Saturday morning we boarded our beloved coach and headed south towards Kalambaka, our next destination. We did stop in a really cute town called Metsova, where we ate a pure-meat lunch. Our lunch was actually pieces of meat, cooked over a fire, and eaten with toothpicks. It surprisingly wasn't as bad as you would expect, until they threw in some lamb intestine. I decided I would be brave and adventurous and try some, and I promise you that will be the first and last intestine I ever eat. We were given some time to shop around the area for souvenirs and take pictures, and eventually got back on the bus and continued our voyage. We arrived in Kalambaka later that evening and I chose to take a nap while a few people decided to enjoy the gorgeous pool at our hotel. Once I woke up, I played "mom" and ran out with Jessica to get food for some people and we enjoyed a night-in at the hotel.
A few of us eating in Metsova...you judge as to whether it was a good meal or not...
Sunday was the day for sweaters and long skirts-and not because of the temperature. Today we visited the monasteries at Meteora. This place was spectacular! I googled Meteora later in the evening and the image that comes up doesn't seem real-BUT IT IS! There were 4 monasteries and 2 nunneries on these cliffs right above the town of Kalambaka. George took us up to the largest monastery first, and John gave us the information and breakdown of Byzantine monasteries. I actually really enjoy this course compared to the other ones and I think it is due to my extensive background in Catholicism. I really enjoyed the history behind the monasteries, the wall art, and the iconography displayed in the monasteries. Meteora was the site that I took the most pictures of and they unfortunately don't convey the true beauty of the monasteries and their location. Later that evening, after we toured 2 of the monasteries and 2 of the nunneries, a few of us laid by the pool and then went out for dinner in the town (note: Kalambaka is like a mixture of Olympia and Delphi, but it is pretty nice). Oh, that night I was also forced to watch "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" with Sam, Geoff, and Cuzi. I do believe I killed a few brain cells while watching it.
One of the monasteries at Meteora
Monday we made our way back towards Athens on our coach. We made a lunch pit-stop in the ski town next to Delphi (still way too close for comfort if you ask me). We also stopped at a monastery dedicated to Osios Lukas, or Blessed Luke. It was really pretty and such a calm area. There was also a baby owl sitting on the church and everyone was obsessing over it's cuteness (okay, I was too). After class ceased, we piled back on the bus and headed home. Once we arrived in Athens, a few of us moved to our new hostel, Backpackers Studios, for the upcoming 6-day stay. We made another gourmet meal of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese, unpacked from our voyage, and headed to bed.
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