Category: Cultural Commentary

The road to Delphi, taken through the bus window…

The site. This is where anyone who was anyone in the ancient world came to consult the oracle. It’s also where the famous “Know Thyself” inscription was located in the Temple of Apollo:

Of course Apollo wasn’t the first deity to reign over this navel (omphalos) of the world; that would be Gaia. He murdered her, but the priestesses here were always called Pythias after her sacred totem, the Python.

“Hi, my name is Victoria, I’ll be lowered into that cistern-type thingy behind me on a tripod, breathing hallucinagenic fumes and giving your prophecy today, which will be interpreted by a priest. You’ll find a tip jar on the way out. Thank you for visiting Delfi and come again soon!”

I will say that my dreams last night were amazing and mostly because Athena sent me a huge, breathtaking owl to stare at me and witness to all the truths the dream was telling. I leave Athens tomorrow but I am taking that owl with me forever.

Hello PeaceBangers!

Since I last checked in, I have walked in Paul’s footsteps in Corinth.

I have crawled all over the Acropolis in Athens.

I have seen the inner workings of a major archeological dig.

I have eaten grilled haloumi cheese and eggplants and much tsaziki.

I have taken a bath/shower with one of those hand-held European shower heads that, when it gets out of your grip, snakes wildly all over the tub squirting you and the entire bathroom with water. I have screamed.

I have watched the sun rise over the harbor in Tolo.

Tomorrow I bid adieu to my lovely touring friends and strike out on my own. I move to the Hotel Central for an additional four nights in Athina.

I just don’t know what to say yet. Pretty tremendous.

Oh, and speaking of tremendous, the tighter of the two pairs of jeans that I packed are even tighter now. Lord, but the food here is GOOD!

So tell me what’s going on with you. How are things in Glocca Morra?

Yesterday turned out to be glorious. I went to the touristy part of Kusadisi and wound up having a long multi-lingual chat with three men in a mosque bookstore. Got a contact name and number for a Muslim chaplain in Boston. Bought a Quran and several other books on Islam.

Shopped and visited wıth various lovely merchants and learned a LOT about how Turkish rugs are made. Got asked to dinner or drinks several times. Sunny. Happy. “Would you like some apple tea?” Of course I would!

Mr. Ä°nterfaith Understanding and I had a very good day together today; he is no dummy and realized, Ä° think, that his combative tone was way overboard. Part of this feels to me a bit like 4th grade pigtail pulling — the vibe between us reminds me of grade school rivalries with cute boys who dont know if they want to pinch or kiss the girls who have brains and strong opinions.

Tomorrow we fly to Athens. Wake up 4 AM — so say a prayer for me at 9 PM EST.

We spent today at Ephesus, by the way. Oh my goddess. Ephesus. Photos and more about this magnifıcent site later.

Love from Kusadisi, friends.
Kiss of peace.