Every monastery and skiti have a room were pilgrims are welcomed, most of the time with Greek coffee, water, loukoumi and tsipourou.

This guest room in the Russian monastery was only for distinguished pilgrims. The place burned down in the huge fire of 1968. On the wall a.o. images of Tsar Nicolas II and Tsarina. More images here.

It is not clear to which monastery this guest room belongs.

This room is probably located in Gregoriou because the monastery can be seen on the photo on the wall.
On the right Wim Oudshoorn, editor of the Dutch magazine about Greece, Lychnari.

Could this be the guest room of Lavra?
Standing at the back is Dutch translator and writer Gerard Koolschijn who published his book Geen sterveling weet in 2012. The book contains a very interesting description of Mount Athos in the 1970ties, in Dutch.

Fellow pilgrim Bas Kamps in the guest room of the former Russian skiti of Andreou.

The guest room is the place were pilgrims put their names in the guestbook and the number of the Diamontirion. There is also space to enter your father’s name.

On the first day of 2015 they gave us a nice lunch in Paulou before we went on to Nea Skiti.

In Esfigmenou they welcomed us friendly with a glas of rather sour wine.

A bowl of Turkish delight, Loukoumi, in the Romanian skiti.

Cookies, coffee and Tsipourou served by father Filemon.

Herman Voogd