Holy Meteora: Monasteries in the Sky!!

Bye Bye Istanbul, Hello Greece!!

12 hours on an overnight train from Istanbul and we were ready to explore the city of Thessaloniki, before headng to Meteora to view the Monasteries in the sky. Thessaloniki is the 2nd largest city in Greece (next to Athens), but we found that 8 hours was more than enough for us to feel like we'd seen it. Here is what we saw...

Mat on the 'Friendship Express'

A church in Thessaloniki



Mat's fancy new sunglasses...so shiny they now act as my only mirror

Our first Greek meal in Greece. Souvlaki pitas with Greek Salad. Amazing!!!

Galerius Arch.

The Rotunda (which was closed)

The White Tower stands lookout over the sea.

(By the way, our camera needs to be cleaned internally, hence the black spot in the upper right corner of every picture. If you want to see it without the spot, call Air Canada.)

Alexander the Great on his horse. He was not a large man.

the ruins of the 'temporary palace' of Galerius in downtown Thessaloniki. Just so you know....it's MASSIVE!!!

Thessaloniki was nice, but the real reason we wanted to be in Northern Greece was for the awesome sights at Meteora.

Meteora is composed of 6 monasteries built on interesting geological formations (you have to see it to believe it...pictures will suffice...or call Air Canada again). Legend has it the first monastery was built after a monk was carried to the top of a isolated rock formation by an eagle. For years, people and things were brought to the monasteries by a series of ropes and baskets. Today, you can reach all 6 by stairway (sometimes short, sometimes not) or a ride on a cable car. The scenery is spectacular and the dresscode is precise...men must be in long pants, and women in skirts....it's a small price to pay for such a great experience.

I'm getting ready; putting on my skirt and zipping my capris to shorts (they do have wraps inside for women who don't have skirts...or men who wore shorts and are then punished by walking around in a flower printed wrap.)

St. Stephen's was our first visit. You don't get the full effect, but there is only 1 tiny bridge connecting this nunnery to the roadway.

We still can't figure out how they get to the garden.

At this monastery (I think it's the Holy Trinity), you can climb what look like a few hundred stairs, or take the cableway...those are your only options.

Mat, on the edge of the world.

I spy....2 rock climbers hundreds of feet in the air

We're ontop of the world...though you can't really tell.

We do look good though.

If you look over my left shoulder you will see a monastery perched ontop of a rock. That is what we mean by 'interesting geological formationss'.

Anyone able to figure out how to start a monastery on top of those cliffs...in the 1500s???

This one is connected by a tiny bridge and about a zillion stairs.

This is the Monastery known as Varlaam (yep, just Varlaam....like Cher, or Madonna).

In this picture, Varlaam is on the left, and the Grand Meteoron is on the right (it was closed).

windlass...it's the turny thing that helps bring things up...so says Mat...but I know he's right.

An unrelated but interesting find was this brass-knuckle knife. According to Mat, since it's sold outside a monastery it must be holy, which means that anything you do with it will be sanctioned by the lord...we assume.

Brass-knuckle knives aside, Meteora would totally beat Istanbul in a fight. So Mat says, 'no it wouldn't. There's 18 million f***ing people in Istanbul'. I says: 'uuuuhhhhhh...so! These are flying monk monasteries in the sky biatch. God wins'

Istanbul, Turkey

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

We started our trip with 4 days in Istanbul. A $60 head tax and a survey on our health and we were in. Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, is the former capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Today, it is a city in between; and quite literally. It is the only city in the world that exists on 2 continent simultaneously: Istanbul is both in Asia and in Europe. It has a strong Asian influence, Mediterranean food and Middle Eastern religion, yet all within the confines of an increasingly Westernized globe. In Istanbul you find women with and without their heads covered, muslims who drink and calls to prayer projected 5 times daily throughout the city streets. Covered in historic sights, and tourists, it is a must see in the not so middle, middle east.

THE GRAND BAZAAR

Kapalicarsi, or the Grand Bazaar, is Istanbul at its finest. Turkish delight, tea cups, beautiful mosaic lamps and a million other things can be purchased here with no problem, but a lot of bargaining.

