Not for the acrophobic

After our delicious lunch we went into the middle of Kalambaka to check in to our hotel. The Hotel Famissa was a rather odd place. The lobby was spacious and rather modern with elevators facing the front desk. However, when we were given our room assignments we had to walk to an area behind the elevators which was actually in a separate building with NO elevators. I had to drag my 60 pound suitcase up the marble staircase then help some of the ladies in our group with their even heavier suitcases. By the time I got into my room I was drenched in sweat. Even though the air outside was quite comfortable, my room was like a sauna (again). The air conditioner in my room wouldn't turn on. I later learned that the front desk had the remote controls to turn on the a/c and that there was an additional 5 Euro cost for that. We didn't have much time to linger in the hotel however. We reboarded the bus and drove off for our tour of the local monasteries. At one time there were 24 monasteries perched atop the rock columns of Meteora. They were build up high ostensibly to be closer to God but more practically because the Turks (Muslims) had invaded Greece and were threatening to take over this area. Our bus ride to the first monastery at Varlaam took us on yet another twisty, windy, scary road up through the mountains. Luckily there was no on-coming traffic because the road was only one lane wide. Niko was earning his tip today. He deposited us at the foot of one of those stone pillars with the monastery rising above us. The climb wasn't especially tough just as long as you didn't stop to look off the side of the stone walkway.