August 6 Volos and Meteora

 

Approaching Volos

Early this morning we docked in Volos, one of the biggest port cities in Greece. It is located at the foot of Mount Pelion which, according to mythology, was a place of ‘celebration’ for gods and heroes, and the home of the centaurs. In Greek mythology, Chiron was held to be the wisest and most just of the centaurs, a great healer, astrologer, teacher and tutor.  This is the land of myth of Achilles, Jason and the argonauts who set out in search of the Golden Fleece.  Greek mythology is mighty.  But back on track ……. we were heading for the famous Meteora and its monasteries suspended between sky and earth. That region is a very popular tourist destination and our excursion was going to be about 8 hours. So we breakfasted early ready to disembark and board a coach which would take us NW through the agricultural plains of Thessaly to reach Kalambaka, a small town nestled at the foot of the Meteora rocks. 

Top: here they grown apples, plums, cotton, tobacco, sheep, wheat and barley (water is pumped from underground for irrigation). Bottom: Pindus mountain rage runs like a backbone from north to south.

Along the road we passed many tiny shrines-chapels commemorating a loved one

A miracle this spire-like rock remains standing

Top L: Kalambaka. Bottom: halfway up this cliff is a cave dedicated to St George.

The bottom image shows a cave halfway up this cliff dedicated to St George where a woman built a sanctuary to St George after she prayer to him to cure her of an illness - she was cured. She or others climb there every year and leave a scarf.

These giant rocks have bizarre shapes and range in height from 100 to 150 metre. Atop of these tors are the ‘monasteries in the sky’.  

Once a monastic community with 24 monasteries, Meteora now consists of only five active ones. They were first built in the C14th by monks searching for a place where they could stay isolated and pray undisturbed from the rest of the world. Until 1920 most of the Meteora monasteries could only be reached by getting into a net and being hauled up by a rope - we saw one of those nets one we reached the monastery; later the net was replaced by a cage but that was still hauled up by rope. Fortunately, steps were cut afterwards to all of the monasteries although some also have elevators I believe and at least one has a cable car (top L photo)

We climbed almost 200 steps to get to the Holy Trinity monastery. Coming down was a bit scary as you were very aware of how precipitous the location was perched high above the canyon floor.  

Top L the platform where visitors were haul up to. They were a hardy lot! 
Bottom R the capstan wheel that pulled up or let out the rope. 

I believe there is an icon at the top of the haul that was kissed in gratitude by those who made it to the top (evidentially, they only replaced the rope when it broke - ouch!). 

12,000L wine barrel - that's a lot of wine and headaches!

The chapel was surrounded by tranquil well ordered gardens. Once inside in the cool of the vestibule we were surrounded by glorious iconographs and paintings shimmering with gold and silver.  The dress code for women to enter the chapel was knees were to be covered by a shirt. My knees were covered by respectable trousers and a top that almost reached my knees but that wasn't good enough. I managed to sneak through in the crowd however to ogle the breathtaking interior of the chapel. Sadly no photographs were allow suffice it to say the chapel although small, was stunning and quite opulent. Next stop was at the Holy Monastery of St Stephen - a nunnery which like the other holy places was perched on towering rocks. We approached this fortress-like complex across a narrow bridge spanning a deep rocky gorge. The wind was quite ferocious so I didn't linger on the bridge to take pix but held tight to my hat and other bits and pieces but the gorge below the bridge was quite scary. Again my attire didn't pass muster but our delightful guide Costas appealed to the Sister on the gate and I was allowed to enter. Thank you Costas. Inside the chapel was glorious but again no photos were allowed. The setting was lovely with quiet gardens and stunning views.

Bottom L Costas is explaining how the various daily 'events' of the nunnery were signaled
by this bell-like structure

After our visit to the monasteries, we returned to Kalambaka for a typical (tourist) Greek lunch. Then it was time to pile into the buses for the 2h30 drive back to the port of Volos and out ship. It had been a  marvelous day.

Fascinating old quarry with cypress growing along the excavated levels.

..... and we sailed off into the sunset!