisitions that followed succeeded in eradicating the sect by 1350.
The history of Foix goes back further: to a Roman-built fort on the steep rock on which the castle now stands, dominating the town below. The current Château, known from 987, was built onto older 7th-century fortifications. Property of the Counts of Foix, feudal lords of the region, the fortress resisted repeated sieges for two centuries and became a refuge for many of the persecuted Cathars.
Restored in the 19th century and operating as a museum since 1930, the building we see today includes sections dating between the 12th and 15th century. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the medieval towers were repurposed as a prison (see: Stories Hidden in 18th-19th Century Graffiti); iron bars on the windows and strong doors with heavy locks are a reminder of this period.
Join us as we explore:
Everywhere a Dog
This is France – dogs are everywhere. This one kept guard in the dark lobby of our hotel. Church Cross
Catholicism is strong in this region. Foix in the Rain
There is something romantic about a couple sharing an umbrella. Church Clock and Bells
Built in 849, the Saint-Volusien Abbey church stands on the site of an oratory founded by Charlemagne, King of the Franks. Fountain under the Castle Stairs Wet Walk to the Castle
It’s a wet and winding walk between the fortress and the town. Stone Walls
The castle walls are textured and beautiful – and have seen centuries of change. Foix through the Rails
Iron bars on the windows in the towers are a reminder of the castle’s use as a political and civil prison until 1862. Graffiti
The carvings in the wall here are attributed to prisoners incarcerated in this cell. Toward the lower left, you can see a Crusader’s Cross. Vaulted Ceiling Foix through the Window
Another iron-barred window over the rainy city. Femmes et Catharisme
I love when old castles include modern art – like this elegant sculpture by Jeannie Lucas. From the Battlements
A view over one of the two square towers built before the 11th century. Through the Battlements More Walls and Windows Cobbled Street
After the castle, we worked our way back down through charming streets … Rue des Grands Ducs
… and narrow cobbled walkways between and under medieval half-timber buildings. Greenery – Grapes? Fountain in Pyrène Square
Artwork around the city ranges from the quirky … Saint Volusian
… to the divine – like this statue in the St Volusian Abbey. The “Goose” Fountain
Yes, it is actually a swan – I have no idea why they call it a goose. Swan in the Street
At least the rain has stopped! Foix and the Château
The next morning as we are heading for our train, we get a last look at the castle above the old town. Definitely a delightful place for a short stop!
 Until next time,
Bon Voyage!
Pictures: 23-24April2011
The Dryad Point Lighthouse
Even on a cold and rainy spring day, the scenery is spectacular from the BC Ferry that winds up the channels between Port Hardy on Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert on Canada’s mainland. A boat trip up the Inside Passage has been on my Bucket List since I was a working student in the 70s when it was well out of my price-point. This classic trip – from Seattle or Vancouver to Juneau or Skagway in Alaska – is known for its magnificent scenery.
And it remains elusive to me.
A few years ago, I thought I was making my last trip back to Canada. To make myself feel better about that prospect, I toyed with variations of that iconic cruise only to find that – if I was being remotely sensible – they were still outside my reach!
So, I settled on the next-best-thing: a BC Ferry trip up the Canadian portion of this inimitable waterway.
British Columbia (BC) in Canada’s west has a coastline that is punctuated by over 40,000 islands of varying sizes, and deeply incised by coves, rivers, and fjords that rival those of Norway. Much of the landscape is mountainous and covered in dense temperate rainforest. The traditional inhabitants, the Coastal Salish nations, typically built their villages near navigable waterways for easy transportation, and they relied on seaworthy canoes for much of their daily activity.
Even today, a lot of the province is only accessible by water.
The BC Ferries was founded in 1960 to act as an extension of the public road system. The federal and provincial governments subsidized the organisation to provide essential services between the BC mainland, the coastal islands, and parts of the mainland with no road access. Today, it operates as an independently managed, publicly owned Canadian company – with the provincial Crown as sole shareholder.
