Last Day at Meteora

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Wow! Today marks one month of travel. It's funny, though, once you get going you don't really think about time, and travelling becomes second nature. That being said, I only have 20 or so days left. I need to make the most of them.

I feel like I definitely did that today. I caught a taxi over to the neighboring town of Kalambaka, which is larger by far than Kastraki, and has the bus and train depots, and more hotels, etc. But you don't really go here for the town. You go here for the great hiking trail that winds up through the rocks to the last two major monasteries at Meteora: Holy Trinity and St. Stephen. For me at least, this was far more intense than yesterday, and I thought at one point the trail was going to end and you'd just have to start climbing up the rock face itself. Fortunately that never happened (even though that could be fun in its own way). The trail drops you right at Holy Trinity (or Triada in Greek).

This was my favorite monastery of the lot. It's the most remote, so most tourists just look at it from the small parking lot. But if you actually climb up the seemingly endless stairs you're rewarded with an incredible view, and I think some of the most beautiful frescoes at Meteora. I would've taken photos, but no cameras are allowed inside the katholikon (the church sanctuary). This is also where they apparently filmed one of the James Bond films, but I've never seen it (I think "For Your Eyes Only" from the 80s). Then walked up the road to St. Stephens, which is a touristy nightmare. Full of rude people from the buses taking photos next to things they don't even know what they are. My advice (thank you Rick Steves): be a traveller, not a tourist!

Had a great dinner this last night in Kastraki. Tomorrow I reluctantly take a bus the 4 hours back down to Athens, where I spend the night before taking a ferry out to the islands. The train only leaves at 5 in the morning!!

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Photos

Up and Up
An easier part of the monopatia to Holy Trinity.

Holy Trinity (Triada)
There's a cable that connects it to the road. If you look closely, you can see it.

Scary Hook
In the past the only way to get goods up and down was by hoisting them up.

Cross on the Edge
At Holy Trinity.

Inside Triada
The stairs lead up to the church.

Stairs from Triada
If you fell down these you'd never be the same.

The famous Greek salad
Feta cheese is the best part - and an Alfa beer.

Plate of olives at dinner
Everything is pretty much local - though the olives are from the Peloponnese.