Delos and Syros, Greece
A cup of coffee and one of the most beautiful views made my day early in the morning. The sacred island of Delos–uninhabited, unspoiled, and breathtaking–was the view from the Sea Cloud. I took my pictures and got ready for our tour on the island of Apollo and Artemis. We were the first “pilgrims”—visitors on the island (another reason to be ecstatic) and I felt as if the site belonged to my group.
We paid our respects to god Hermes and imagined the noise of the bargaining of the ancient Greek visitors and merchants of the port. We started on the way to the Temples of Apollo. Four impressive temples sit in a line for the god of light, music, order, and poetry to define the presence of the powerful city-states and their leaders. The beauty of the sanctuary was enhanced by the flowers and the wonderful light of the morning. We visited the lake where the gods were born and had the chance to step into the houses of the ancient inhabitants of Delos. We saw the pillars of the atriums and the pottery and mosaics that embellished their everyday life.
A short walk to the museum, passing by the lions—guards of the sanctuary of Leto (Apollo’s mother)—led us to the astonishing luxury of the ancient households. Engraved tables, colorful terracotta offerings, and decorative objects: jewelry, bronze lamps, and my favorite frescoes and mosaics for symposium andrones (rooms for male members of the family) were exhibited in the museum. We also studied the portraits of the Roman era and the “kouri and kores” of the Archaic sanctuary.
Many of the guests wandered off to enjoy the site on their own and climbed to the top of the mount (112m) for the best view of Delos and the Cycladic Islands around. After our return to Sea Cloud and a great lunch we got ready for sailing to our next destination. The sails looked spectacular from the promenade deck and my pictures will definitely impress my friends back home!
At 5:00 we had already entered the port of Syros, the modern capital of the Cyclades (and one of my favorite Greek islands), and we were ready to tour the neoclassical 19th century city of Ermoupolis (the capital of Syros). We meandered through the marble mansions and public buildings (everything is made of marble here). We walked on marble streets and tried “Turkish delights,” which are local treats. El Greco’s painting in the Church of the Virgin Mary led to a heated discussion about Byzantine art. We ended our walking tour at Saint Nicholas Church, sponsored by the ship-owners of the island, with a great view of the Vorposia neighborhood, teeming with mansions.
One more luxurious dinner ended our day and the city of Ermoupolis lit up was my last image on the way to my cabin.
