The Meteora ("middle of the sky", "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above") is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece. These monasteries were built in the 1300s and rebuilt by UNESCO in the 1970s. Six of the monasteries (out of a total of 24) remain in tact and functioning. James Bond "For Your Eyes Only" was filmed here.
We never realised how mountainous the interior of Greece was, with mountains over 9,000 feet high. The drive to Meteora was about 130 miles and took about 3 hours. The time of the journey depends very much on who you get stuck behind on the windy mountainous roads! Here is a 2 story, double trailer loaded with goats and the poor shepherd dog stuck in the back with them. It took us forever to pass!
We visited a couple of monasteries that day including the biggest "Great Mereoro" and also the nunnery "Roussanou".
We found a nice lunch stop for souvlaki and greek salad. The Greek salads are enormous - a salad for one is enough to feed 4 people, with about 5 tomatoes cut up, a cucumber or 2, a whole onion, olives and a 1lb slab of feta cheese on the top! All soaked in olive oil - delicious!
However, it amazes us that a restaurant that can cater for 200 people for lunch or dinner, still has only toilets like this! (not easy in a pair of jeans!)
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