summer flashback :: discover olympia
I figured since you/know/who was headed to Greece this week, I'd take a look back on our trip there this summer. I'm not going to lie. It's been hard to look back at these pictures. As you know, we lost our Violet while we were traveling, and I've said before that this trip we took was not the best for me. Our trip to Delphi, which came the day after we got the news, passed in pretty much of a haze. A tear-filled eye phase, for me.
And that's a shame, because look at this place. The museum, which was reorganized in 2004, is stunning. It's not huge, and its size and relative intimacy makes you feel connected to the amazing works they have showcased there. I was particularly struck by how well lit the statues were. Compelling.
We were early in the season, just at the start of June, and our day was threatening storms. Because of this, when we got down to the actual ruins, our group of scientists (and their families) had the place to themselves. Cal and his friend Sam ran a footrace in the stadium (that profile shot of him above is from there) and we were free to wander to our hearts' content.
I was struck then, as I am now, how nature takes over. Grasses covering columns. Flowers finding purchase. Looking at these pictures now, I'm struck anew at the majesty of the place, but also, look how sad my boy was. We all were.
If you're interested in reading more about the history of the Olympics (More? I didn't even touch on it here! But you can see where the torch is lit every four years for the modern Olympic Games and that's pretty awesome sauce.) I can't recommend this book, The Naked Olympics, highly enough. Cal's Latin teacher recommended it to me (warning me that it was a bit bawdy, but I persevered), and it was great to have such a thorough background before our trip. Honestly, I recommend it even if you're not headed that way soon.
We headed up the mountains to dinner after our tour, and I'll be back on Thursday with some photos from that amazing meal. Nothing heals like food, you know.
