Day 08 - Kalampaka & Meteora

Day 08 - 17 September 2016

Meteora.

I got up early this morning and I was all dressed and ready to go by 07:30. I paid the bill (€120.00 for two nights) and off I went. It really was worth it as the guesthouse was exceptionally well put together.
I took a cab to the bus station. It only cost €5.00 and was worth it. Who wants to struggle at that time of the morning. Got my ticket (€11.40) for the 08:45 bus to Kalampaka. I bought a donut and coffee to eat while I waited for the bus. The donut was huge. About the size of a side plate. It was so fresh and tender, just rolled in caster sugar. The bus arrived and off we went. The journey took 2 hours, even though its only 110km. About 80% is mountain pass. With tunnels and bridges. Imagine going through a 2.2km tunnel, over a bridge and then straight into another tunnel. The views were spectacular and I never felt afraid at any time. The driver took his time and drove very safely. He dropped us off in Kalampaka and I could actually walk to my hotel, the Hotel Kaikis. It's a very small town. Was it hot!!!!! The temperature hit 32°.

I walked around looking for a place to buy sandals. In Ioannina, my pair of new, expensive (R800.00) Dune slip-ons broke and they needed replacing. I eventually found a pair (the most difficult €40.00 I have ever spent!). I walked up and I walked down. Found the railway station and also Meteora Throne, s tour company. When I decided to come to Greece and Meteora in particular, I decided to do the monasteries on my own. Well those monasteries are high up and it was so hot. I decided to make use of a tour. I booked the sunset tour and well as the morning tour. (At €25.00 each I thought that it was really good value) the sunset tour lasts 4 hours (16:00 - 20:00) and you visit 1 monastery, the Agios Stefanos Monastery (€3.00 entrance).

Moni Aghiou Stefanou was founded by St. Antoninus Cantacuzene, who is thought to be a son of the Serb ruler Nicephorus II of Epirus, in the 1400's.
The monastery suffered much damage in the 20th century: it was bombed during World War II and desecrated during the subsequent Civil War. In the latter period, most of the frescoes were defaced by Communist rebels.
St. Stephen's was virtually abandoned until 1961, when it became a nunnery. It is currently inhabited by 28 nuns led by Abbess Agathi Antoniou.

It is one of two nunneries and you can see that. It's beautifully laid out with pots of roses and herbs all over. The monasteries are all in very good condition. After that we basically drove from one scenic point to another. All the monasteries close at 17:00.
We drove back into town and visited The Church of the Domitian to the Virgin. It is one of three buildings that survived the destruction of the town by the nazis in WW II. The other two buildings
were houses kept for the officers and soldiers. It's such a beautiful little church with some rare murals. As usual, no photos or videos. And now I know why. The combination of the moisture of our breath and the light of the flash creates ideal conditions for fungus to grow that eat away at the murals and ultimately destroy them.
A wedding was about to take place so we had to leave. Ever onward, we drove all the way up again to the sunset spot. Hung around for that and then back again to be dropped off at our hotels.

I cleaned up a bit and went to supper. Decided to try Meteora Restaurant. Rated number 1 in Kalampaka. Ripoff! I had the oven baked lamb with vegetables. It was a bit steep at €12.00, but I got a free appetizer and fruit after my meal. The appetizer was broad beans in tomato sauce. I must admit it really was very good. The lamb arrived. The portions are generous, but I've prepared tastier lamb at home. The vegetables were potatoes cooked in stock, baked bringal and peas & carrots with mint. I shouldn't really complain. I basically had a sub par home cooked dinner 😂.
The lesson is to always order something that you can't or don't do at home. Walked around and had a coffee and then went to bed. I was really very tired and slept like a log.

Kalampaka

The Monastery of Agios Stephanos

Sunset over Meteora