As we pull into town, I can tell that Delphi is different than any place I have been before. The town clings to the side of the mountain and is defined by narrow, shop-lined streets terraced one above the other. Long staircases climb the mountain between streets, providing shortcuts for pedestrians and additional sidewalks for tavernas. Young people, most likely college students on a field trip, cluster in small groups, giggling and running about.
The first hotel we walk into, Hotel Athena, has a room available with a view overlooking the valley. I throw my backpack on a bed and step outside on our balcony, which seems to hang over the gorge. The sight is breathtaking, so I reach for my supplies and attempt to paint the Pleistos with the sun setting in the background. I’m aware that I’ll never capture its vastness or presence, but maybe I can reproduce some of the sunset’s colors.