Oracle-seeking In Delphi, Greece, 4th Jan 2007

They frown on genius...

...but my utter shamelessness carries the day.

The best view we had of the site of the Oracle at Delphi. It was closed when we arrived at three in the afternoon, half an hour too late.

There are still some refuges in the world where technology has been unable to penetrate, and this is one of them. Suppose the Oracle familiarised herself with Hotmail, or Nokia, we would then have had ample warning of the shorter opening hours in winter.

Then again, she would probably have loftier issues to deal with, and greater furies to contend with than that of ten unknown commoners.

A rare shot of the Temple of Apollo without any visitors.

Actually, the three main pillars were positioned on the right to block off the few tourists who happen to be on-site. How they manage the picture-perfect shots in postcards I've not the faintest clue.

It's impossible to be unaware of them whilst walking in these parts, because each goat has a bell tied around its neck that chimes with the slightest movement made. The fact that these bells can be heard for miles around is probably the reason why the goatherd is nowhere to be seen.

Montane merriment in Delphi. Greece more than meets the requirements for a booming tourism industry, in the cities she is blessed with ruins from classical times, while in the countryside she is equally well-endowed with marvellous natural scenery.

Pales in comparison to the one we witnessed at Cape Sounio the day before, but beautiful in its own right.

One should never get too complacent.