Meteora

 We stayed in a hotel underneath the towering rock pillars in the town of Kalabaka. 

Lately we've had some long trips. 4 or 5 hours, or more. You can imagine how glad we are to find our hotel. Always hoping the GPS will guide us to the door and we'll find somewhere to park. All of this without the driver getting overly agitated. 

So far so good. 

The first night here was Ks choice. Souvlaki, pites, tzatziki, with that oh-so-popular Greek salad.  The salads here were cheaper than Delphi 7.50 - 8 euros compared to 13 and 11 euros. Raki for the boy followed by a jug of wine. We were walking back! 

The next day we found the Monasteries without too much trouble. 

It was a case of 'follow that bus'. 

There were endless lines of huge buses, pullmans they're called here, disgorging tourists from all over the world. Crowds entering, crowds leaving and groups inside gumming up the works while they listened to their guide's spiel. 

We three 

Me in the middle with a weird grin

Looking up at one of the Monasteries from the road below, can't remember which. 

There are 6 monasteries open to the public. 

We only visited one, St Stephens, which had easy access. Only a slight slope, no steps. 

Probably why it was so popular. The rest have endless steps going up and up. Mostly carved out of the rock. 

One has a cable car but it is only to transport supplies. 

Looking down to the town below

K waiting for his traditional evening meal under the spectacular sandstone pillars

May 1st is the equivalent of Labour Day. A holiday for everyone but those in the tourist industry.  Greeks love to get out in the countryside, make wreaths from wild flowers and....... visit monasteries it seemed. 

My contribution was a bit of greenery and some purple something-or-other to stick under the windscreen wipers. 

Thanks P and K

For another wonderful day