Sithonia is a protected corner of Greece. Part 2
Continue.
You can read a story with a photo about the hotel here: http://www.turpravda.ua/gr/ sitonija/blog-224767.html
The first part of this story can be read here: http://www.turpravda.ua/gr/sitonija /blog-225072.html
Departure for an excursion to Meteora at 5.30 am. Drive more than five hours.
On the way, you will see Olympus close (with us, however, he hid behind the clouds),
cross the Thessalian plain and pass through a brand new tunnel, which the Greeks are very proud of. Before the tour, you will certainly be taken to a store with icons, the prices of which are very bite.
Meteors have already been written and rewritten before me, but everyone should see this in their lives. It's a wonder of the world!
Meteora (Greek Μ ε τ? ω ρ α - "floating in the air") - rocks reaching a height of 600 meters above sea level.
The first monks arrived there before the tenth century. The heyday of the monastic country falls on the sixteenth century.
The greatness of this place, its natural safety from the invasions of robbers, thanks to the height of the steep cliffs, made it possible to create over time a large organized monastic community with many monasteries, which grew and strengthened with the help of numerous gifts and contributions of the rulers. A total of 24 monasteries were built, along with a large number of solitary cells, ascitiria, chapels, sketes, caves, gates, pillars, scattered throughout the meteor mountains. Some of the monasteries have survived as ruins. Now there are only six active monasteries: four male and two female.
Previously, there were no women's monasteries, but when the monastic republic began to decline, a special permission was allowed for the women's monastic community to settle there. At present, only one monk serves in some monasteries. I am also a believer, but I still do not understand this religious fanaticism: to climb bare rocks without roads, without food, without water and build a monastery there. And stand at 2 services a day, each of which lasts 7 hours! What should be the power of faith?
Until the 20s of the twentieth century, when roads were laid to the monasteries and stone steps were made for climbing,
monks and visitors could get into the monasteries only by hinged wooden stairs, or with the help of monks who raised them in special nets. In the same way, food, water, building materials were raised to the monasteries. On our visit, building materials were just being lifted, and we saw the winch in action with our own eyes.
Also, for a long time, first builders were raised in monasteries, and then those who painted the walls of monasteries. Contrary to the erroneous opinion, the monks did not do this. They prayed for 14 hours a day, and builders built. Everyone was minding their own business. The temples in Meteora were built according to the type of Athos, painted by the masters of the Cretan icon painting school. All the walls from floor to ceiling are covered with frescoes depicting religious scenes with scenes of the martyrdom of saints; there is not a single free space. As part of this tour, we visit one monastery of St. Varlaam.
Entrance to it is an additional 3 euros from the nose. Photography is not allowed inside the temple. Church of All Saints is small, although there are smaller ones. But what can he be on a rock? Compared to our temples, it is quite small. At the moment, 7 monks and one novice serve in the monastery. During the tour, a monk came out to us and treated our group to cherries. Such a monastic blessing. In the monastery you can light candles by donating from 50 cents to 1 euro and you can submit notes for a prayer service (only names must be written in Latin, not Cyrillic), buy icons and all kinds of religious souvenirs in the icon shop. Prices are even lower than in the store. In total, the tour lasts 2 hours, free time 40 minutes (we hardly have time to take pictures). Departure from Meteora at 15:00, and again on a long journey. We returned to the hotel at 20.30. True, we had time for dinner.
After resting for another day in our wonderful village of Nikiti, and without waiting for good weather, we set out on another planned excursion - to Aridea and Edessa.
On this day, departure is at 7.30. First we go to the city of Edessa. This city has nothing to do with Odessa, except for the consonant name. A very pleasant city. The building of the streets, as in Paris, houses are very similar in architecture. The guide said that young people practically do not leave this city either for Thessaloniki or for Athens. Life in the city is comfortable. When you just drive up to Edessa, you immediately notice that the city is stretched along a cliff at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level and looks like white icing on a cake. Now tourists are brought to Edessa to see its main attraction: a river flows through the city,
which rushes down to the cliff with powerful waterfalls. The largest of them is Koranos.
