Category Archives: Ruins

Temple of Apollo

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One of the marquis attractions at the ancient ruins of Delphi in Greece:

Temple of Apollo

According to tradition, this is actually the 5th temple built to honor Apollo at Delphi, being erected in 510 BC. Even then, it had to be reconstructed in 330 BC after an earthquake, and then partially restored after its destruction by Roman emperor Theodosius I in AD 390. The famous oracle at Delphi was centered on a subterranean chamber below this temple.

EXIF:
Olympus E-M1III, M.Zuiko 8-25mm f/4
f/11, 13mm, 1/80 sec, ISO 200

Ready for an audience

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The Tholos of Delphi, an ancient structure in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in Delphi, Greece.

Ready for an audience

Originally domed, the Tholos (circular temple) of Delphi would have been seen by a visitor before they reached the Temple of Apollo (thus the sanctuary’s appellation Pronaia, “before” the temple). It originally had twenty Doric columns on its exterior diameter (three have been reconstructed for modern visitors), and ten Corinthian columns on its interior diameter.

The Tholos was built between 380 and 360 BC, and badly damaged in antiquity — first by earthquakes, and later by people salvaging its stonework for building material. Its original purpose is currently unknown.

EXIF:
Olympus E-M1III, M.Zuiko 8-25mm f/4 Pro lens
ISO 200, 25mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec

Little house on the Urubamba

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This is Salapunku, the first ruin you’ll see on the first day of a 4-day Inca Trail trek.

Salapunku

It was located next to a canal, so may have been involved in administering water from it.  Otherwise, from what I can uncover, it was just a little Inca farm town.

It now overlooks the rail line to Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu Pueblo — so any local ghosts don’t get much rest these days.

25 prohibitions

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So I recently returned from a trip to Peru — including a hike along the Inca Trail, a good chunk of time spent in Machu Picchu, even more time spent in Cusco, all sorts of good things.  I plan on writing up a number of blog posts on things I saw and experienced — but first thought this might be helpful to future Machu Picchu visitors (it’s a sign at the entrance, laying out 25 things you may not bring to / do in the site):

So many rules...

Bottom line — there’s lots of inaccurate information online w.r.t what is and isn’t allowed into / at the site of Machu Picchu.  So, since the above text is a bit small, here’s the posted list of restrictions (as of May, 2018), along with my comments on them: Continue reading →

Las Palomas

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The House of Doves (A.K.A. Casa de las Palomas) in the Maya ruins of Uxmal has one face that tends to be shown in tourist brochures and online photos.  This is the other (north) face:

Las Palomas

When I last visited, the structure was getting a bit of touch-up work done (thus, the scaffolding you can faintly see in the left of this photo).  I think it’s a very photogenic structure regardless — even on the less-pretty side and with scaffolding in full view.

Fort Fincastle at dusk

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Overlooking downtown Nassau in The Bahamas, Fort Fincastle was built of limestone in 1793 as part of the islands’ defenses against the threat of pirates.  An oddly shaped little thing, it’s one of three surviving forts in Nassau.

Fort Fincastle at dusk

Roughly teardrop-shaped, Fort Fincastle has the advantage of sitting atop the highest point on the island, and has a great view of Nassau and its harbor. It once hosted 6 cannon and a howitzer, but none was ever fired in anger.