Floating Monasteries, Mopeds, and Obnoxiously Fruity Cocktails

The phone rings around 8:45AM. Calvin, a fellow traveler, is on the other side informing me it’s time to wake up. Today we tackle the epic “floating monasteries” in Meteora, Greece. After slowly consuming the complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we pack our bags and leave for the hills.

We walked along an old country road for the better part of two miles before turning off onto a trail recommended to us by the locals. Calvin, Scott and myself wind through the old goat path and quickly find ourselves ascending rapidly to a clearing that reveals one of the monasteries. A couple hundred meters later we arrive and the first monastery located atop one of the rock spires.

On a spire in front of one of the monasteries

This gave us our business idea

While taking a break in front of one of the monasteries, a random woman comments on my shirt – something in regards to being a Gopher fan in Greece. At the time, I was unaware that I was representing the University of Minnesota. It paid off by earning us a ride to the next monastery. The next few hours were spent hiking from spire to spire and joking about starting a possible business. You know, like turning a monastery into a hostel, including a rooftop bar with epic views and featuring fresh brew made from chanting monks. Shows promise, investors needed.

We hiked back down and ate at a mom and pop Greek restaurant where they brought you into the kitchen to choose what you wanted to eat. Great food before our epic trip to the islands. The next 14 hours were spent traveling by train and ferry. We almost missed the ferry, due to the metro transfer point being closed. We sprinted down the port and boarded the vessel as they were raising the gate.

The next morning we arrived in Santorini; a small island known for picturesque sunsets and white buildings. We rented mopeds and toured the entire island. Battling wind and crazy tour bus drivers, we managed to survive and have a blast. We ended our day at Io (think postcard views of Greece)

Sweet local beach

Mopeds rock!

Some great laughs were had here

Scott and I sat on top of a corner of an old brick wall to grab a good view. After watching us, about thirty other people joined in and were able to secure some great views as well. After the sunset, we navigated our mopeds home and went across the street to grab some food before calling it a night.

Upon waking we found a cleaning service and dropped off our clothes before heading to the beach. We lounged for a few hours waiting on our laundry underneath straw umbrellas and sipped on some awesome tropical cocktails. A few hours later we left to grab our laundry before catching the ferry back to Athens. I don’t think I have received this intense of a sunburn since I was a kid. Sweet mercy, it’s going to be a long ferry back.