Greece 2017 Part 4

Santorini!

 

 

 

"The Greek Ruins" and "Santorini" have been at the top of my travel wish list for years.  I was thrilled that we got to see both on this trip.  Because the tourist season was over, the speed ferries were no longer running so we took the typical ferry.  Santorini is one of 1500 Greek islands and our ferry ride was 8 hours.  It was very comfortable though and we had great people to talk to when we weren't napping, reading, listening to podcasts or doing math with Brennan :)

 

Prepare to be overwhelmed with photos, but there were so many great shots to choose from!


The ferry ride around the Greek islands.

 

 

 

Views of Firostefani where we stayed

 

Oia (ee-ah) - shopping and beautiful scenery

 

 

 

See the donkeys?  They work in the off-season helping with construction.

 

 

Traffic jam. I was running late to meet David and Brennan for the next part of our tour.

We went on a winery tour where Brennan got to sample.  We bought a couple of bottles of vinosanto - produced only on Santorini.

 

 

Sights on the walk from Firostefani to Firo for lunch

 

 

My last Greece photo.  Thomas walking to our gorgeous resort overlooking the other 4 islands that make up Santorini.  What an amazing trip.  I especially loved that the boys were with us.  Happy 25th to us!



Greece 2017 Part 3

We spent our next day in Meteora, Greece.  This trip from Athens is considered a pilgrimage to many Athenians who try to make this trip at least once in their lifetime.  The 14 monasteries date back to as early as the 1300s.  Only 6 are inhabited now, by nuns, not monks.  They seek to keep the traditions of the early monasteries alive.  We got to see many of the nuns and their beautiful artwork.  Just a lovely trip and a highlight for me.

 

Here is the Monastery of the Holy Trinity.  Unbelievably beautiful.  See the cable car line to the left of the mountain where the monastery sits?  This was also in the movie "For Your Eyes Only" and the famous cable car scene.

 

 

These sheer cliffs to the right of the monastery are impressive.  I dubbed them the "Cliffs of Insanity" from "The Princess Bride".  I thought it was hilarious.  The family played along.   

 

 

 

 

This kid.  So glad he's still wanting to travel with Mom and Dad.  One day soon, he might not be in our travel photos.  Boo!  #senioryear

 

In the monasteries where the nuns now live, the women are asked to wear skirts.  They have made beautiful ones that we can borrow and wear.  Here's mine at The Monastery at Saint Nickolaus.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking out a window in the 14th century Monastery.  Beautiful!!

 

 

Selfie Stick Fail

Selfie Stick Win

 

 

 

 

Monastery at Saint Barbara.  Much of it was rebuilt after the WWII bombings.

Another borrowed skirt

 

 

This arranged side trip on our tour was really special to me.  I did not know about Meteora so might not have added it to our itinerary.  Beautiful and sacred.