Sam Bowker: The Grand Tour Diary (2005 - 2006)

This is the archived journal of a 2005-2006 'Grand Tour' around the Eastern Mediterranean and along East Africa, written by Sam Bowker, whilst in search of his PhD topic.

Monday, October 10, 2005

Greece - Meteora

Dedicated, with aplomb, to Grant and Louise's new baby boy! Congratulations guys!

Such wonderful news deserves a properly written blog post, but sadly I am very pressed for time. This is because my bus to Lamia leaves very soon and I spent far too long distracted by the photos and recent updates on Mum's Cairo blog.

Still - I spent today exploring the incredulously positioned monasteries of Meteora. These are seriously world heritage sites, set upon the very tops of narrow but sheer rocks that rise like the Cappadoican towers high into the mountains. The landscapes are like Chinese silk paintings, with lush green forests laden with mossy rocks, magnificent gnarled trees and birdsong. Walking along the roads, dodging massive tour buses, I ate wild blackberries and took far more photos than the bus tourists were able to.

I also sneaked non-flash photos of a number of church interiors, including gorgeous motifs on illuminated manuscripts, under the not-so-watchful eye of an Orthodox monk.

You must do a google image search and check the place out - they are amazing.

Must dash, off to Delphi via an overnight stop in Lamia.

2 Comments:

  • At Tuesday, October 11, 2005 8:43:00 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Howdy,

    Hope you've seen some grouse stuff.

    We are hatching plans to see Ben Lee at the ANU 21 Oct.

    Tabbi took Assad for walk tonight. Of course if was on the bini's that he decided to roll around.

    It was also decided that his tongue maintain's it's blue by licking people's jean's.

    Have a ball - Laurence

     
  • At Thursday, October 13, 2005 1:03:00 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Sam: So glad I read your blog - I'd not have known about the new baby boy otherwise! Thanks -- you do sound to be having a fabulous time.

    Enjoy!

    Tena

     

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