Delos
Delos was the
Singapore of the Mediterranean. Trade in Delos was tax free, and it
is hard to believe that on the barren island, measuring only 1 by 5
kilometers, once used to be the home of 30000 people. OK, Delos has
quite a few things going for it. For starters, it was the birthplace
of the god Apollo. We could see exactly where Apollo was born,
because the precise spot of the birth is marked with a palm tree.
Furthermore, it has a very large natural harbor, and it is the Center
of the Cyclades. When we visited Delos, we made an effort to be
early, and we managed the visit before most of the other ships
arrived. However, when we made the dingy ride back to our boat, there
were many yacht anchored off, many could be classified as
super-yachts1.
But even this was nothing compared to the ancient harbors, that could
house 150 large ships each. The houses on Delos are some of the best
preserved examples, complete with central mosaic, cistern to collect
water, and stucco on the walls. The house of Hermes even featured two
levels, complete with columns on the upper level. As engineers we
could not help but marvel over the ingenious sewer system, that
connected each of the houses to the central system under the roads.
And every self respective town of antiquity is not complete without
its own theater, squares, temples, hippodrome and such like. Delos is
the largest open air excavation in Europe, and a truly marvelous
place. We took a guided tour, and really liked how our guide Cleopatra made the ancient stone come back to life.
1 Definition
of Super yacht: It has to feature at least 3 domes, crew in shorts,
and a massive supply of recreational pharmaceuticals.
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