The park around the waterfall is equipped with benches for vacationers,
Everything starts so calmly in Edessa
many viewing platforms
Waterfalls of Edessa
and the bridge, the walk under which ends directly below the waterfall.
A walk under the Koranos waterfall in Edessa
There is a park around it, in which very old plane trees grow.
Ancient plane trees in the park of Edessa
After the photo walk we will go to Aridea, one of the thermal resorts in Greece.
Aridea thermal resort
Of course, compared to the Hungarian thermal baths, this one does not make much of an impression. But, it is located in the mountains and all 3 pools in it are open. This combination of mountain air, hot - 38 degrees - thermal water and an icy mountain river flowing nearby gives it a special flavor. Entrance to the thermal spa is free, but the pools are paid - 2 euros.
Small thermal pool in Aridea
In a large, almost Olympic swimming pool, entrance fee is 3 euros.
Large thermal pool in Aridea
True, for this money you are given a key to a locker where you can put your things.
Cabinets for things in Aridea
There are changing rooms and toilets near each pool.
There is a pleasant park around with paths, tables and benches, as well as a tavern.
Mountain river in Aridea
Free time as much as 3 hours. We walked around the park, along the riverbed, took pictures, and then rested in the pool. A very pleasant contrast procedure is standing under the waterfall of a mountain river, but climbing there from a warm pool is very inconvenient, there are no steps, there are very large pebbles under your feet.
Contrasting mountain waterfall in Aridea
In general, we tried it once and closed this issue.
There are many hotels and apartments near the resort. There are shops and a small souvenir market that sells honey and bee products, fresh and dried fruits, bathing accessories and some homemade medicines in herbal extracts. Our tourists took some drops based on blue chamomile extract, which allegedly help with headaches, but, frankly, I don’t trust such things, and the price of 15 euros for a 10ml bottle confuses me a lot.
In Aridea we were lucky with the weather, it was sunny. And in our Nikiti that day it was raining again. I liked the trip very much. Seen enough of all kinds of natural beauties, bathed in the thermal pool. Rested and in a good mood in the evening, we arrived at the hotel for dinner.
The next day, the weather finally had mercy - the sun came out, it warmed us all those three days that remained before our departure. There was one more item left on our list of unfinished business - a hike to the red rocks.
Hiking to the red rocks
We looked at them all the time from the balcony of the hotel, and we really wanted to go and look at them up close. What is this miracle? But don't do it in the rain. And then finally the sun! So on the road. We did not go to the embankment to the village, but in the opposite direction along the coast. Somewhere I read that there are deserted bays. In fact, the entire coast is one apartment smoothly passing into another, interspersed with villas of rich Greeks.
Villas were also built on the red rocks, from where steps descend to the sea.
On a narrow coastal strip closer to the beginning of the season, sand is cleared, sun loungers and umbrellas are installed. The village of Nikiti smoothly flows into the village of Metamorfozi, where the same picture is all along the coast.
But the rocks turned out to be even more picturesque up close than from afar.
Hiking to the red rocks
Pine trees grow on them at the very edge, leaning towards the sea. True, the rock in the rocks is very loose, even with a slight wind, so I would not advise you to be located directly under them.
Hiking to the red rocks
And one more important detail: the Greeks, of course, clean their beaches by the beginning of the season, but not the bottom. Lots of sea urchins. Swimming without slippers is just suicide.
Hedgehogs are everywhere: on rocks, in shallow water,
Sea urchins in shallow water
on the sand.
And inanimate hedgehogs are a danger to your legs
And the waves carry them ashore and you can, looking at the surrounding beauty, inadvertently step in the most unexpected place.
This is such a surprise
There are no hedgehogs only on the central beach of Nikiti. At least we didn't see them there.
These are the animals that live in the Mediterranean
In the Aegean Sea in these places there are very beautiful multi-colored pebbles, some pieces interspersed with mica glisten amazingly in the sun, and form a golden suspension in the water.
Beautiful pebbles
Summing up, I would like to say that Greece is a country where trees grow on stones. A blessed land with amazing nature and friendly people, deep blue skies, beautiful sea and excellent climate.
And trees grow on stones
I love you, Greece! And I already miss you!
Kalimera, Greece! See you soon!