The deep and sheltered waterways of the Inside Passage provide a shipping lane protected from the rough waters and bad weather typical of the open North Pacific. This maritime route is heavily trafficked by all manner of marine vessels, including pleasure boats, working boats, cruise ships, cargo ships, and – of course – ferries, that service major and minor routes all along the coast. The magical and poignant book: Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meanings, by British travel writer and playwright Jonathan Raban, offers a unique insight into the history and landscape of these waters.
The BC Ferries operate a regular service between Port Hardy (see: The Fort Rupert Trail) on the northern tip of Vancouver Island and Prince Rupert on the northwest coast of the British Columbia mainland.
I duly booked passage for myself and my rental car, and set off north.
In the Bear Cove Terminal
The very modern-looking ferry takes about 16 hours to wind its way up to its final destination – and cars are expected to present themselves between 120 and 90 minutes before sailing. So, it’s an early morning start on a long day – and it is raining! (iPhone12Pro) Lifeboat
The Northern Expedition ferry was built in 2004. She can take a maximum of 87 cars and 640 people – including crew. It pays to book ahead! Front Row Seats
Cabins are available onboard, but I booked myself a seat in the lounge instead. That way I could wander freely without too much concern for my belongings, or just sit and enjoy the view. BC Ferries Flag on the Prow
Of course, the view was mostly rain and mist … Nature’s Abstracts
… and stretches of calm water. Into the Mist Addenbroke Island Lightstation on Fitz Hugh Sound
The passage is not without hazards, and cheerfully picturesque lighthouses punctuate the trees. What a solitary life this must be! Disney Wonder
A much bigger ship than ours passes to our port, heading south. Radar and Flags Islands in the Clouds Seaforth Channel Marker
On the rocks off Denny Island, a marker signals the safe path. McLoughlin Bay Terminal
On the other side of the channel, we make a short stop on Campbell Island, just south of the community of Bella Bella/Waglisla, to exchange goods and passengers. Bella Bella
The candy-coloured houses of Bella Bella stretch out along the channel. Working Boat on Seaforth Channel
Once home to a Hudson Bay fort, Methodist missionaries, and a thriving cannery, today the predominantly Heiltsuk First Nation community of Bella Bella has a precarious and relatively isolated existence. Dryad Point Lighthouse
Towards the top of Campbell Island, the heritage-listed lighthouse signals our sharp turn from Seaforth Channel into Lama Passage. Boat Bluff Lighthouse
A couple of hours later, we are passing what is one of the rainiest places in Canada: the heritage-listed lighthouse on Boat Bluff on Sarah Island. Butedale
With a snow-dusted mountain behind, the impressive Butedale Falls on Princess Royal Island flow into Hecate Strait. Ruins of the ghost-town of Butedale, founded in 1918 as a fishing, mining, and logging camp, are nearby. Another Waterfall Misty Mountains
The weather remains wet, windy, and cold, and I spend a lot of time sheltering behind wet windows. (iPhone12Pro) Flying the Flag Fading Layers
The day grows long, and many mountainous islands fall behind us. Catching Clouds
Mists continue to gather in the tall trees … In our Wake
… and our wake marks a trail through snow-caps and rain clouds. Almost Abstract: Misty Mountains
(iPhone12Pro) Night Lights – City Limits
At 11:30PM, we finally sight the welcoming lights on the Port of Prince Rupert. This is the deepest ice-free natural harbour in North America, and the third deepest natural harbour in the world – making it a very busy place. (iPhone12Pro) I finally reached my room at just before midnight, very ready to lie down.
What magnificent scenery! What lousy weather! I decided to try the trip again, the next year, with fingers crossed for better weather.
Until then,
Safe Sailing!
Pictures: 05June2022
Posted in Canada,Landscapes,TravelTags: boating,boats,British Columbia,Canada,landscape,nature,on the water,Photo Blog,public transportation,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Meditation Huts
Built in 1963 by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as a venue for his International Academy of Meditation and colloquially known as the Beatles’ Ashram after their stays in 1968, Chaurasi Kutia (Eighty-Four Huts) in the foothills of the Himalaya outside Rishikesh is an enchanted place that is being reclaimed by the jungle. Rishikesh.
