Crete - Chasing the Minoans - part one - Piraeus

The story I'm going to tell you, dear Reader, takes place in the long past (or not so much) 2009.

The month is September, the destination - Crete. Why Crete? Because I am the person who drags people around to excavations - stones, stones everywhere, walls around 20 centimeters tall and things like that. And no, I'm not an archaeologist. I am a culturologist (but that is subject of another discussion and it has nothing to do with travelogues. Besides, it wasn't in the itinerary in 2009). Back to the point - we're going to Crete.

This travelogue is a translation from the original Bulgarian text I wrote for the site patepis.com. I'm writing it in case you wonder why it differs from my previous works - this is a story that happened BEFORE I became a photographer. I was 17 then. 

The original story (published in Bulgarian) can be found here:

http://patepis.com/?p=68117

To be honest, at that time Crete seemed to me as exotic as Bora Bora. And generally as far away from home as it, for that matter... So we start wondering how to get there (to Crete, I mean, not to Bora Bora) - 2000 kilometers are 2000 kilometers everywhere.

My father plays the adamant - "I'm not going anywhere without my horse!“

– so things become clear - there will be driving. Which means HE will drive because neither me not my mother has a driver's license… Still, Crete is an island i.e. surrounded by water so we somehow cannot swim our way to it… Hence we're gonna use the most exotic option - namely - the ferry.

No problem in that. We hit the road a day earlier (because none of use is particularly fond of getting up at 4 a.m. so that we make it for the ferry), we sleep in Gotse Delchev (a town near the Greek border) and we cross the border with the crack of dawn and around 9 a.m we're down the road after Exohi (the Greek village that's given the name to the border check point.)

О tax, O toll – how to be mistaken for a Greek without knowing the language…

There are no vignettes in Greece. But each 50 kilometers or so you have to pay a toll tax. Money can vary depending on the distance - somewhere you'll pay 1 euro, at other places tax rises to 2 or 3 euro. The whole journey costs around 30 euro (now it's more because there are toll stations down Egnatia - the highway that connects Thessaloníki and Kavala, while in 2009 the highway was brand new and there were none). What's interesting, however, is not the pricing but the conversations we have with the people at the toll stations…

We stop at the first one. There is a car in front of us - they drive on, we count the money for the tax.

Kalimera! (Good morning/ Good day in Greek) – says the lady from the booth

Kalimera! – I respond from the back seat – I've bought a Greek textbook less than two weeks ago and I'm not afraid to use it.

Evharisto! – she thanks us.

Parakalo! (you're welcome) – I answer again because my father doesn't.

Kalo taksidi! (have a nice trip) – she says, hands us the receipt and we move further.

I'm very pleased with the short conversation and I don't even think out why, actually, she addressed us in Greek while our car is with foreign registration plates. Same thing happens at the other toll stations - around the forth my father learns the words and starts answering the cashiers himself.

Somewhere just before Athens one lady looks absolutely confused and babbles something in Greek from which I make out only the word 'lepta'. While I'm figuring out that she she doesn't have enough money for the change and asks us if we have some cents (lepta means coins in Greek), we have sorted it out in English. Across (in the booth) we hear laughter and the woman hands us the change with a huge smile wishes us a nice trip, in English, this time.

While we drive on, we laugh our heads off, because here (and in the previous toll stations) they obviously took us for natives - for Greeks… While we joke about having some Byzantine descent we enter the outskirts of Athens…

A surprise is waiting for us there - a traffic jam so big that my father starts oozing saliva as if he's rabid. How could he not - a highway with 4 or 5 lanes in each direction and each and every one is jammed with cars as far as the eye could see. My father really wants to get off the highway and drive along the narrower streets of Athens so there is a big battle in keeping him in the middle of the highway (if he gets off it, we'll roam the streets of Athens forever). The time is around 4.30 p.m., the ferry leaves at 9 (if we actually buy tickets for it). So we have plenty of time…

We sit and wait in the traffic jam when the side window of the car next to us opens and a man starts shouting:

Apo pia to Markopulo? – he repeats but he's chosen the wrong car. My mother shrugs to show without words that she doesn't understand him. He for some reason decides that we didn't hear him and repeats the phrase. I start shuffling the pages of the textbook and it dawns on me…

Den xero elinika! (I don't speak Greek) - I yell a few times out of the window to make him hear me. He does on the third time and starts laughing his head off - the driver literally fell of the steering wheel.

