Meteora means "rocks in air". The sandstone cliffs were formed beneath the sea millions of years ago, and left high and dry when the sea retreated. These rocky pinnacles became the religious retreat to monks and nuns, as well as hermits seeking solitude. Today, only 13 monasteries remain, out of which 6 are open to the public.
Wow....
Doesn't it make you wonder if the monks and nuns ever get out?
Intruders in quaint St. Stephens, home of the nuns
Fashion faux pas or trend setter?
2. Greek mythology and visits to the Sanctuary of Zeus and Apollo
Learning about the incestuous relationships the Greek gods had, retold by our favourite guide Emilios, certainly was entertaining. Sometimes, it became our bedtime story before we dozed off on the coach. Muahaha.
On a more serious note, I enjoyed visiting the archaelogical sites of Delphi (Temple of Apollo) and Olympia (Temple of Zeus). Though not much is left of these sites, the sheer size of the compound, towering columns, huge rocks and marble slabs that remain will give you an inkling of the magnificence of these sites during their heyday. Of the two, I preferred Delphi, mainly because the site was located on mountainous slopes instead of flat ground.
Temple of Apollo
Temple of Zeus
Is that the great-great-great-great-great....grandson of Zeus?
3. Greek Island - Mykonos
Private joke during our whole trip, as the name sounds like some man's family jewels. In fact, it is not pronounced my-ko-nos, but mee-ko-nos.
The igloo-shaped building is none other than our hotel - Hotel Pelican! Highly recommended for its cosy feel and yummy breakfast!
Famous windmils of Mykonos
Pretty blue and white themed houses
Exchanging marriage vows outside a church in the presence of the priestess
4. Artistry at its best on the streets of Athens
We are not talking about Da Vinci's Monalisa or Monet's Water Lilies here. We are referring to the controversial form of art - graffiti. You can find it anywhere in Athens. Pick a street or building in Athens and it is almost 99.99% defaced / decorated with graffiti.
Random street in Athens
Random building in Athens
The vandals would not even let an innocent van go unscathed!
Ain't graffiti, but pretty work nonetheless
5. Back to nature
Blue skies greeted us everywhere we went
Wonders of the mountainous Peloponnese region
Crashing waves (view from Little Venice, Mykonos)
No hair left unmessed - howling winds of Mykonos
Hiding from the strong and chilly wind of Mykonos
Remnants of a beautiful sunset on the island of Santorini
Gorgeous sunrise (also on the island of Santorini)
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