Heat enveloping like a wet blanket, the smell of incense and mud, and memories of the late sixties … Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the White Album …
(Click for: Within You Without You from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)
Rishikesh is a city of yoga, meditation, and religious philosophy. It is full of sadhus – those who have chosen the spiritual path, and gurus – those who teach others. And, it is full of seekers and pilgrims from all around the world.
One of the the better-known gurus to Westerners was the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Maharishi (great seer) introduced what he called Transcendental Meditation to India and the rest of the world. Born Mahesh Prasad Varma (1918-2008), he earned a degree in physics before becoming an assistant to, and disciple of, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. After the Swami’s death, the Maharishi began teaching meditation, with his first global tour starting in 1958.
Rishikesh has long been known as the “yoga capital of the world”, so it was an ideal location for the Maharishi to build his study retreat. In 1961 he leased 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land surrounded by jungle from the state forestry department. In 1963, with donated funds from an American heiress, he built his International Academy of Meditation on a hill known as Manikoot, overlooking the Ganges river, opposite Rishikesh.
Locally, the ashram is known as Chaurasi Kutia (Eighty-Four Huts). Perhaps at one time there were only 84 huts, but today the numbers rise into the nineties, and at least one story counts them at 121. In Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, eighty-four is the number of Mahasiddhas – people who embody and cultivate the “siddhi of perfection”. A signboard on site states that each of the 84 huts represents a different classic Yoga Asana (posture), and “together they represent whole range of human life.” According to the National Park site “84 is a number that represents the base numeral of the number of species we believe to exist on this earth 84,00,000.”
Tales are told of sex, drugs, and impropriety at the ashram – but in later years, George Harrison emphatically denied any stories that cast aspersions on the Maharishi himself, and gave a benefit concert for the Maharishi-associated Natural Law Party. The Maharishi and his teachings are crediting with steering the Beatles away from psychedelic drugs and inspiring them to write many new songs – and his world influence continued long after the Beatles left the ashram.
The Maharishi stopped using the property during the 1970s and the land reverted to the local forestry department in 2003. Today it is managed by the Rajaji National Park.
I was in Rishikesh for a yoga retreat that included a few scenic daytrips (see: A Himalayan Sunrise). I was very excited about the prospect of my trip to the Beatles’ Ashram after hearing about it on my first trip to the city (see: Iconic India). From my accommodation, I was transported as a pillion passenger on a small motorcycle through crowded streets, across the Janki Setu Bridge (the closer suspension bridge, the Ram Jhula, is no longer open to motorcycles), and over rain-damaged, unpaved, and pot-holed roads to the entry to the fairy-tale-like enclave, nestled into the calming greenery of the encroaching jungle.
