We arrived in Mykonos, Greece and immediately took a ferry to tour Delos Island. Delos is the archaeologtical site revered in antiquity as the birthplace of the Gods of the sun and moon. According to Greek mythology Delos is the site where beautiful Leto gave birth to twins: Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and Apollo, God of the Sun. The island is considered the third most important archaeological site in all of Greece. It is also home to the famous Naxos Lions and the Sacred Lions Walk. The Island also houses ruins of three ancient temples dedicatged to the Sun God. Of course there is a museum housing some of the relics discovered here.
Of course there are inscriptions, even a few from WWI or II!! I'm not really sure. I just happed to be viewing a big chunk of marble that had some Greek inscription on it, and the guide was telling us what the inscription meant. The more I stared at the writing the strangest thing happened - I could read "Cook U.S.N." I had to chuckle - some nuckle-head US Navy guy and his captain were so bored they carved their namesinto an ancient Greek artifact....I guess they wanted to be a part of history too!
After our tour was finished we grabbed a bit of lunch at a lovely water-side cafe. Next we were off to walk the lovely streets of cube-shaped white houses trimmed in bright turquoise blue and brilliant red. The contrast between the buildings and the dazzling blue sky and sea is enchanting. Bouganvillia and Geranium abound and complement the beautiful stucco buildings. To top off the walk you cannot miss the windmills that stand on the ridge above the Harbor.
Mykonos belongs to the island group known as the Cyclades. They form a rough circle around the sacred island of Delos, one of the religious centers of ancient Greece. The Cyclades are positioned along trade routes from Europe The island produced a brilliant culture very early in recorded history, even before the great Minoan civilization on Crete. The islands fell under the control of the Venetian Republic following the Fourth Crusade. Then in the 16th century by the Turks. There was always a danger of invasion by priates, so the town and harbor were built compactly for defense purposes. The winding streets served a dual purpose, not only designed to confuse invaders but also to break the effects of the strong winds coming in from the Aegean Sea.
Beautiful icons on the island are the Church of Agia Kiriaki and the Square of The Three Wells. Local legend has it that unmarried girls needed to drink from each of the three wells in order to find the right husband...I guess that's where the old saying "must be something in the water" comes from.......
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