From Athens we made the long drive to meteora, and wow was it worth it! The rocks are so large they look like something out of a movie set that couldn't possibly be real.
We decided to stay 2 nights so as to see everything, the first we spent in the larger village down from the rocks called kalampaca, the second in an even smaller, and more beautiful village, kastraki.
On the way up to our first monastery, a family of German tourists asked us to take their picture and then returned the favour.
The roads up to the monasteries were winding and scenic, we took turns driving it. We first went to the monastery of Valaam which was very beautiful.
It was a beautiful day which made wandering around very pleasant. The scenery was just utterly jaw-dropping.
My favourite thing was this room, where a winch system was used with a rope net to bring up people from the ground. Terrifying stuff.
Turning the still movable winch system was great fun.
View from up top.
We then drove on to see a second monastery in the afternoon as we were set on seeing at least 2. For the second one we decided to go to the most secluded one, although the name escapes me at the moment I enjoyed it even more.
Due to the steep climb, there were only one or two tourists dotted about the whole place, and it had a tranquil air and sense of peace the first one had lacked.
Another winch system. Also one of my rare photos of Shyla as usually she insists I take them on her camera. Thankfully I have a few though!
There was some beautiful iconography on the walls, and in this monastery (although I could not take photos) the little church was beautiful, quiet and empty.
The outside was my favourite however, with beautiful flowers, cobbled paths, crumbling walls and monumental landscape.
As always, I finish my post with shameless photos of myself
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