August 29 – Meteora Monasteries

After a great breakfast that included a few Greek pastries we headed out for our next stop and a bit more photos of the views and the hotel we headed off. 

Photo of a photo of our hotel.

This particular drive was through a very mountainous region and the views of the mountains and deep valleys were spectacular.  Unfortunately it was rather hazy/smoky so sometime it was a bit hard to see the views.

The scenery changed dramatically as we neared Kalambaka so we had to stop and take pictures.  

We arrived in Kalambaka about noon and checked into our hotel.  

It's in a beautiful location with sheer rock formations behind...

and a pretty little church just across the road. 

We then walked down the hill for lunch at the nearest taverna.  Again, we enjoyed outdoor dining and refreshing breezes. 

Unfortunately we then had to trudge up the hill back to the hotel.

At 2:00 we headed off for our afternoon of sightseeing.  The area around Kalambaka is renown for its many historic monasteries situated at dizzying heights atop sheer pinnacles rock.

The first monastery we saw was St. Nicholas, right above our heads.  Phyllis isn’t good with lots of steps so we didn’t head up this one.  Besides, all but one has lots of steps and we don’t have time to do them all. 

The next view was of Varlaam...

and Metamorfosis (Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration [Metamorphosis]), also called Grand Meteoran Monasteries.  Both were in the distance and on the top of very high pinnacles or spires.  

We took lots of pictures and then turned around to see another right above us, Rousanou. 

We drove out to Metamorfosis for pictures and Paul decided to take the hike up.  There were 110 steps down and then 190 up (and the reverse on the return).  He visited the church (no pictures allowed), 

the ossuary(skulls and bones),

the old kitchen,

a workshop/cellar,

and the manuscript museum.  

The courtyard and various buildings were interesting and historic.

After he came huffing back we headed to the Ste Stephanos where it was an easy walk down a small incline and across the bridge into the monastery.  Jim couldn’t get in as his shorts were too short and considered not to be adequately respectful. 

We visited the church and a bit of the walkways and courtyards and then returned to the car.

On the way into Kalambaka we stopped to take pictures of St Trias Monestary.

From some of the viewpoints you could see multiple monasteries.

We saw a bridal photo shoot at one of the lookouts...what a backdrop for those very important pictures.

Then it was into town to visit the Byzantine Church of The Assumption of the Virgin.  It dates from the 9^th to the 11^th century.  No photos allowed inside.

By then we were all hot and tired so our driver, Leftiris (or Lefty) dropped us off at an ice cream shop in town and drove off to wash and clean the van.  We all decided that dinner was the ice cream so we enjoyed it and then returned to the hotel for an early evening.