Meteora

We had a 7am wake up call and went to breakfast. It was a huge breakfast buffet with hot and cold choices. After guzzling 4 cups of coffee, we got back on the bus and drove along windy roads hugging the towering rocks of Meteora. We stopped at vistas for photo ops. All along the way the tour guide gave us information about the history and names of the monasteries.

morning moon

It is an awe-inspiring sight on a geological level and then add the dimension of austerity and asceticism of the precipitous monasteries. Until the last century they were difficult to access and still seem impossible to reach.

early morning on the Holy Monastery of Rousanou

a hoist was the only way in and out

before stairs were built in the 19th century

the Monastery Agia Triada (Holy Trinity)

today inhabited only by a few monks

Agios Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery only open in summer

and inhabited by a solitary monk

a safe haven from the threats of the 14th century

but no match for the Germans during WWII

Hermit monks were the first people to inhabit these rocks in the 9th century. A hoist was the only way for goods (and people!) to get up and down from them. It wasn't until the 1920's that stairs were carved into the rocks. First we visited the Varlaan Monastery. Only 7 monks live there today. The bus parked at a bridge leading to the base of a long winding stairway to the entrance.

stairway to heaven

keeping an eye on the day's visitors

I wish I could say that's me, but it's not

this is me

here I am with Ken

patrolling the grounds

After a short tour by our guide, we were let loose for about 30 minutes before meeting back on the bus. Next we drove to the monastery turned nunnery of Agios Stefanos. We admired the churches and their painted walls (no photos permitted!) and walked the grounds. We bought a handmade icon by the nuns of St. George killing the dragon.

rules for the visitor

view of Agios Stefanos from the road

a place for reflection in Agios Stefanos

chapel at Agios Stefanos

me with an unforgettable backdrop

The entire visit took about 3 hours and then we were back on the road to Athens. It was a long drive - over 5 hours. We stopped for lunch at a huge rest stop popular with the coach tours. When the bus turned into the parking lot there was a murmur of discontent by some of our fellow passengers which annoyed the guide. He made it clear that this is the only place that is authorized for a rest stop for this tour. We didn't care and had warm spinach pies for lunch.

the huge cafeteria-style lunch stop

view of the plains of Thessaly from the parking lot

Ken and our big blue bus

There was one stop we made after lunch which was the monument to the Spartan King Leonidas at the battlefield of Thermopylae. You can read about the battle here.
If you saw the movie 300 then you know all about it.

monument to Leonidas King of the Spartans
as a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds

The ride back took us into Athenian rush hour. One by one we dropped people off at passing hotels. It was a very rewarding 2 day trip. We had one last night and morning in Athens before leaving for the Cyclades.

going home

Monastriaki at sunset

We disembarked at Monastriaki and went to the roofbar for a glass of wine while the sun set. I then called Marisa to make plans for tonight, but first, frappés! It was a much needed caffeine boost before we started the evening.

two medium frappés please

mmmm Nescafé!

We Marisa at 9:30 and walked into the Plaka for dinner at a Michelin starred place with incredible views onto the Acropolis and Zeus's Temple. We had a great time catching up. It was our first foray into creative Greek cuisine and while very tasty and beautifully presented, the portions were meager and the prices high. Pickled octopus on fennel salad, feta and olive croquettes with pomegranate sauce, savory fig tart with a strong bite of cinnamon and clove, and grilled veggies with a slab of cheese on top. We shared a great bottle of Greek white. Overall we found the Greek whites to be excellent, even the house wines. At 12:30am we called it a night.

dinner with a killer view