The Lion of Chaeronea fascinates me. I read the text on the plaque and learn that the Lion is facing a Tumulus (an artificial hill -burial site). I decided to follow the road the Lion is facing but don’t see anything that looks like a tumulus. I cross the bridge over the river and turn right- nothing!. I turn back and follow the track on the other side. This is farmland with trails leading in all directions. After 20 minutes of dozens of right and left turns, I am hopelessly lost. I can’t see the town, and the mountains are now in the distance. The two GPS’S tell me nothing at all. About a km away I see a car. The track is rough but what the heck I am riding a GS now. After many turns, I finally catch up with the car and asked the farmer directions. He points to the right and says Caeronea! At last, I spot the small bridge where the lion is visible right at the end of the road.

Next stop: Delphi, high up in the mountains.

Delphi

The hotel serves breakfast at 8, and by nine I am outside loading the bike. It is already 31 degrees. A Polish couple who I met last night is loading up as well. They are riding a BMW K1600 GTL. Perhaps that has no meaning to you, but it is the biggest and most expensive BMW tourer you can get; it has a 1600 CC 6 cylinder engine. This bike has all the options and anything that opens and shuts. I take it that this bike must cost more than 32000 euro’s (50.000 AUD) The man wants to keep in touch and hands me his card. Aha, a funeral director- that explains it.

I ride 1 km down the road and park the bike at the parking lot of the archaeological site of Delphi. The lady at the ticket booth asks me where I am from. “Australia,” I say. “That will be 12 Euro’s,” she says. “I ask why the sign says 6 Euro. She says European citizens pay 6 Euro’s, if you come from somewhere else, it is 12 Euros.

I just look at her and shake my head. Trying to make sense of it all, is useless.

The Delphi site is famous, here is the big temple of Apollo where the Oracle sat on a tripod above a fissure in the rock from which fumes rose up  with an intoxicating effect. At the time, the gibberish spoken was taken seriously and predictions made.

 I guess you always have a 50% chance that the forecast is right and if you make it subject to conditions an oracle can always be right.

After visiting the excellent museum, I walk (read climbed) the site in the stifling heat. It does not help  wearing my motorcycle boots and pants either. Two hours later, I am back in the parking lot and do something I always advise against. I ride the next two hours in my T-shirt and even ride without gloves. I need to cool down as the sign above the entrance says 38 degrees.

Now I  head for my next destination: Thermopylae.

If you have watched the movie “The 300 Spartans” you are familiar with the story. Please allow me to quote from Wikipedia, so you get the background story.”

Quote:

The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I, over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. In August or September 480 BC, at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates"). The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. By 480 BC Xerxes had amassed an enormous army and navy and set out to conquer all of Greece. The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae.

A Greek force of approximately 7,000 men marched north to block the pass in the middle of 480 BC. The Persian army, alleged by the ancient sources to have numbered over one million, but today considered to have been much smaller (various figures are given by scholars, ranging between about 100,000 and 150,000)^[10][11] arrived at the pass in late August or early September. The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history’s most famous last stands. During two full days of action, the small force led by Leonidas blocked the only road by which the massive Persian army could pass. After the second day, a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a small path that led behind the Greek lines. Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard their retreat with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians, fighting to the death. Others also reportedly remained, including up to 900 helots and 400 Thebans; most of these Thebans reportedly surrendered.

End quote.

The pass which is talked about was a narrow bit of land and the beach. On one side, a mountain and on the other side the sea. Less than 100 meters wide.

Today the area is much wider as the land has risen. The hot springs are still flowing at the same rate at is did before and has a slight sulphur smell. After stopping at the memorial on the main road, I ride over sacred ground which was formally the battleground. A local stall holder selling honey walks over for a chat and ask me about my interest in the site. We discuss the movie.  The man tells me to ride on for 100 meters and stop on the right  where a track can be seen which is said to be the track which the Persians used to attack from the rear..

 It is interesting to know this historical fact and now standing on the very same spot where all this happened so long ago

I had come from Delphi across the mountains and had to travel south for about 7 km to get to this site. Now that I was leaving I turned left, to head north.

After about 3 km, there is a traffic jam and a lot of people standing on the road. My first thoughts are, “It must be an accident”, but no the road is blocked off with sticks and tree branches. I ride to the front to see what is happening.  Inching forward, people block my way. One the leaders walks over to me and says “You can’t go any further”. I ask what is happening while I keep my engine running.

It turns out they are refugees from Iraq and Syria and have been camped by the side of the road for over a year. The man tells me that they don’t get any assistance, no money, no doctors, they just leave us here. I don’t say anything but think that this is the wrong way to go about it, but I can see that they are desperate. Perhaps they should go back to their countries as the war is as good as over and they can help rebuild it. But who am I to say anything.

I reply with a: “So you have a problem with the Greek government? “Yes,of course” he says. “Well, I am a tourist and come from Australia, this has nothing to do with me so just let me pass.” I put the bike in first gear and inch forward. Immediately two guys pick up a large sticks and walk towards me while waving the sticks above their heads.  Ok, I get the point and turn around and double back 15 km until I find an exit to the Toll road.

By 5 pm I arrive at my accommodation near Meteora. While checking in the owner asked if I travel alone. “Yes, “I answer, while at the same moment another motorcyclist arrives.He is fully packed like myself and has a German numberplate. “When you ride a motorcycle you are never alone for too long if you don’t want to,” I tell the owner. “Friendships are easily made as you share common ground.”

I check into my room, do my washing, do some writing and have an early night. For now, no contact with the other rider, as I am tired.