Exhausting day....

We started out today much like yesterday. We woke up late, 0930, ate breakfast, and didn't head out until afternoon, close to 1300. It's a real bummer, but Brandon and I promise to get up earlier tomorrow. We were going to go back to Lato and explore a little more, because we didn't stay very long yesterday, but we only got as far as Krista and souvenir shopping. Oh well. We did spend a great deal of time at Driros, because it encompassed two hills (and more, but those were fenced off), and the walkways were not very well maintained. The paths were full of thorns, overgrown with bushes and trees, wild goat dung (some were full of seeds, Grandpa would be proud of my goat poop investigations), and it was also hard climbing up those steep hills. After that very intensive hike, it's no wonder we relaxed in Krista. I should have gotten a picture of the picturesque street full of shops.

This was one of the first things we saw on our trek up to the archaeological site of Driros. I liked it, because it is so striking, and it reminds me of the calla lily.
The entire hike was not nearly as fun as Lato and Itanos, partly because of a horrible smell throughout. It smelled like dead animal, and I was terrified we would come across a dead goat at any moment... but this smell was all over the hills, and I assumed that there weren't dead goats all over the hills... I came up with a theory that these flowers stunk... and I was right. This is a Dracunculus vulgaris, or Dragon arum, or Great dragon. These were actually quite large, and can grow up to about 1 meter (three feet). They literally give off the smell of rotting flesh, and have been associated in antiquity with the snake and the secrets of Hades.

This is the beginning walk to Driros! Looks harmless, doesn't it?

Brandon took a ridiculous amount of pictures of these walls and rocks and ruins. There really wasn't that much to see on the entire hike, but I have posted pictures of rocks for your enjoyment.

At the top of one hills there was this little shrine. It smelled very stale inside, which I quickly ran away from, but it was really very interesting inside. I wonder when it was first built, by who, and what the purpose of it is now, because Brandon and I had a heck of a time getting to the top of this hill.

I'm assuming this bell belongs with the little shrine. It still rings very well. (Did you really think I would be able to resist?)

Driros was an important city in it's time, and was really big as well. They had a temple to Apollo, but even though Brandon and I would assume the temple was at the top of this hill, with this column, the pictures depict it in the valley. So we're not sure. We also don't think this is an ancient column, because it appears to be made of some kind of concrete, mixed with a lot of other stones. The bottom of the column is also obviously held upright by concrete.

If you look closely, you can see the ruins which absolutely cover the hills.

This was quite a steep climb.

Who doesn't want to see more rock walls?

This was cool. Some type of door way/entry way.

Brandon liked this rock, because you can see the chisel marks on it.

Ruins... ruins... ruins....

One of the other features of this hike which made it more distasteful than it needed to be. This is Urtica pululifera, or Roman nettle. Why the silly Romans had to bring this plant here boggles me. Just kidding. But this was ALL OVER the hills. Brandon and I managed to avoid it until about halfway through our hike, which we're not sure how, because these were some of the plants growing all over the walkways. But just like stinging nettle at home, it stung! And stung for a good 10 minutes, and created some good red puffy welts on my leg and Brandon's hand. I'm glad it didn't last all that long.

Brandon pretty much had to drag me all over Driros, because I was so incredibly fatigued and tired. I just wanted to lay on a rock and sleep, which I believe is a symptom of my dehydration, because I certainly was NOT that tired yesterday. I would have been more tempted to take breaks and sit except for the goat excrement everywhere. It was so wonderful to get to Krista and eat some ice cream! After that we walked around a little bit. I am a little surprised, but Greeks can be very pushy! Fairly every item I awed at outside of a shop, the shop keepers would jump up from their chairs and exclaim, 
"Oh, you like? I have many many more inside. Come come inside."
"Oh, no thank you, maybe tomorrow." 
"Today is good, come in today and look."
The first time this happened Brandon and I were guilted into walking into a linen store and purchasing. Luckily I had my wits about me to ask her where her least expensive items were. I must say, though, I really like the linen we bought.

We decided to get dinner after dessert, and this was a mixed plate of meat for two people. It was good, but Brandon and I had enjoyed some other meals better.

The most enjoyable part of dinner was these four gentlemen hanging out together. The two in the middle were playing cards, and the two on the outside were watching. They just drank coffee, beer, smoked, and talked. Every little cafe we stop at has a little group of older guys talking and drinking beer, no matter what time of the day. They must be retired. Anyway, the gent in the middle in the blue shirt and gray sweater (I can't believe so many Greeks wear shirts and sweaters) was very animated in his card playing. Throwing his cards down with winning exclamations, and making the other men laugh as the gentleman in the striped shirt would calmly lay down the trump card. I wonder if they were good friends, because they laughed quite a lot. It just seems like such a perfect way to spend a retired afternoon. I liked them so much that I simply HAD to ask to take their picture. They were very obliging, so now you get to see them too.

Hopefully tomorrow Brandon and I have some more interesting things to do. Although I guess I did have a good day, and I really enjoyed experiencing the culture. And to be completely honest, Brandon and I really want to lay by the pool or beach tomorrow! That will be fun for us, even if it's not fun for you reading. But we will see. Until then!