Come explore:
Welcome to Chaurasi Kutia – Eighty Four Huts
The site marketed as the Beatles’ Ashram is now part of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, under the management of Rajaji National Park. (iPhone12Pro) One of the 84 Kutia
The meditation huts are built from river rock from the nearby Ganges. Path into the Ashram
According to a signboard nearby, each of the 84 hut represents a different classic Yoga Asana (posture). To me, they all look more or less the same! Looking out from a Kutia
The conical meditation huts were built between 1976 and 1978 – long after the Beatles’ stay. Huts Everywhere
The huts are double story, with the living space downstairs, and a ladder-stair to the upper meditation space. Hut Number 22 The Ganges
Brown from the recent floods, even this close to the source – about 200 km (124 mi) from the Gongotri Glacier – the Mother Ganga is deep and wide. Paul and his Guitar
From the 1990s, trespassers on the abandoned site started leaving graffiti as a tribute to the Beatles. Later, after the decision was finally made to preserve the unique heritage of the place, the artwork became more formalised. Krishna with His Flute
The intersection of spiritual practice and Hindu traditions is well illustrated throughout. Graceful Gazebo Light and Dark and Lines
The abandoned accommodation building, with its ornate window frames, patina of moss and plants, and dappled light, is just magical. Safe Hands on the Beehive
Meditation huts on top the accommodation building are decorated with wonderful murals. The foothills of the Himalaya roll off into the background. “Let It Be”
The ruins of the old yoga studio is patterned with lines and light. The Beatles turned this space into a music hall during their stay. (iPhone12Pro) The Music Hall
The rough and aging walls are now beautifully decorated. Wanderlust
In 2016, artist Miles Toland was one of those invited to decorate the crumbling space. His contributions are ethereal. (See them on his site: The Beatles Ashram). Rishikesh
Outside and across the river, the city hums with life. Corridor to more Meditation Chambers The Fab Four Plus One
In 2012, street artist Pan Trinity Das (né Graham White) founded The Beatles Cathedral Gallery project to rejuvenate the lecture hall. The Lecture Hall and Me
Everyone wants their picture taken in the redecorated lecture hall. Good luck getting it to yourself! Grey Langur – Hanuman Langur
Working our way out through the back side of the ashram, we stop for freshly squeezed juice. Langurs (Semnopithecus) watch us from the wall overhead. Young Grey Langur Mike Love, co-founder of the Beach Boys, was a student of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and spent time at the ashram while the Beatles, their partners, Mia Farrow, her sister, and Donovan, were also there. His account of that time there is worth reading (see: The Ashram).
Truly, a magical time – and a magical place.
In the air above the Ganges
A hundred fifty down miles from the source
of the Holy Mother River
Indian spiritual water
ripples seen 100 feet below
are shining in the sun
reflecting through the eyes of one
who feels as though
he’d been there, or nearly so
a long, long time ago
– Mike Love, Beach Boys.
Pictures: 05September2023
Posted in India,Nature,Religious PracticeTags: architecture,hindu,history,India,landscape,National Park,nature,Photo Blog,Religious Practice,temple,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Stone Pillars Rising
The ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi that remain today date from the 4th century BCE, and stand as a testament to the artistic sensibilities and engineering ingenuity of the ancient Greeks. The home of the Delphi Oracle has a mystic resonance. The air is electric, infused with the smell of mountain herbs, and full of possibility.
Of course, it might have just been the heat, or the early start. Whatever it was, I felt an energy at the Sanctuary of Apollo in Ancient Delphi that I have experienced few other places.
It is said that this is the centre of the world.
Ancient Greek legend has it that Zeus was searching for the omphalos, the centre of the ancestral mother earth, the ‘navel’ of his grandmother Gaia. He released two eagles from two ‘ends of the world’, and Delphi was where their paths crossed. Zeus then threw a sacred egg-shaped stone and declared that the omphalos of Gaia had been found.
This was home to the Oracle of Delphi, that most-famous ancient oracle, who was believed to deliver prophecies from Apollo.
Mount Parnassus has been home to an important oracle as early as 1400 BCE. The Pytho, and later the Pythia, was the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi from about the 8th century BCE. The title refers to the mythical name of Delphi and comes from the Greek verb pythō meaning ‘to rot’: most accounts say that Apollo killed a monstrous python here, and there was a sickly sweet smell emanating from the decomposing body.
Before a divination, the Pythia and her consultants bathed in the nearby Castalian Spring. She then descended deep into a cavern under the Temple of Apollo. There she went into an ecstatic state and channelled Apollo, delivering opaque prophecies that were interpreted and written down by the attendant priests.
Her state has variously been attributed to fumes emitted from geologic fault lines under the temple, and/or the ingestion of Mediterranean oleander. The last reported Delphic prophecy was around 393 CE, when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I passed laws to end pagan activity.
The extensive site of temple ruins on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus was UNESCO-listed for its natural, historic, artistic, architectural, and spiritual values in 1992, Most of the ruins still visible here date to the sixth century BCE.
