30 years ago I began my second Athos pilgrimage: after recieving our Diamoniterion in Karyes we started out to reach the monastery of Karakalou.
Looking back at Karyes and Koutloumousiou
On this spot we took a rest and drank some water from a well, not knowing that on this day the Tjernobyl nuclear accident did occur. We thought we drank the most pure and healthy water you could imagine, while walking on the Holy Mountain, that was preserved against development for over a 1000 years.
Remember that 1986 was a pre-internet and cell phone time, so only a week afterwards we heard about the disaster. Luckily the wind did not bring much of the fallout to Greece/Mount Athos, but it showed how fragile we are with nuclear technology.
But even on Mount Athos, where time stands still, many things changed since 1986: 
What about the Zygou monastery near the border, then called Frankocastro?
And the border near Zygou looked very different.
The border at the other side, Komitsa in 1986.
And the harbour of Sografou.
And what about the Panteleimonos monastery at that time, nowadays almost completely renovated because of the celebrations in 2016.
And here, in the Epistatia building, you had to get your Diamoniterion and collect your ID/passport from the “Politarchos”.
Blacksmith-monks (near Filotheou) gave us a fantastic lunch – together with Pieter Voorn.
Bread, olives, cheese, peppers, lettuce and wine, who needs more?
Tsipourou at Dionysiou – photo Pieter Voorn
Monk and cat at Dionysiou 1986 – photo Pieter Voorn
Dafni 1986
Wim Voogd,26/4
Very Nice Photo Essay. Thanks.
Beautiful and unusual photo of Koutloumousiou! With the alluring path on the left. The A O man with the passports is also nice. (In 1970 the first thing our A O officer said when we arrived was: ‘Sto koureio!’ To the barber! Some of us had to have a haircut before we could get the diamonitirion. One was cut in his ear and feared all of our 7 days an inflammation).