Perfect Conditions

There is no perfect time for a trip, nor ever perfect weather conditions for travel. There is no such thing as a perfect holiday, because we simply can't decide what is perfect.  We love what is old, but insist on everything new. We are challenged by adventure, but want it to come easily.
The weather in Meteora was far from ideal, and the photos had a dark and gloomy look.  When the sun came out today we had to go up for another look, but I think I preferred the mysterious looking clouds and the cooler weather for climbing all those stairs.
We went to check out of the hotel, but they wouldn't take credit card, again. Typical! I look forward to going to a hidden place, away from the usual tourist crowd, but then want the same services. It is like wanting to visit a monastery on top of a 1200 ft rock by taking an elevator.

 In the largest monastery, Grand Meteoron, I became fascinated by the monks collection of skulls, and their depictions of the martyrs' deaths. The deaths were carefully documented: you can see the be-headings, dismemberment's, burnings and one built into a wall while still alive. And the point was: if something is worth living for, then it should be hard, and it is worth dying for as well.

I can't think of anyone today who would think it was a good idea to build on top of a rock that is only accessible by scaling a 1000 ft cliff, but someone did it 700 years ago for us to wonder at today. I felt extremely grateful to those people, and humbled that my biggest challenge was trying to pay with a credit card.

It was difficult to leave this place in Greece and head towards Macedonia. Slightly worried about the border crossing after hearing the recent news of riots and migrants camped out, we didn't tarry. The GPS sent us on a little known route that led us to a quiet border crossing with no problems and few cars. The road, however, was not anything near being a decent highway. Full of pot holes, turns, and small towns, it certainly slowed us down. You can't have it both ways. The superhighways would have meant more cars, endless lines at the border, and lots of tolls. 

Instead we asked Mo to slow down so we could snap pictures of the passing scenery. She only refused to stop for DC to take pictures of the hanging garlands of drying red peppers outside the whitewashed houses. Tomorrow we will have to decide if staying in the old town, with its steep cobbled streets and cheap price tag was a good idea.