After a very lazy afternoon in Delphi yesterday, we had a leisurely breakfast - again with that view!!
What is it with Europe's obsession with Nutella? I've seen a man take 6 slices of bread & absolutely slather them with the stuff.
I did some laps in the pool, then we walked into town again - a collection of hotels, eateries & souvenir shops. Very quaint.
Got back to the hotel to wait to be picked up. The Delphi Palace would have been very grand in its day but it's now in need of some TLC. Still, it was spotlessly clean & the staff were wonderful.
Waiting, waiting, we started to wonder if we'd been forgotten. Then a man came to pick us up in his tiny car & took us to a restaurant for lunch - at 2:15! (Kalamari with a k & salad). On the bus for the 4 hour journey to Kalambaka, the second largest city after Athens.
Arrived 7pm at the Orfeus to be given a room overlooking Meteora!! Again, quite basic but super clean & with a huge pool.
Walked to the local market to find Scott a long pair of pants to be allowed in the Monasteries, but no luck. He'd have to wing it with shorts. Had dinner & a quiet night in.
Breakfast at 8, & then the drive up into these 60 million year old monoliths. Spectacular doesn't even seem to cut it. Another breathtaking moment to see these monasteries built on these peaks!!
The first one we visited was the highest & run by monks. Built in 1350, it took 22 years to carry the building materials by.basket up a series of ladders. Nearly 300 steps up to reach the centre, the ancient stonework was beautiful. No photos allowed inside, but the church ceiling was painted like the one in the Vatican - very detailed & ornate.
After wandering around this holy place, we visited the Monastery of Saint Stephen, run by the nuns. Very different with pretty gardens wherever there was some space & a small vineyard.
I cannot describe the majesty of these rock pillars & the buildings perched on top. Meteora means - suspended in the air, & that's just how it seems. An amazingly awe inspiring place to visit.
A 6 hour journey home after visiting the local icon painting studio where they showed you the process of painting & using gold leaf.
Arrived back at the Royal Olympic at 7:30pm & were given a beautiful room with the biggest, most comfortable bed yet. Went to the Plaka - the old part of town for dinner. A bit like Lyon St complete with spruikers. Met an Australian working at a restaurant calked Yard & ate there - a version of kleftico lamb. Yum. Walked the streets for icecream, then back up to the bar we love overlooking the Acropolis before bed.
A once in a lifetime day.