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Hermit Monks and Hitchhiking Nuns
It hasn't always been easy to be a Christian in Greece. In Athens, I see priests walking around in black robes with full beards every day, but not so long ago, Greek men and women were persecuted for their beliefs. One response to religious oppression throughout the ages was to build monasteries and nunneries in one of the most inaccessible (and beautiful) locales in the world, called Meteora.
"Meteora" literally means "suspended in the air," and you can see how it got its name. These naturally formed sandstone towers have been inhabited by monks seeking seclusion and safety since the 11th Century.
To reach the monasteries, we climbed up steps only recently carved into the mountain side. Not so long ago, the only way up was a basket lowered on a rope by monks at the top.
Once inside the monasteries, everyone was silent. We just focused on absorbing the religious artwork and artifacts from hundreds of years of hermit monks.
Not everything was serious and sober though. These are jugs and casks used for making wine. Who said monks don't know how to have a good time?
Meteora is made up of a series of nunneries and monasteries. When we left the first nunnery, we asked a nun where to head next. She told us it was far, about an hour by foot. That didn't sound too bad to me but this nun wasn't going to stand by and let us walk.
"Hey!" The Nun shouted at two random Greek people visiting the nunnery. "Are you two Greek? Good. Take these guys with you in your car to the next monastery."
Obviously you can't say no to a nun, so we got a ride for free. Nothing beats having a nun hitchhike for you.
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When I studied abroad in Greece Aegina was the first island I visited and I was told, much like you, that it wasn't really worth the visit. I was glad ...
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