Day six in Athens – Arachova

Day six presented itself with a curious turn. Although, I am expecting to spend a deal of time in Athens, partially due to my lack of listening, I am pleasantly surprised when I hear we are actually headed about three hours away to the town of Delphi. Thanks to the long ride to our destination, I am able to catch up on all the sleep I lost over the course of this trip. We reach our destination and I face the mountain climb ahead of me feeling refreshed and ready for the challenge. Maria, our tour guide, slowly, methodically, and with much attention to detail explained the history behind all of the ruins as we passed them.  The last remaining pillars, the images of how it used to work as well as the understanding of how this temple of Apollo was used were simply amazing.

Next, we visit the town of Arachova. It is a small town on a mountaintop, with a primary focus on the appeal to tourists. Here, a few of my classmates and I ran through the town to find the best view of the gorgeous surrounding mountains. We take pictures then begin browsing the shops for souvenirs.

At this point in the trip, I am starting to realize how civilized the ancient Greeks really were. I have a new respect for how things were two thousand plus years ago, and it is revolutionizing my attitude towards history. We were not simply savages dwelling in caves; we were architects, scholars, gods, and artists. I feel like this trip is changing me for the better by far and I am incredibly grateful for this experience.