hellbent hikers homers home

day 8 ...Sure its nice to get a campsite in the city but I'm sure most travellers don't factor in the traffic noise that can go on through the wee hours of the morning. Just as I was getting used to it,it was time to move on. Angie sleeps through anything! She says if you're tired enough it shouldn't be a problem.Anyhoo, nice day to make our way up to Dephi. Road E94 to E962 to Thiva was again scenic and winding. Steep banks led us to an unexpected stop at Viliza where a crowd of people huddled around a few tents at the top of a mountain pass. There was a makeshift church with alter and hundreds of candles sitting in a huge pool of wax. People would light candles and then proceed to the various tents to buy figs,olives and the sunday treat known as Kavlas.{ I think the spelling is correct?]. Its made from sugar,flour ,nuts and cut into pie pieces then purchased by the kilo. {very expensive but delicious} This was the first time we had ever come across this type of dessert. The beautiful mountain setting with a spring running through it,hundreds of candles and the kavlas made for a weekly destination for many Greeks in the area. A stop in Lievadia for water, honeydew and phyllo stuffed with ham and feta allowed us to have an interesting encounter with a cashier who spoke perfect english and had relatives in Ontario, Canada.The landscape now changed from mountainous to flat valley farmland which was when we first noticed fields dotted with millions of small white balls. Thinking they were flowers on potato plants we soon discovered that we were looking at a cotton plantation. Driving down a dirt road brought us to the middle of one of the many fields where we were able to pick cotton for the first time. Both angie and myself realized then how backbreaking it must have been for the slaves in the American deep south. Hours later we entered the village of Delphi. Perched on the side of a mountain, these lucky residents get a daily view of the Strait of Corinth and a valley of olive and cypress trees. Three roadways run through the town at different levels with stairs joining the narrow passages the europeans call streets. One of the seven wonders of the modern world should be the sight of huge tour buses navigating the streets of Delphi with the greatest of ease. With barely enough space for a mercedes "smart car" these bus drivers have no  problem getting their passengers to where they need to be. While strolling the beautiful village of Delphi we discovered an interesting shop where we purchased a goat bell and a sheep bell. The talkative shopkeeper explained that each one had its own unique sound which helps the herders keep track of their flock. Later we climbed a small hill to get a birdseye view of ancient Delphi. We could see the sanctuary of Apollo, the theatre and the temple of Apollo. The museum contains excellent pieces including the famous "charioteer" and the Sphinx of the Naxians.We wandered through the streets and shops until we found a great little curbside taberna. Awesome outdoor table overlooking Corinth.We could see the lights eminating from the small towns of Galaxadi and Itea in the valley below. Just a perfect setting to enjoy pasta,salad,feta and moussaka, that awesome tasting aubergine dish that Greece is so well known for. Dessert was yogurt with honey. So simple and so unforgettable. An absolutely incredible taste sensation, a stunning view and an exciting curbside table. Angie and I completely enjoyed evey minute!!!!!!  Our caravan room was spacious and overlooking the valley. Great pool too. We had the place to ourselves. As we lay in our bed that evening we could hear the ring of  distant bells around the necks of  sheep and goats grazing on  mountains above us. Two distinctive sounds that we now know are listened for by herders around the country.