1336 – the top of Mount Athos

In my last post (1331) about our trip to Athos in October 2011 I showed you how we climbed the mountain in 3,5 hours. Today we will take a closer look at the building activities and I will try to give you an impression of the magnificent view from 2030 meters high.

05-10 36 Wim on the top

Wim Voogd on the top

05-10 35 the top

Bas and Herman

05-10 41 top view 4

The sky was almost clear, exept for one cloud in the South.

05-10 38 top view 1

View to the North, the peninsula

05-10 39 top view 2

View in the North East direction, towards Filotheou, Karakalou and Iviron

05-10 40 top view 3

View in the North West direction, Agiou Pavlou

05-10 42 top view 5

View to the East, the direction of Lavra

05-10 44 building activity

The building activities are leaving their traces……….

05-10 43 new building

A new building next to the old chapel is almost finished.

05-10 51 stone with text 1931

With an old foundation stone from the 23th of July 1931

05-10 45 chapel top

The iconastasis of the Metamorfosis chapel

05-10 46 icon chapel

  Metamorfosis icon

05-10 47 bell top

Behind the new building, near the cross, another room is build

05-10 48 cross top

Reinforced concrete is used to make a new roof

05-10 49 top

05-10 50 top cross

05-10 52 top view 6

After half an hour it’s time to descent again….Here a last shot of the cliff going straight down: people who tried to descent from here over the ridge on the right towards Lavra were never seen again.

05-10 53 top view 7

Pilgrims Bas and Herman started for a 2,5 hour walk down

05-10 54 going downAnd there is our finall destination: Skiti Anni

05-10 55 naer Skiti AnniOnly 150 meters to go. I decided going down first in my own tempo, also to prefend that the monks of Anni would close the gate. I arrived at 19 h., after walking 11 hours from Prodromou. I have to confess that my legs acted rather strange in the last 15 minutes of the long hike and they started to move out of control.

05-10 56 avalange skiti anni

In the avelange area of Skiti Anni I had to take a rest after every 50 meters or so

05-10 57 Skiti Anni buildings

The first buildings of skiti Anni appear

05-10 58 Skiti Anni

Near the entrance gate of Skiti Anni

05-10 59 the terrace of Anni

Pilgrims Gert Jan, Jitze and Wilfried just had dinner and still look fresh! The friendly monks were so nice to re-open the kitchen/refectory and let me have dinner to!

Next time pictures from the new fresco’s in the refectory.

Wim, 7/1

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