The small group that I was travelling with and I had set off from Meteora (see: A Walk through Ancient Orthodox Monasteries) early that morning, stopping for lunch enroute. Before exploring the architectural ruins, we spent time in the Archaeological Museum of Delphi which is adjacent to the site and houses artifacts found in the vicinity.
While I don’t always have a lot of patience in archeological museums, the age and beauty of the artifacts on display – spanning a thousand years, from the Mycenaean era to the Greco-Roman times – was mind-boggling.
Do join me.
Mycenaean Terracotta Females
Found in the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, these sacred figurines date to the 14th century BCE. They are called psi (Ψ) figurines, because their shape resembles that Greek letter. (iPhone12Pro) Woman’s Head
This caryatid – a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support – is from the Siphnian Treasury and dates to at least 525 BCE. (iPhone12Pro) Sphinx of Naxos (560 BCE)
This wonderful marble sphinx stood upon a 10 meter (33 foot) column next to the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. (iPhone12Pro) Ancient Frieze (525 BCE)
In its day, Delphi was the religious centre of the Greek world, and the public buildings were wonderfully decorated. This section of frieze is from the east facade of the Treasury of Siphnos. Battle Frieze (525 BCE)
In another fragment, the Gods are fighting against giants. One of the Twin Kouroi : Kleobis and Biton
Ancient Greek art was highly stylized. This is the head one of the monumental twins standing on a single base. The story is that after they helped their mother, one of Hera’s priestesses, they were granted “a peaceful death in their sleep” as a reward. Apollo (480-470 BCE)
This kylix, a ritual drinking cup, was recovered from a grave that probably belonged to a priest. Music in the Marble (128 BC)
This is a portion of the third verse of one of the Delphic Hymns, musical compositions dedicated to Apollo. Bronze Athletes (460 BCE)
The artifacts give a wonderful glimpse into the ancient world. Statue Plutarch or Plato
Behind the giant philosopher, there is photographic mural of the excavations at the site. The Charioteer of Delphi (470 BCE)
While most bronzes from ancient times corroded or were melted down, this beautiful life-size piece survived because it was buried under a rock-fall, probably in 373 BCE, and not found until 1896. Iniohos – He Who Holds the Reins
The whole sculpture is thought to have included the young charioteer – probably a slave, as he is not depicted naked as most athletes are – his chariot and horse team. The incomplete bronze was found with fragments of the horses, and an inscription to Apollo, giving thanks for a victory. The Charioteer
He really is quite exquisite, complete with inlaid glass eyes and silver eyelashes. Tholos (Circular Temple) of Delphi (380 – 370 BC)
Coming out of the museum back into the afternoon sun, I look down the hill to one of the many ancient structures in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in Delphi … Temple of Apollo (490 BCE)
… and uphill to another. Art and Lettering on Ancient Bricks The Reconstructed Treasury House of Athens in Delphi (507-470 BCE)
This was rebuilt to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. Pillars of the Temple of Apollo (490 BCE) Along the Sacred Way
The Sacred Road winds up the hill, through the site. Here, we are looking back at the Treasury House of Athens. Fallen Capitol
Carved marble is all around. Ancient Greek in the Stone (iPhone12Pro)
Whenever we asked our guide about inscriptions like these, … Ancient Letters
… she’d laugh and say, “It’s all Ancient Greek to me!” The Pillars The Temple of Apollo
Somewhere near that slab is the hidden entrance to the Pytho’s cavern. Over the Temple
Higher up the hill, you get a better view of the temple complex. The Ancient Theater of Delphi Fallen Carvings The middle-aged oracles didn’t have a long life – probably paying the price for the seizures they experienced going into their trances, or the effects of whatever hallucinogen that was causing them.
But, it was reputedly a great honour, and there was never a problem filling the position.
Until next time,
Safe Travels!
Pictures: 14September2022
Posted in Architecture,Greece,TravelTags: ancient,Ancient Greece,architecture,Greece,history,landscape,museum,nature,ruins,sculpture,temple,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall,worship
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