The car passes by and a few hundred meters we find out what's so funny.  There is a road sign for that Markopulo, which turns out to be a town near Athens where they make the famous Retsina wine. The guy took us for natives and decided to ask - since the cars were side by side in the traffic jam – but he chose the wrong people.

The Greek alphabet - or how to read your road signs…

In case you don't know, my dear Reader, Greeks write in Greek. Which has nothing to do with ANY other language in the world. Their alphabet looks a bit like the Bulgarian one but similarities end here. Most road signs in Greece are... in Greek. So far, so good, but even the signs that should be in English are actually in Greek.

We have to take the ferry so we need Piraeus - the port of  Athens. Actually Piraeus was once an independent city but the megalopolis grew and now they are one whole. So we're looking for a road sign for Piraeus but we see nothing. Absolutely nothing. The roadsigns on Greek highways are huge but the names don't ring any bells…

At some point an alien name appears. It says PEIRAIAS. Great but what's this? It should be in English but it doesn't sound English. I feel as proud as if I've discovered America when I discover the reading rules of Greek (in that sacred textbook of mine). It turns out that the combination of the letters EI is read as I, and AI as Е. After I've broken the code it turns out that what I'm reading as PEIRAIAS, Greeks read as PIREAS. Eurica! So the sign is for Pireaus! We drive that way.

How to board a ferry - a few DON'Ts

After a few minutes' drive - again in that traffic jam, it was rush hour – we arrive at Piraeus. It turns out that it's not that easy to board a ship though - not like going to a Bulgarian port and jumping in the first boat you lay your eyes on. I thought, to be totally honest, that I'd see something resembling the Radezky ship ( very famous ship from the 19th century connected to Bulgarian history - now a tourist attraction), my father - of the ferry that goes from Thassos to Keramoti (or as he says 'bath tub'). My mother smiles but keeps silent.

The port of Piraeus is HUGE - to find your ship you have to find your gate - and they are all coded - each destination has a letter code and depending on where you're going, you can end up at either side of the port. We find our gate - for Crete - and my jaw drops.

Ships, ships everywhere!!!

Another ship waiting for passengers - for Crete too, probably - at the same gate. Shot taken from the top deck of our ship. Around the time I took the image, most ships at this gate are already gone and that's why it looks so empty (and you can see these great reflections). Otherwise ships are jammed like sardines.

They are so  many and so big that it looks a bit scary! Which one is our ship, though? We get in and we stay at the gate - i.e. at the parking across the parked ships. There are no road signs so my father parks as he pleases and my mother gets off to buy tickets. Two minutes later a truck appears from somewhere and starts circling us. The driver is out of the window to see the idiot who plays a parking bollard.

Less than two minutes later another truck appears and goes around from the other side. I notice that drivers hand in some really long sheets of paper to a man ten meters away and point angry in our direction. The man in police uniform notices our foreign registration plate - which means bushmen who are foreign to all kinds of ports - and send out his younger colleague to talk to us, to save face before the foreign tourists. After a few torturous minutes we sort out that we don't speak Greek and she speaks very little English so we use very simplified and accented English garnished with a lot of gestures to understand that we are a traffic problem, where we're standing.

Another ferry - not ours - for Crete. Notice how big these ships are - you can see a few trucks lining in to get inside to add scale to the whole image. I must point out that these ships are small compared to the big cruse 'monsters' which wait for passengers at the other end of Piraeus - they have 30+ decks. For comparison - our ship has only 8 of which 2 or 3 are garage decks. Embarkation of cars and trucks is a complicated and highly responsible task. The guy with the radio has a MAP of the cargo - which means how many vehicles of which type can be put where. This map is strictly used each time the ship stops at a port. During the voyage, the garage is locked and the vehicles are chained to the floor - you can get when the ship arrives by the noise you can hear from below (where the garage decks are) - you can hear clinking of chains - that means they free the cars and disembarkation begins soon. On this picture you can see the entrance for cars and trucks.

My father moves the car and we park next to the altar of Agios Nikolaos (St. Nicolas) - after all, we are at a port, it's normal to have a temple of the guardian of sailors and fishermen so I shoot a quick wordless prayer at the saint, you never know what the vessel would be embarking… My mother gets back with the tickets - three for us, one for the car - and we start wondering which one is our ship. A piece of cake for me. The name of one of the ships nearby is KRITI so I decide that it should be going to Crete. How many ships can be leaving at the same time for that island??? My mother goes there.

