Greece is still bewitching with its bright whitewashed buildings glowing on the shores of the blue Aegean Sea. The history that goes back thousands of years is prevalent no matter where you go. Of course, the Parthenon may be the most famous of its ruins, begun in 434 BC at the order of Pericles as a temple to the goddess Athena. Overlooking the city of Athens, it stands as a constant reminder that very intelligent, cosmopolitan people preceded the modern day inhabitants.
A more modern but influential edifice is the Arkadi Monastery on the Greek island of Crete. It was built 800 years ago and has served as a center of education and manuscript copying over the years.
The magic of ruins like the Theater at Delphi still touches the visitor with the imagination to picture the 5000 toga clad citizens who regularly enjoyed performances in the fourth century B.C. on this hillside. There were close to 90 such theaters in ancient Greece. People watched plays, poetry recitals and choral processions. It was a social, political and religious center.
