Let's Do the Time Warp Again

Anonymous

Today was without comparison the most exciting day I've had so far during this trip. As an avid reader and, now, as an English Literature major, I have encountered my fair share of Greek mythology throughout my education. I think I've read the story of Oedipus three times in three different classes. After reading countless Greek myths that reference the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, the thought that I was actually going to the same location that the stories referenced absolutely boggled my mind. When we arrived at Delphi, I was beside myself with excitement as I looked up at the ruins. While thousands of years and numerous earthquakes have transformed the site from a glorious place of religious and cultural significance to a mere collection of stones, I could still imagine what Delphi would have looked like to the pilgrims seeking guidance so many years ago.

After being shooed out of the ruins by the extremely time conscious site managers, we were lucky enough to see a bit of the museum. This experience was just as exciting for me as seeing the Delphi ruins was. I look an early Art History class in my sophomore year at PLU, and much of the art we studied was created by the ancient Greeks. Lo and behold, when I walked into the museum I saw some of the pieces of art I had studied in that class. While I couldn't remember all the specific dates and details for these pieces, Iwas absolutely in awe to see them standing before me. Entering a room and seeing the charioteer piece just floored me. This art is thousands of years old and it's just standing there for me to look at! I've been to museums with ancient artwork before, but having studied these creations gave me a much greater appreciation for them and a much deeper sense of amazement when given the chance to see them in person.

All in all, I truly felt as if I were stepping back into history today. This is probably one of my favorite things about visiting Europe. You just don't find things that are thousands of years old in the U.S, and it is a remarkable exerience to tread in the same location as individuals did several thousand years ago.