The guy with the radio looks at the tickets and then tells her that she has to board another ship, not this one. It turns out that apart from our names, the name of the ship is also on the ticket. But who would bother to read that…

A bit of information about the ship

After we board the ship and we're given a cabin - after all the drive from Gotse Delchev is a long one and we'll have to get up very early the next morning to drive again, we have to sleep somewhere.

Most Bulgarians imagine a ship like a платноходка or in my case - as the Radezky ship I told you about earlier. Ferries, however (here I mean the big ones for long distances not those small for Thassos) are much bigger and way different.

Our ship boasts with 8 decks - 2 or 3 are for the garage (cars and trucks are parked down there like a puzzle and ordered around by that guy with the radio - each ship has one like him), the rest are filled with cabins. Each deck has a MAP on which you can see where you are and which cabin numbers are around - like in a hotel.

To us (my father and me, because my mother knows where she's going) its' a jaw-dropper from the moment we get off the car. For the record, they give us parking advice (cars should be parked less than 20 centimeters away from one another so that they don't move around while we're sailing) in Bulgarian. I guess someone in the garage has worked on the Keramoti-Thassos ferry (where most of the tourists come from Bulgaria) before he came to Piraeus.

From the garage we take an ELEVATOR which takes us to reception deck - deck 7. There we meet a  who escorts us to our cabin (after we got the card that opens it at reception) and shows us how to put down the beds and how to operate the air conditioner.

Have you ever watched the TV series 'Das Traumschiff, dear Reader?

Well, this ship (the ferry) is bigger (more decks) and newer (way newer)! On reception deck you can find shops, even a параклис and a few restaurants. They open half an hour before departure and close around 11 p.m. (when you arrive at 5 a.m., that's normal).

The top deck is for those who decided that they don't need a cabin - there are a lot of benches and the Giros (Greek style )and drink booth works 24/7. On board you can find a bit for each taste.

The top deck is crowded, mostly with Greeks who don't share in our nostalgia towards the continent - for most of them, taking the ferry is like taking the bus. They surf the net on their laptops (that was in the ancient times where smart phones were not yet invented), talk on the phone or just sleep and wait for the ship to go. The funniest thing of all is that they are not in the least impressed of the fact that they are moving on water instead of land. But as my father says, Greeks are born on their ships…

Our cabin is equipped as a hotel room - we have towels, glasses and all other things that a tired traveler might need. The fact that we are no a ship shows in two things - the narrow space (we took a windowless cabin, we'll be traveling at night) and the life jackets in the wardrobe. The air conditioner works non-stop and maintains a relatively low temperature - you need some kind of ventilation - but the people are kind and they've left us some blankets.

Inside the cabin, apart from the 4 beds, a TV and a bathroom you can find a wardrobe. Full of life jackets. The stairs are used to get on the upper beds. 

We get a drink - after all that adventure, who would say 'no' to a drink - and then we get out to say 'Goodbye' to the continent and to set off for the far away Cretan land.

Piraeus at departure - the ship has already started and I take a picture of the land. The ship is led by a small boat of the coast guard. They are the boss of the port in some way - they say which ship leaves when and without them, no one can move around the port.

In the next post you'll find out why people (the Dutch in particular) invented Booking.com. 

Lesson 2 - Shooting on a budget

If you love photography but you cannot afford to buy all the gear,  here is something that might help. I've tried most of the things so I will try to show in practice how some of the things work.

Image taken from http://addicted2success.com/success-advice/9-ways-you-can-make-money-online-with-photography/

I know you've been waiting for quite a while to get this but it's been a busy time. So I hope you like this one. 

Before we start - a disclaimer. 

If you are not prepared to invest in photography,  better find another hobby that speaks to you. It's not only money we're talking about - it's time, passion,  creativity. You can come up with amazing images using any gear,  it just takes some tweaking and more time to get the good results.

1. Keep your compact camera - cost 0€/£/$

What many people do after they buy their first DSLR is sell away the good old compact camera they have used before. My advice is - keep it!  Not only because it has served you well and doesn't deserve to be thrown away. You know how it functions and you know how to use it.

I will really try not to compare a compact camera and a DSLR but I can't help listing a few things. If you want to read the whole comparison - click here.

Even though the quality of compact camera shots cannot match the editing capacity of the ones produced by a DSLR, if you know what you're doing,  few would be able to tell the difference.  

Besides,  compact cameras (especially if they are equipped with good optical zoom) can be a good replacement for almost any lens you lack.  

