This is Zwergers map with the 4 trails we walked during our stay in 2009

The first monastery we saw was Panteleimonos. For me it was the third time that I was in this impressive monastery so I did not enter the church on the second floor but walked around the monastery. Together with my brother we examined the often ruined buildings outside the monasteries walls.

We walked to Karyes and the to Iviron where the monks were harvesting the grapes. This is the backside on the monastery. We continued our walk and slept in Mylopotamos.

The second day we walked back to Iviron and then to the beautiful Stavronikita. Here the tower with the bougainville flowers.

The next stop was Pantokratoros

Finally we arrived at Vatopedi where we got a room and stayed for the night.

The third day our first target was Esfigmenou. We got drinks but could not see the church because the monks were working hard on the sewage system.

In the Serbian monastery of Chilandariou we saw the restaurations still in progress after the fire of 2004. We admired the church and ate our lunch in the kiosk. When we took the path to Zografu I turned around and made this picture of Chilandariou

Then, pretty exhausted as we were, we arrived at the Bulgarian monastery of Zografu where we spend the night.

The fourth and last day we walked from Zografou to Konstamonitou.
This sums up our 4 days in 2009. More later.
Photos and texts by hv