Visiting the Islands of Delos & Mikonos
Sunrise found the Pan Orama cruising in the peaceful, brilliant blue waters of the Mediterranean within the Cyclades, probably the most well known group of all Greek Islands. Our first day would be spent exploring two of the Cycladic islands, getting acquainted with the past through archeology and stories carved in stone. We then moved to the present to an island first inhabited by pirates and now a major island tourist destination.
The name Cyclades comes from kyklos, a circle, and looking at a map one can see that the islands all circle the sacred isle of Delos. Over the period 3000-1000 B.C. the Cycladic civilization flourished here, producing extraordinary works of art that have had lasting influences on the world. The island of Delos once had a population of approximately 25,000 people who shared a prosperous life on this small rocky island. According to the legend, Leto gave birth to Artemis and Apollo here under a Palm tree. The Ionians made Delos their religious capital and dedicated it to the god Apollo. They began an annual festival of arts and sports in honor of Apollo and by 700 B.C. Delos was a major pilgrimage center.
Our day began by taking a short ride by local tender to a small dock just below the Lions Terrace on the island of Delos. Our local guides Laura and Sophia divided our group, each taking half and we began a long morning exploring one of the most important archaeological sites in the country of Greece. The famous lions (now replaced with replicas, due to continued damage from wind and weather) still overlook and protect the Sacred Lake named this because it witnessed the birth Apollo and Artemis.
We continued our tour visiting the Sanctuary of Dionysus, the House of Masks and the Theatre quarter. Many of the houses had intricate mosaic floors, and opulent colonnaded courtyards decorated with an ancient olive oil press and remnants of sculptures. Adding to the fascination of wandering through an open-air museum was a spectacular bloom of wild flowers. Around each corner, growing in and around sculptures, carvings, pieces of columns, and stone floors were many species of wild flowers flashing in a myriad of color all on gorgeous display in lovely morning light. All too soon it was to time to return to the Pan Orama and begin our short journey towards our afternoon destination of the Island of Mikonos.
As lunch was being served our Captain and crew found a quiet anchorage for a quick and brisk swim in the Mediterranean. Once initiated, the rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing before our late afternoon visit to another island of the Cyclades.
Quite different from our morning experience of quiet and wild flowers, we were now walking the streets of the much-visited island of Mykonos. The later afternoon light bouncing off brilliant white houses and small churches trimmed in blue, all stacked into narrow alleys made for fun photography and a nice adventuresome walk at the end of our day. After getting lost in the lanes of restaurants and shops it was the perfect time to stop for a quick snack of smoked octopus, a glass of wine or just a moment to sit and watch the sun setting over the waters of the Mediterranean.
Sunrise found the Pan Orama cruising in the peaceful, brilliant blue waters of the Mediterranean within the Cyclades, probably the most well known group of all Greek Islands. Our first day would be spent exploring two of the Cycladic islands, getting acquainted with the past through archeology and stories carved in stone. We then moved to the present to an island first inhabited by pirates and now a major island tourist destination.
The name Cyclades comes from kyklos, a circle, and looking at a map one can see that the islands all circle the sacred isle of Delos. Over the period 3000-1000 B.C. the Cycladic civilization flourished here, producing extraordinary works of art that have had lasting influences on the world. The island of Delos once had a population of approximately 25,000 people who shared a prosperous life on this small rocky island. According to the legend, Leto gave birth to Artemis and Apollo here under a Palm tree. The Ionians made Delos their religious capital and dedicated it to the god Apollo. They began an annual festival of arts and sports in honor of Apollo and by 700 B.C. Delos was a major pilgrimage center.
Our day began by taking a short ride by local tender to a small dock just below the Lions Terrace on the island of Delos. Our local guides Laura and Sophia divided our group, each taking half and we began a long morning exploring one of the most important archaeological sites in the country of Greece. The famous lions (now replaced with replicas, due to continued damage from wind and weather) still overlook and protect the Sacred Lake named this because it witnessed the birth Apollo and Artemis.
We continued our tour visiting the Sanctuary of Dionysus, the House of Masks and the Theatre quarter. Many of the houses had intricate mosaic floors, and opulent colonnaded courtyards decorated with an ancient olive oil press and remnants of sculptures. Adding to the fascination of wandering through an open-air museum was a spectacular bloom of wild flowers. Around each corner, growing in and around sculptures, carvings, pieces of columns, and stone floors were many species of wild flowers flashing in a myriad of color all on gorgeous display in lovely morning light. All too soon it was to time to return to the Pan Orama and begin our short journey towards our afternoon destination of the Island of Mikonos.
As lunch was being served our Captain and crew found a quiet anchorage for a quick and brisk swim in the Mediterranean. Once initiated, the rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing before our late afternoon visit to another island of the Cyclades.
Quite different from our morning experience of quiet and wild flowers, we were now walking the streets of the much-visited island of Mykonos. The later afternoon light bouncing off brilliant white houses and small churches trimmed in blue, all stacked into narrow alleys made for fun photography and a nice adventuresome walk at the end of our day. After getting lost in the lanes of restaurants and shops it was the perfect time to stop for a quick snack of smoked octopus, a glass of wine or just a moment to sit and watch the sun setting over the waters of the Mediterranean.