One of my best images from Pisa - shot with a compact camera I still keep in my bag

A compact can give you the necessary zoom if you don't have a telephoto lens or it can give you the closeup you need to get that bee in shot without a macro lens. 

Compacts have one big advantage to DSLRs - well,  maybe except mirrorless cameras but judging by the amount of money they cost - no thanks - the size.  A compact is ideal if you need a video and don't have a tripod or if you need that amazing moment captured without drawing too much attention.

This wonderful view of some greenhouses was shot from a moving car - the compact enabled me to shoot handheld without needing that much firm and steady ground (because as you know roads are not always totally smooth) 

I managed to snap this street artist only because I used a compact and he didn't notice me.

Another shot from the compact - then toned on the computer

The best thing is that you don't need to pay a single coin for it - you already have it at your fingertips.  The only problem is that you'll need some time and patience to get the great results that would have taken you a few seconds with a dedicated lens.

2. Extenders and filters - cost around 200 €/£/$

You will need to pay a bit here - not much though. Extenders are those lovely things that make your kit lens a macro or (frankly I don't know what else but I'm sure that there are other options). 

As for filters - the biggest advantage is that they protect the lens from dust,  dirt,  water and - if you pay a bit more for a good quality one - from hits and falls.

One of my favourite images and actually a bestseller is shot with macro filters 

I almost always use this image as an illustration but it's just so good for this that I can't resist this time. Here the point is that it was really light around the waterfall - the ND 8 filter enabled me to use slow shutter speed - around 1/20 or less (can't remember right now) and so I achieved the blurry flowing water. Unfortunately, I didn't have a tripod so that's as slow as I could go.

A filter can transform the image and it's lightweight and cheap. You can,  of course add it in post-production but it's better to have it.

3. Colored and white paper ( and some colored clothing) - the ideal background for objects and food - cost around 50 €/£/$ (with some clothes included)

That one is shot on a blouse - I've never worn it, by the way, but it turned out to be perfect for object photography

Women are quite rich in clothes they have bought and never worn or worn only once and you can find white paper for printers in almost any house.  It may sound odd but these are perfect if you want to imitate a studio setting and you don't have the money to hire one or buy the expensive professional backgrounds.  

This one is taken on a wooden board 

Looks really nice, doesn't it - well, originally it is pijamas

Of course,  you'll need to tweak a corner or two on the computer but it would be worth it.  

Truth be told,  some of my best pictures are created with clothes for backdrop.

4. Use your house - cost 0€/£/$ 

You don't need a fancy studio to get amazing shots. Yes, you do some space but you already HAVE space - your home. No matter how big or small it is, you have a clean wall (or a big wardrobe), a window and a table. If you want to learn the basics of studio photography, that's all you need. After all, the hardest light to master is the sun. 

This one is made on a chair in the kitchen - all props coming directly from the kitchen - and using the only light available - the sun from the window

5. Ask friends for help - cost 0-10€/£/$ 

There's no need to do everything yourself. Tell others about your passion and they'll be more than willing to help. Props, space, advice about the best places to visit, even models - everyone can help with something. Most of them will do it even if you don't ask for help straight away. So don't be shy - it will be worth it. Besides, once you tell more people, you'll get more exposure. 

The girls on both images are colleagues of mine from the university - I asked them to make a photo shoot in the park and they were more than happy to come along. The umbrella belongs to one of them, by the way. So the only thing you need to do afterwards is to give the people some of the images - so that they help you out next time.

6. Borrow things - cost depends on how good a friend is the person and how you treat the thing. 

You want to try out that lens or you just need that reflector but you don't have them around? No problem if you know the right people - if you get into some Facebook groups you might find some people that are ahead of you and that are willing to help. You just have to ask - even if they turn you down, you would have tried.

If they give you the object, though, you'll have to treat it well and return it in the condition you got it.

These are not the only ways to improve your work without spending a lot of money. You know - when there's a passion, there's a way! 

What drives a photographer mad?

I have no idea what you think but for me there are several things that really piss me off.

Image taken from http://terrywhite.com/how-i-broke-my-d700-by-tethering/

1. The megapixel question.

Number one in my list. I really can't grasp why people somehow conceptualize the megapixels to be equal to good quality photographs. It's the sensor that creates the good quality in a photo and, above all - the person behind the lens. Asking any photographer the megapixel question makes any photographer think that: 

a. You don't know a thing about photography.

b. You don't appreciate their work.

