meteora
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsE1iFaWfaBDPq2rsSkyMePAkyGaN1qrxNnPNNB4eYuoaznS2YVuTPEBPFGjo0Dcf0MChsk0BOPntNzYmwpwauOseGCjSuCCjnnPc-q8zWlCLSkg5stXRL05-OuRvZu5Boaj4Ysw/s1600/blog-1.jpg)
One of my workmates visited Meteora 4 years ago and the monasteries sounded so amazing when I decided to go to Greece, visiting Meteora was on the itinerary.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunToylu3gZ-vdQr3evo5HhSzxI5vmR9lT5h9blyPyOXduxq4JEf2Vf8QUwDDUHGDKVUT35_IpgP70EgM37_J1buht718F6SX04AncYyTYBwN7CkE-2Kbf8d8VWvDLEA2PLR-6Jg/s1600/blog-10.jpg)
My accommodation was in the old part of Kalambaka, the gateway to Meteora. This was the view from the balcony.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiRXBwMzT1VaKaEtG7Q7wOnvIIUgLpION628dCx67d4c6B3BzLkrH6Pdnn41jBnlZ_7mEKRZb4YDSWAQaLF0hiN821liEcK6fptcksrz9sVhfCVHqYHQNzUGE6ieJpaUZhlYz2g/s1600/blog-9.jpg)
My accommodation backed onto the monks walk which took you from the Byzantine Church to the Holy Trinity Monastery.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvCPL-yBoynam0hVd-g6kzkHXSBwC2vCtXtCsbPn6a-4bHikdrKxzg7UvhJHRT9OG00TXacps0l7TU04uPwnWmUvJdLQ6uR6m4h12NCruI_viizyB0lQWjv344Xoo2cjcEfJDWA/s1600/blog-2.jpg)
It was a 45 minute scramble uphill, passing by olive groves and vineyards. I arrived pretty hot and sweaty.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Y6rIL2bG3PL8YVOvqC7f1e9Kvj7jeSQrQQ5mF8echkfPHZHU0lvVXjRxwKOyiRoXdYT5OFnzLBJJ8nTy6kQsApfVGHR_KXLr3V9l4ec9izmWryFQwEnyAd2zl4lYXJet4nSHDg/s1600/blog-17.jpg)
I was too tired to walk on to St. Stephens so I clambered back down the hill and planned which monasteries to visit the next day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLwG6cSWt9yVibcuObqZ4QvzevjHSokHAlh1Ni8OitGE0u-Ah0M7hdTRaVehttmWjSJaqlNCDgtA1cwPXHtNB6u1RC9B3gm2TfsMwqUUMiPMJn7Aqk7uNRXUtRfyMlhJldIaZ6Q/s1600/blog-8.jpg)
The day dawned a bit grey and gloomy and by the time I caught the bus to St Nicholas, the first monastery, it was pouring.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCMQgAOqKiU9ARIpjH9UZ8BqBbH7F-7yyIPWkv6K-Xt6iQz_MbJamO6_N_8AZnZAGuFCpxIRgC6ODz3qql3psNWQR1fAyVV4FTKY6d41XwwMxry45cZ1Nv7b90Qf7JvL1_MiD4w/s1600/blog-7.jpg)
I'd planned to walk the rest of the way but I was a bit concerned having to walk on the road - no footpaths/no shoulder and crazy drivers. I spied an unmarked pathway and followed it, even though I wasn't sure where it would lead.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClxtElbcerKsLw1HkNWgQCsMNyFLNmFJPXpeolBBwZe3qxitPG5lmspTyOw-o0YgfmyggrrLax-JTAooWVhY-sXSv2giWqFU_V8dEf-9GVSd_FyR2Cy2uMBOS0AaewlbonVMtNA/s1600/blog-3.jpg)
It was such a pretty walk and I had it all to myself.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij99fVn74ZSUCMtzCsxLpnjagJ2jFfxJMp3qp1GFqhVZHTQq8HHuGkkp85wIbZ35-gjpScAvzA9zeuCeJ5DOX1hn7sk5S2OwscyzQKxEyMv7Q4K7ZRSAVKHC1QCTk1YETM3NeKbg/s1600/blog-13.jpg)
I walked higher and higher until I eventually started to hear some voices. I'd arrived at the Varlaam Monastery, the 2nd monastery of the day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJ6CGg0w_N3uhiBQDZ0oAzO1Q8cKdezNb1yo-c4vK2fmHnJululaClRz932b1TC2kzQTMcYBDvGVo47wvhiW5v8eZKWDI7JILqDMdjbks9jFZ9mUUg-SVtkiHQeYln3b2ANzAQA/s1600/blog-4.jpg)
The first 2 monasteries I visited were quite small and spare but Varlaam was huge and crowded with large tour groups.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4twgEd1hV1QVbjNGDyf6Tyz-DXiO_LA1dGuV-8egXiEomAqFl1RkegXXIkRm4mQyyFriae2-64dNCRXO0iltMPwn7EfD33ZqTFl9UlRB03cBeCLHoqc6NxALWG2Irm0rSMv-KBg/s1600/blog-11.jpg)
