Kalampáka

We have booked a day tour today to view and walk through the magestic Monasteries of Meteora.

I have, in the past, seen pictures of these ancient buildings sitting high atop of sheer mountains. But I always thought they were located in Nepal and thus unobtainable.

During my planning for this trip, I discovered they are in the north of Greece. Woo hoo, I am damn well going to see that!!

Thanassi kindly collected us at 6.15am and dropped us at Larissis station. We all enjoyed a coffee and croissants whilst Thanassi and Athena chatted away in greek.

Then our train arrives at 7.10 am and we say goodbye to Thanassi with big hugs.

Luckily we have a first class carriage and we settle in for a 4.5 hour ride.
I read and look out the window at the flat land and little farmlets.

Finally the train is speeding toward the mountains. I get excited when I spy the unusual sheer drop mountain structures of the monastries and stick my face to the window.

We arrive at Kalabaka station at 11:30am. A small country station in a one street town.

The small tour buses are lined up ready for their groups.
Ours is called 'Meteora Thrones' it is purple so I will easily remember it. Nick is our guide.

I am in awe of this scenery. My head is upward trying to spot a red terracotta roof atop of these rock columns.

In the 1300's the monks lived in the caves in the side of the mountains, but a leading monk told them to build up top of the rock so people would see how close they are to god and want to join Christianity.

Our first stop was 'St Nicholas' Monastery.

Athena and I walked up a steep cobblestone hill with much effort, then tackled the stone stairway on the side of the rock. Athena needed plenty of assistance but we got there.

At a small pokey entrance we handed over our 3 euro to the monk, chucked our shawls on and went to explore.

Inside was still pokey. We walked through cosy little rooms with long wooden benches and Byzantine religious artworks. The brick walls featuring throughout. Little rooms went off here and there like a maze.

Once we got outside to the covered balcony, the view was amazing. You can see far and wide so high up.

The Greek word, 'Meteora', means 'suspended in the air' and I certainly felt I was!

Poor Theens sat down in an alcove and told me to go ahead as she couldn't move. Fear and the shakes had got the best of her.

I scallywagged around investigating every nook and cranny and there are heaps. Unbelievable views everywhere you look. I got to the highest point at the bell tower loving every second until our time was up.

It took the monks 60 years to complete the buildings. They used scaffolding to pull up the materials.

There was 24 monasteries originally.
8 remain and only 6 of those are active.
The Turkish invasion caused a lot of fleeing to the monasteries.

It takes 5 years to study to become a monk. Their diet is vegetarian, with fish at Easter and Christmas.
They communicated via their bells.
16 nuns live here.

Our next stop is 'Varlaam'.
It looks high up from the front but the buses park in close behind the tall rock. A short walk around a massive boulder and a suspension bridge greats you.

Athena decided then and there to give this a miss!! People scared of heights can't do wobbly bridges!! 🤪

I took off, up, up, up the brick steps clinging to the side of the mountain. Sheer drops at my side. Wow! Feeling so good to be alive.

You can see the other monasteries from here perched atop the rock columns.

The poor priest at the front desk got a look at my cleavage whilst I sweated and struggled to get my shawl on. His face told me a lot and looked at me as if to say 'Are you for real lady?'
Whoops! I was hot and exhausted and my shawl was tangled up. Oh well.

Inside Varlaam is beautiful. Small brick buildings, topiary bushes everywhere, a massive rotunda for the bells. Looks like a fairytale scene in the sky.
I enter a doorway and am faced with a massive wooden barrel. Of course the wine makers.
Very peaceful.
This is my favourite one!

I make my way back down to the buses and to Athena, while some ning nong is getting photos of himself hanging onto the staircase wall. If he slips, he dies. Made me ill to watch him.

Athena and I grab some selfies and look through the stalls of souvenirs then onto the mini bus.
I am sitting on the aisle and my seatbelt clasp is digging into me. Athena has wide shoulders so I cannot sit straight up on my seat, but am slightly tilted. (I end up with a huge purple bruise on my buttocks)

We are told the highest peak is 615 metres and this area was once a lake of pillars.
Game of Thrones used Meteora in the 'Sky cell' cave scene with Tyrion.
I let out a loud woo hoo on the bus at the mention of GOT. The producers covered the existing buildings with clouds.

We stop at a rock ledge for our panoramic photos. It goes way out and is high above the ground and I cannot believe I walked out on that without fear.
A guy called out 'where is game of thrones girl' and it turned out to be psycho man. He got me to take shots of him doing full on kicks in the air like judo. I made him do it about 6 times and he was spent. Couldn't cope any more. Ha, ha haha. Suffer.

From here we can see everything.

Including the 'Holy Trinity' monastery, built in the late 14th century. It was used in James Bond's 'For your eyes only'.

Final stop is 'St Stevens'.
This is huge and is the nunnery.
Easy to get to, Athena comes along.

Once again pretty and serene.

There are wooden seats inside that all have arms and are in a round. Like a meeting place.
I sat in one and asked Athena to take my photo.
Next minute, this scornful looking nun tells me off for crossing my legs whilst sitting. 'you do not cross your legs whilst sitting!!!'
Athena started to giggle, the nun turned to her and told her off for using a camera. Well I lost it then, I had to walk away giggling like a child.

I reckon if I was brought up by those nuns, I would be the naughtiest kid on the planet.

Our tour over, we were dropped off at the station at 4.30pm to catch the 5.15pm. (I have been told not to rely on Greek transport so was a bit sceptical)
It arrived on time. Hooray!

We were in 1st class and I had a nap. Of course Athena took a photo of me!!!
We left our little first class carriage as Athena informed me that a pungent smell was coming from someone.

We stood up next to the snack bar and sang french songs to each other looking out the window, (in memory of our first Europe trip)

Whilst I have been blogging Theens has been on Greek Tinder. Now she decided she's staying and will get married.
Athena likes beards these monks may be her type!

Our train ride home was interesting. Just stopped. 40mins, no announcement.
I annoyed Athena no end asking her to ask someone what is happening.
She said 'no one knows'.

Lights off, engine off. We are in a sheep paddock halfway home and it is getting dark.
The conductor passes us and always weirdly smiles at me and grabs my shoulder as he walks past.
I thought maybe it is good he knows me in case we have to find other ways to get back to the hotel.
We went back to our seats after an hour. Athena fell asleep and I chatted to the Scot with the American wife and the Japanese couple. We spoke about everything.
Studio Ghibli was a highlight.

After a 2 hour delay. We got to Athens station where no taxi wanted us as our hotel is too close to make it their worthwhile. Athena was getting frustrated.

"Athena here..... Getting a cab in Athens is like finding a husband on Tinder.... Non existent!!!!!!.. There were 100 taxi's & and not one was interested in driving us to our hotel. I was asking & they were nodding oxi (no). Sandra & I finally found a lovely man & he said yes!"

Back in the hotel, I am starving. I go grab some Singapore noodles at the local Chinese shop.
Athena went straight to sleep as she was well and truly over it by 12.45am.Читать далее