Meteora

It hasn't always been easy to be a Christian in Greece. In Athens, I see priests walking around in black robes with full beards every day, but not so long ago, during the Turkish occupation, Greek men and women were persecuted for their beliefs. One response to the oppression was to build monasteries and nunneries in one of the most beautiful (and also inaccessible) locales in the world, Meteora. Even before the occupation though, monks and nuns had sought out Meteora for the privacy and seclusion to focus on their relationship with God.

"Meteora" literally means "suspended in the air," and you can see where it got its name. These naturally formed sandstone towers have been inhabited since the 11th century.

When we climbed up the first trail (stairs carved into the mountain side) which now makes the monasteries accessible, I was amazed that the sights inside were as impressive as the sights outside. Everyone inside was silent, taking in the religious artwork and relics of hermit monks from hundreds of years ago.

Jugs and casks used for making wine. Who said monks don't know how to have a good time?

When we left the first nunnery, we asked a nun where to go next. She told us that it was far, about an hour walk. That didn't sound too bad to me, but she didn't want us walking that far.

"Hey!" the nun said to two random Greek people visiting the nunnery. "Are you Greek? Good. Take these guys with you in your car to the next monastery."

Obviously you can't say no to a nun, so we got a ride for free. Nothing beats having a nun hitchhike for you.