Meteora 30 Sept
Woke at 7am after usual sort of night of relative discomfort interspersed with large amounts of sleep. Half a melon for breakfast! And on the road by 8am. Stopped to photograph straw huts, then the lion at Chaeronea (Cheronia). Next we were nearly run down by an extremely speedy lorry which appeared drifting round a corner. Before we reached Lamia we had to climb over some mountains. Right at the top of the pass were some servicing ramps - do it yourself vehicle maintenance. Stopped in Lamia to buy food and talk to New Zealanders in Bedford.
Further north another of god's earthly representatives (of the Greek Orthodox variety) was seen hitch hiking. The countryside south of Lamia was rather barren and very stony, similar to Attica. But north it began to get much greener, especially noticeable on the hillsides, and the plains began to have grass on them. Arrived at the UNESCO-listed monastery complex of Meteora (Μετέωρα) about 2:30. Those pinnacles of rock, rising 1,500ft out of the plain, are "something else". From the plain only the monastery (contains nuns as well) is visible. A twisty little road leads up round behind the monasteries. There used to be 24, there are now only 6 (5 male and 1 female). We pass the two lower ones on the way up. They are soon left far below.
The road forks, right to St Stephen and Agias Trias - Holy Trinity (closed) which had steps and passages cut out of the rock. Left to Varlaam and the Great Meteoron. Varlaam has an amazing chapel with beautiful frescoes. The screen is carved but gilded which makes it less effective than the much more neglected chapel of St Stephen where the screen is a fantastic intricate carving. At Varlaam we also looked at the hoist driven by a single cylinder 4 stroke, which also operates a generator. When we got to the Great Meteoron it was about 5:15 and closed. It also has stairways cut into the rock. Pity, but we took a photo and more on the way down with the sun setting. Regrettably it was very hazy all afternoon, and the sun was always in the wrong place. But the rocks themselves are unbelievable, and for people to build up there? Well!
Drove back to lunch place and prepared huge (as usual) evening meal - much warmer this evening, able to sit outside to eat. This morning started cloudy and it wasn't till we got to St Stephens that the sun came out. Fred did well to send us up here! Camped 23km from Larrissa near Piniada.
