Category Archives: Trip 2019

2135 – A walk in the night around Simonos Petras

Quite contrary to my normal habits I woke up very early. It was still night and pitch dark. I didn’t want to disturb my sleeping fellow pilgrims so I went outside very quietly. We were in the new guest building, … Continue reading

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2134 – Vegetables pulled up to Simonos Petras

Only if you have good trust in fate you can look down, vertically, from the overhanging fragile wooden balconies of Simonos Petras. More than 40 meters below you, monks and their helpers were working in the gardens. The gardens are … Continue reading

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2132 – An eagles nest high on a cliff, Simonos Petras

The most iconic monastery on Athos is, no doubt about it, Simonos Petras. Built as an eagles nest high on a cliff, more than three hundred meters above sea level. Byron compared it to the Potala in Lhasa (Tibet) which … Continue reading

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2130 – Looking at the Sporades

The monastery of  Simonos Petras is, as it were, glued to a mountainous rock of 330 meter above sea level. Views in all directions are stunning  while standing on the balcony. Looking to the left, a view on Sithonia , … Continue reading

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2129 – a close look at Agiou Paulou monastery 1

In post 2015 I ended my photo report with a picture of the Agiou Paulou monastery. Today we will take a closer look at the exterior of the monastery, starting with a plan of the monastery from Mylonas, made in … Continue reading

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2127 – The mediaeval tower at the arsanas of Karakallou

Our taxibus that would take us to Karyes suddenly stopped for a sanitary stop by the side of the road. We took the opportunity to look around. We were close to the arsanas of Karakallou. We saw this impressive mediaeval … Continue reading

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2126 – Roaming around the Great Lavra

After our arrival at the Great Lavra, we sat and rested for a while at the archondiriki. We had walked the kalderimi from Prodromou. We received the hospitality gratefully; fresh water, Greek coffee and loukoumi. Four impressions taken directly from … Continue reading

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2121 – On our way to Lavra

A large proportion of the old monopati (footpath) and kalderimi (cobbled stone footpath) between Prodromou and Lavra still exists. It is situated a bit more uphill than the road. After the well the path descents to the new, concrete, road … Continue reading

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2120 – An evening, night and early morning in Prodromou

Just before sunset we arrived in Prodromou, the Romanian skete at the edge of the peninsula. We were quiet tired from the afternoon walk from Kavsokalivia via Nilou and the crossing of the stone fall of Megali Sara. The walk … Continue reading

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2112 – Crossing the stone fall of Megali Sara

Between Nilou or Nilos and Prodromou the monopati runs over an impressive stone avalanche area called Megali Sara The path was formed by passing monks after the 1905 earthquake, that created the stone fall. The region is geologically quite unstable. … Continue reading

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