Oh, The Places You'll Go: Part II

Nested high upon the southwestern spur of Mount Parnassus, the stadium at Delphi is a gem at the end of a long and arduous mountain path. Originally built in the 5th Century BC, it was used to host athletic and musical events during the ancient Pythian and Panhellenic Games. The stone seating could accommodate as many as 6500 spectators. (Delphi, Greece.)

Unlike at Delphi, we had some help when we climbed atop the Acropolis at Lindos. (Rhodes, Greece.)

In April 1933, a severe earthquake—measuring 6.6 on the Richter Scale—razed the port city of Kos, claiming the lives of 170 people in a 27-second flash of destruction. Despite the catastrophic damage caused by the earthquake, it also revealed that the port district's aging houses were built directly atop the ruins of the ancient city—a discovery that precipitated the excavation of the largest archaeological site on the island. (Kos, Greece.)

The Old Town of Rhodes is one of the most extensive and well-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Prior to the Ottoman incursion of Western Europe, Rhodes was controlled by the Knights Hospitallers. The Avenue of the Knights—located in the shadow of the Palace of the Grand Master—was the heart of the Medieval town, a meeting place and residential area for the Knights who defended the city for more than two centuries. (Rhodes, Greece.)

The White Tower of Thessaloniki, once a notorious prison known as the site of mass executions during the Ottoman rule of Greece, has since been adopted as the symbol of the city. After four centuries of occupation, the old fortification was substantially remodeled—its exterior whitewashed, too—as a symbolic act of forgiveness and cleansing. (Thessaloniki, Greece.)

Taking in the scene at Meteora, which must be one of the most beautiful sites in the entire world. Soaring above the red-roofed town of Kalabaka, the monoliths of Meteora are mystifying, surreal, and breathtaking. The six active monasteries there, built into the smooth sandstone pillars, have been sites of quiet contemplation and pilgrimage since the 13th Century. (Meteora, Greece.)

Meteora was an ideal coda to a summer full of travel, amazement, and learning. In retrospect, it seems beyond description—just like so many of the experiences we had in all of the places we went. (Meteora, Greece.)

Oh, The Places You'll Go

An up close & personal look at the Ionic order, courtesy of one of the six columns supporting the Erechtheion's Northern porch. (Athens, Greece)

Attempting to pose outside of the Panathenaic Stadium while security guards blew their whistles at us. The stadium, which was reconstructed from the remains of an ancient Greek stadium, played host to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. (Athens, Greece)

The towering Temple of Olympian Zeus: an ill-fated structure that was constructed over a period of 638 years, only to be destroyed during a barbarian invasion 135 years after its completion.
(Athens, Greece)

The Passion façade of La Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882. At the time of architect Antoni Gaudí's death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was finished. It is currently scheduled for completion in 2026. (Barcelona, Spain)

Resting at the foot of La Catedral de Santiago de Compostela after completing the final 30 km of "El Camino de Santiago," a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. James that dates back to the 9th Century. (Santiago de Compostela, Spain)

An unexpected encounter with a room full of 13th Century frescoes in La Città Alta: a truly breathtaking experience. (Bergamo, Italy)

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, the southernmost point of Attica. As legend has it, King Aegeus leapt to his death at Sounion when he mistakenly thought that Theseus, his son, had been killed by the dreaded Minotaur. Thus, the Aegean Sea acquired its name. (Sounion, Greece)

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, or simply "Herodeon," is a theater built into the southwestern slope of the Acropolis of Athens. Completed in 161 AD, it was turned to ruin in the same barbarian invasion that resulted in the destruction of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. We had the distinct pleasure of listening to Mozart's "Symphony No. 41," his final symphony, in the reconstructed venue. (Athens, Greece)

Situated on the southwestern face of Mount Parnassus, Delphi was once thought to be the center of the earth. The Delphic Oracle exerted extraordinary influence in the classical Greek world: she was consulted before all decisions of importance, perhaps as far back as 1400 BC. (Delphi, Greece)