This was the view from the terrace. 5 minutes later the fog rolled in reducing visibility to nothing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs8Bg-JQiEQauqwjbxYRDQB-ne-yQsj0O385d1Gsi2SiA5fbEpNWPNdYpePetnRqwXxE0pxaFn4tM7-Jk8l9-8yNH3ffOlTI9oXRfOSZRM_oYC8rvktyZiDfJJ-V_UyZvWig3Dw/s1600/blog-12.jpg)
This was the Holy Monastery of Greater Meteoron peaking through the mist, the next monastery I visited.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUiuJ4-z0b6zeJzJg6UjRiaSzCdC-4WdayTSM9dEXXvfO7na4dYsz5OzD9NRluhHoiKueHfj87P-TOMrMsP2zKreuK_BQNB0c7J2Z5aalAWLVa50FRBHCUiEDRDdkCPLOi5mhew/s1600/blog-18.jpg)
This was the largest of all the monasteries with the most lavish frescoes and chandeliers in the chapel. Unfortunately you're not allowed to take photos of these areas.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSuW3GZXPpHR89ed144-Jg9rX8vZ7_Y3XKEJRyBSab_57XPodhItUpej8eUSv_VvQk9AIFUgQdH7hUi-T9q0yxNIOSxazJ1dwussTHYAxg8ErJeX_ZEe4zjyT6MXXo2sBK2m-EQ/s1600/blog-5.jpg)
I started making my way back down the hill to the final nunnery, the Roussanou nunnery.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBItEMrCbYNc9X2qMB6xUnSuJwRa5h082cfVfyIMcJHR1NRpl-8_L83eqAOWc1rcDqhB6g9JvBlVCGBsjHSNwUoJ22KhzMHCAdhKfnXZVB2SI8xhtIsU1s6d5VYxLCWlMB6u36w/s1600/blog-14.jpg)
As I made my way down the hill, the sun came out and the fog started to lift.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriO9faqFPebwp1RsEXrutcL2qKVbVu68oWV6aAvQRtM1OWylJ15x1XtGexlugOlLtukiYUvrZqmh3NRklRsQTdsuO92KjdHpuITrlfqTeW0du6FF5gYLwMyzvbAzONC8wZ-ClAQ/s1600/blog-21.jpg)
Eventually it cleared,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oI-cq9V2WLBig-qRsfAm2dvQbI84KaNOjTiDAbRD_lE535TFUSkj0wbOqCKdh-TY6ExlUJq9ZhIAC68wBsvrU-jPs2o5B58LDHPCt2PEkPAGYro_1SxoFXeig0bHGjf3iES8KA/s1600/blog-20.jpg)
revealing the Grand Meteoron Monastery in all it's glory.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwEn1mpWA6nE1WZl8tFYeslIymwaeP1-NO5zkVLPVkfrCa6m6lAlOTWNPkY7rqfBbOz-Ig-Y5O7MZrFNl8DBm_BERljtWcUNR47ObqrW1G_YhRY2qWEvU8uBz4aDMQLcFNqn83Q/s1600/blog-22.jpg)
By that stage I was monasteried out so I decided against visiting the Roussanou Nunnery.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UtbhybTWSQoMbXGX7f9pGGJWU02AAy_ylMAGusaCOHXfyLcZEQnaAJKRcnZW8l2_EjBQWWb8DRvsnYVEWY2HqT1spcvDMCZZkDRtkK1CDblj_9LjTjpvUn2OLWDn9IrMnjf5ag/s1600/blog-15.jpg)
Instead I photographed some of the trees and flowers
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoeWtEvQZWu72M6TqzE3KRnQ24enIPTgJnkfTb4liXnT5f4S5ZPj0rOfMeuAPNKXFJapFf4b-gDNn6OCR3eM9WwkK3uy5-9ecA8IwJaPfvmXaLMD6bkKSrjCYfkfSYnQzC15xvqQ/s1600/blog-23.jpg)
and the stunning landscape.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNVUjaIUA2S-ucGjMVNFyMrqGY-i5RvxhUcQZK9qw1C_3igSyEOe6qnYsVGHgbvh_pfMCj8jegv6a3jIKKiS2qzjCKvsc78VYFQEtzYhbc9MDTPLA9gWZ0y21Z18N_kzCE49S_A/s1600/blog-16.jpg)
I decided to photograph St Nicholas again this time in sunshine then walked through the village of Kastraki to Kalambaka, happily munching on an excellent cheese pie.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8HOPJwr2hxwSzZxEHHaYQB-jj0CQwhlzO7ASQ0ofT8Iwx2bDW1Eh37LYiNjQKlG-pWtji-Y1vphFXEAL90fYcre4HJ8yFuVY7hErOfc32pmdv6uzbSVBAnOLnxO41Uzx7wr3fQ/s1600/blog-19.jpg)
Even though I walked home with wet shoes and socks and my hair all wild and woolly, I didn't mind because I'd had such a good day out.
Bye for now,
Jillian
I wonder who that workmate was ;) These amazing photos really capture the mystical and spiritual feeling of the area, takes me right back there!
ReplyDeleteWho else Lianee?
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