We settled on a Turkish bagel and some cream cheese while we wandered our way through the jummbled maze that is this, and all, bazaars.

we stumbled on a street that sold a wide variety of guns...weird.

TOPKAPI PALACE

This palace was the original palace of the sultans of the Turkish Ottoman Emprie

An asian style pagoda. Many aspects of this palace, and city, are asian inspired.

the very important meeting room in the palace is covered in...sofas, traditional Turkish seating. Very nice!

Inside the Harem, the living quarters for the sultan, his mother, his wives and children, we found this courtyard. One side (the right) are the doors leading to the houses of the sultan's favourites. On the left, a wash area and the women's hospital.

THE NEW MOSQUE

The New Mosque, one of many in Istanbul.

As custom requires, we removed our shoes, and I covered my head and shoulders (though I found out later only my shoulders needed to be hidden.

THE BLUE MOSQUE

The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) is one of the most visited tourist sights in Istanbul. It is the most important mosque in the city. It was built by one of the most famous Turkish architects.

As with all mosques, there is an area for all Muslims to clean before prayer. Prayers happen 5 times daily and Muslims are required to wash their hands, feet and face before praying. This fountain is the location.

Covered in beautiful carpet, thousands of ceramic tiles (this is where the mosque gets its name, since they are blue), and very low hung lightbulbs, this mosque is certainly something to see.


AYA SOFYA

Aya Sofya (Hagia Sofya), was built as a Christian church in the 500s. About 1000 years later, after being invaded by the Muslims, the Aya Sofya was turned into a mosque. It is no longer a functioning mosque, it is visited as a museum, but all of the mosques in the area were designed in the same fashion as this one (which we find fascinating, since it was originally a church).

Arabic writing and intricate designs now cover the inside of the 'mosque'. In Islam, images of living creatures are forbidden....

so any of the Christian artwork in the church was covered in plaster upon conversion.

Some of the paintings and mosaics have been uncovered, but most of the Aya Sofya remains as it was while functioning as a mosque.

DOLMABAHCE PALACE

Dolmabahce is the former palace of the sultans of Turkey. Designed by an Armenian family (exterior) and furnished in the french style (a French architect designed the interior), Dolmabahce has a very Western feel to it.

Complete with elaborate gates opening onto each side of the palace

Inside is where elaborate really starts to show. This is the staircase that leads to the first hall. This is the administrative part of the palace and is extremely detailed and ornate, so as to impress the foreign ambassadors who would visit.

Even the radiators are decorated

A real bear skin rug, donated by a Russian Tzar.

This room is the ceremonial room. Technically it is in the Harem, which is the private quarters of the sultan, but the ceremonies that took place here would have foreign guests, which explains the 4 tonne chandelier in the centre. Interesting note: women and children would watch the ceremonies....by peering through barred windows from a hallway above.

The grounds of the palace are also beautiful...especially the sun.

Guards on partrol.

and a very blue recovery bed. This bed is where the young boy would rest and recover after being circumsized.
AROUND ISTANBUL

We ventured to the train station where we found our first (and only) pieces of art in Istanbul. Mat played with the top a bit---then I accidentally broke the handle. Everyone looked when they heard the loud crack (thankfully everyone except the security guards walking by). I turned red and we promptly left.

An Egyptian obelisk located at the old hippodrome. The hyroglyphics are 3000 years old.

and some traditional Turkish dancing. Even the spectators joined in.

Our final sight was the Basilica Cistern. It has over 300 marble collumns.

and an upside down Medusa head (as well as a crocked one)

We had Turkish icecream, which you can tell, sticks together. Not sure what it's made of, but you really do need to bite it. It's good...but it ain't gelato.

Mat enjoyed looking at the variety of Turkish delight in the Egyptian Spice Bazaar

and I sipped Turkish tea

But most impressively we actually went for a few runs along the waterfront. It's pretty, not so clean, but does the trick.

We left Istanbul on a night train to Thessaloniki, Greece. It was a 12 hour sleeper train, which was amazing, except for the passport check by Turkish authorities and a 4 page survey on our spending habits at 1am , and then another by the Greek authorities just 1 hour later. At least luggage control didn't seem interested in our packs.

We are now in Greece and as soon as we get another hour you'll hear and see our amazing visit to Meteora.

Till then

xoxox