16.11 - Day 306 - Melissi to Delphi, GRE

Saturday 16th November - Melissi to Delphi, Greece (Day 306)

There’s a fiery sunrise over the water in Melissi and a couple of less than impressed children when they discover the school work for the week hasn’t been finished despite it being Saturday. But with the carrot of seeing Max (and his toys) they plunder through quickly - Seb’s story about being invisible and Sienna’s speech on why to protect the Great Barrier Reef. 

All ready and packed up we head to the mainland via Patras and a bridge similar to Anzac Bridge in Sydney but twice as long. From there the road flits between sweeping curves and hairpin bends as we hug the coast. 

The forecast was poor but it’s turned out much nicer with views towards the sun over the glistening water. 

Once we hit Itea we turn up into the foot of the mountains driving through low forests of olive trees. 

We spy Delphi from sea-level, a small town perched on the side of the mountain and as we approach it, we get sweeping views back down over the olive trees which from above look like a blanket of grass. 

We arrive at a play park and before we’re out the car, Chris, Annita and Max pull up alongside us. The kids run amok in the playground, also building a (false) fire and toasting (fake) marshmallows. 

In the sun it’s….fresh. In the shadow and breeze it’s chilly; we’re down to high single digits in this alpine atmosphere. 

We head along to Delphic Horizons, our 4 bedroom apartment for the night with the other three. The father of the owner is on hand to let us in and show us around - I’ve never experienced such a thorough introduction to an accommodation, but as it’s all in Greek, it’s Annita and Chris wearing it. 

With the Delphi museum closing soon, there’s nothing for it but to go back to the play park and accompanying concrete football / basketball court next door to catch the end of the lowering sun’s rays. 

Back at the apartment the kids play with two tubs of Brio train tracks and a Pinnochio-esque cheat game. All the while us adults get to have a wine or a beer in the kitchen catching up, it’s balcony fanning over the town and all the way down the mountain to the sea in a very picturesque setting. 

We have a large family dinner, and, once the kids have finally calmed down enough to go to bed, sample some of the homemade mandarin liqueur, which the owner’s dad was at pains to say we should only drink a little to protect from headaches the next day.