Warmer again today and we walked into Kastraki to see the
Geology Museum. And see it we did but only from the outside – it was closed,
despite Google telling us that it would be open. Needless to say, there was no
notice to say when (or if) it would be open. Instead we wandered around the
village with its very large number of tavernas and places to stay – quite a
contrast from when we first visited Meteora. We also saw red squirrels and lots
of jays – a pleasant stroll.
When we got back for lunch, Jane discovered a site that said that the museum
opened at 12:00 but we weren’t convinced.
It was time for a bike ride, one that I planned for some time. We had done the
high tour in the van yesterday but today I wanted to do a lower tour and
investigate some of the roads less travelled by the tourists. A back road
between the campsite and the rocks of Meteora was, I think, the old road
between Kastraki and the nearby town of Kalabaka. A small track off that road
lead two monasteries that our map (provided by the campsite) showed as ruined
but both had been restored. The first one, Antonios, Gregorios &
Chrysostomos, was fascinating with the renovated monastery below the remains of
the old monastery. Wooden beams and balconies still protrude from the caves and
it was the best example of how the monasteries used to be. The original monks
were hermits who were trying to get away from the ‘modern’ world so that they
could devote themselves to God without any distractions. This is ironic as most
of the monasteries in Meteora now are inundated with tourists and the monks’
lives are certainly not spent in solitude. However there are still monks who
want to live a secluded life and this monastery is an example. It is not open
to the public and is only open for confession at certain hours. This was to be
the story of the day.
The second monastery, a short walk further on, was even more secluded, not open
to the public at all. I think that it was called Bantowas but there were no
signs anywhere, even at the entrance, giving a name.
After a look around the back streets of Kastraki I left the village on the road
to the Agios Nikolaos monastery and just before I reached it, I turned left
onto a very unpromising track. The start was steep and broken up, so I had to
push the bike up it but when I got to the top, the road was asphalted and in
excellent condition. I had the road to myself and got to see those Meteora
rocks from a different angle. As I was about to turn back, I found another
monastery – Agios Dimitrios, I think. Again, it didn’t accept visitors but it
had been restored and was certainly occupied.
Back to Cara then and another good meal at the campsite taverna.
Photos: The Chapel of St. George sits below the hermitage of the same name high in the cliff where one of the early hermits settled; A Swiss-cheese hill on the outskirts of Kastraki; The remains of the old monastery by the renovated Antonios, Gregorios & Chrysostomos monastery – wooden platforms protrude from the caves; The restored Antonios, Gregorios & Chrysostomos monastery; The monastery of Bantowas; Some of the many wonderful rock formations.
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