Sampling Delos …

Friday September 27, 2019

MYKONOS, Greece – Today, we stepped about 3,000 years back into history and visited one of the most powerful, and least known civilizations of Greek antiquity.

We took a 30-minute ferry from Mykonos to Delos, an uninhabited island in the south Aegean Sea. Unlike other sites, such as the Acropolis in Athens or Delphi which we have visited, no buildings or full structures remain on Delos. Instead, the area which was developed, remains in ruins and only columns and walls of houses and shops are visible. Still, the map given to us upon arrival showed close to 100 sites worth visiting. Many are the remains of once great structures and we did not have time to explore all points on the map.

We took a 10 a.m. ferry, sat, by chance, across from a very nice couple from San Francisco and had a wonderful conversation. They signed up for a tour in English, and, in time, we overheard tours in Spanish, French and German, as well as English. There were three returning ferries, 12 noon, 1:30 or 3 p.m. back to Mykonos and the 1:30 ferry was our goal.

Once we docked, there was a 12 euro admission to the site and Delos is basically an outdoor museum. So, we checked the map and off we went. The most impressive remain is the “theater,” or 6,500 seat semi-oval amphitheater. Visitors can sit on only the first three rows. The remaining rows are not rows, but broken slabs of rock and granite, far too dangerous to navigate.

Walking the grounds, we were amazed how small the living quarters were. Greeks must not have been very large people and the small, compact “houses” serve as a testament.

There is a museum with artifacts found at the site. Five or 6 original lions are housed there, for protection from the elements. Once they were removed in the year 2000, reproductions were placed in the original site. Archaeologists think there may have been anywhere between 9-19 lions lining the walkway, in the hopes of scaring any unwanted visitors!

However, we did find three extraordinary items still remaining among the ruins. These were statues standing where they must have been constructed. In other museums, there is a plethora of Greek and Roman figures, but we did not come across figures in open spaces as we did on Delos.

The earliest inhabitants of Delos built simple dwellings around 2500 B. C. The peak of Delos’ glory was considered around the 9th century B. C. Citizens from all over Greece would come to Delos as the island was regarded as the birthplace of Apollo, the god of light, harmony and balance and Artemis, his twin sister.

After 167 B. C., Delos developed rapidly and that’s when it was declared a free port. That meant the growth of commerce and the rise of businessmen, bankers and ship-owners. Delos began to attract builders, artists and craftsman, who built and decorated houses of the wealthy with fountains, mosaic floors and frescoes.

By the last century B. C., Delos came under attack and sacked twice, once in 88 B. C. and later in 69 B. C. Gradually, the island was abandoned, and excavation began in 1872. Archaeological work on the site continues as does the effort to uncover treasures from the Hellenistic history.

For a comprehensive view of Delos, it is recommended that a 5-hour visit is necessary. Since we made the 1:30 ferry back, we managed nearly three hours and saw just about everything.

From the museum, there is a path leading to the stadium and gymnasium , which we did not visit. As well, we did not climb the highest peak viable from the port and that’s where the Sanctuary of Zeus and Athena are found. Perhaps, next time.

After we arrived back n Mykonos, we grabbed a light lunch at a dock-side bakery and walked over to a second bus station. We wanted just to take a bus and wander through the island. By this time, it was around 3 and the girl selling the bus tickets from a wooden kiosk told us we just missed the bus to Elia.

That’s the location of the most recommended beach and since we already have our bus tickets, we are not going to Paranga, as first planned. So tomorrow, Saturday, Elia, it is.

The weather on Delos was terrific for pictures, sunny but hot. Temps must have been around 90 and that also factored into taking the earlier 1:30 ferry.

We arrived back at the apartment around 4:30 and jumped into the pool in our complex. The water was chilly, but felt good since we were so hot from touring Delos.

Not sure about dinner tonight. Probably junking out at the corner gyro shop. That’s Greece’s fast food establishments.

PICTURES – Images from the ferry boat to Delos, the archaeological site of Delos.