Image taken from http://randolphimages.com/the-megapixel-mania/

2. The gear question

You know,  there is always someone who wants to know 'Is this a professional camera?' as if the can only be photographed by professional gear. God forbid anyone else approach them with something substandard!  An advice - professional is the thing behind the camera - I will keep repeating that. So, don't ask about the gear - if the photographer wants (and believe me,  they LOVE talking about gear)  you'll get the information sooner or later. Asking straight away may insult the person,  as if you are doubting their abilities.

3. 'Is there any Photoshop in that?'

Now this is a painful one. There is no middle ground when it comes to post production. You either use it or you despise it. Problem is that 90% of the photographers use it,  at least 50% overdo it half of the time and there are some 10% -  the vegans of the photographic world - who can ramble for ages about that. I have an opinion but I will share it with you in a different post. Anyway,  unless you want a very long lecture or a scandal - don't ask this question.

Here is an example of what Photoshop can do - and that is a really basic editing you see there

4. 'Is this picture yours?'

As strange as it may sound but you can hear that as well. Let's make it straight - ask that question and the photographer has one more enemy on their kill list. Trust me,  if the picture is not taken by them,  they will tell you immediately. If they don't, the picture is theirs.

5.Copyright

If copyright pops up in the conversation,  just let the photographer talk. If you think that there is nothing wrong in getting a picture from Google images and then reusing it for any purpose,  better keep it to yourself. There is no photographer who thinks that copyright is useless. Believe me,  they have invested quite a lot in every shot they take. So shut up when copyright crops up or you may end up on the photographer's kill list. (again!)

Image taken from http://prophon.org/display.php?bg/новини/121

6. Titles

The title of a shot is another tricky point. If you want to know what the author wanted to say,  ask a literary critic.  What the author wanted,  they showed it on the pic. Nothing more,  nothing less. The title is often chosen to provoke but don't expect profound analysis from the author. They just FELT the title,  they can't put it in words.

7. Giving advice all the time

Ok, no-one says that you should keep silent but if you order the photographer around all the time,  better shut up.  You may have hired them for the job but it is THEM doing it. If you know so much - better do it yourself.

Image taken from http://nickgrantham.com/the-whole-world-is-a-critic/

8. Quoting what another colleague said or did

We,  photographers, are quite egotistical and self-centered creatures. We may admire what someone else did and how they did it but that's just within the guild. Outside it we want to be considered individuals,  unique artists (fill in the list with whatever you want in that line of thinking). Showing what someone does in our face (I talk about we because it's a common opinion) leads us think why didn't you hire them in the first place.

9. 'I can do it better!'

Every once in a while,  there is someone who claims that he can go and do my job better than me. More often than not,  that is a person who has no idea what photography is about and is generally a hater. Problem is that it really gets on my nerves - if you can do it better,  show it, damn it!  A picture is worth a thousand words,  after all. So if you can't prove you're better,  don't try to criticize. You have a 99% chance of getting devastated by the arguments. After all,  they have done that longer than you.

Image taken from https://ethicsalarms.com/2013/07/

10. Bargains

Here we come to the client - customer side of things. I am not saying that you should not bargain but all things should be kept at some reasonable level. I mean,  if you want the person to do a job at a 10th of the regular price,  there is something wrong. Photographers are keen on shooting no matter what. They will just go and photograph the event for free - especially if you know each other in person - you just have to ask. 99% will say YES. But offering a humiliating price (remember - less than one 10th of the regular price) will lead to end of your friendship or any other relationship you had.

Image taken from https://www.tellwut.com/surveys/lifestyle/living/835-price-haggling-bargaining-do-you-negotiate-for-the-best-price-.html

This is not an exhaustive list - I guess I can come up with a ton of other things to say but right now I can think of only those.If you have any other things that drive you mad when you take the camera - share them in a comment below or write to me to add them to a follow-up post.

Meteora - where Man meets God

Meteora... Does the name ring a bell??? For most people it doesn't but this jewel of Greece has to get known to more people and in this travelogue I'm gonna tell you about it. 

It's Easter time so it's only natural that I will be talking about a Holy place - a few are as spectacular as Meteora! 

The story starts the previous day - as usual - when we arrived at Kalabaka...  
OK, you have no idea where that is...

Where is Meteora?

Meteora is situated in central Greece - in Thessaly, if that rings a bell. The nearest big town is Trikala and the nearest small town is Kalabaka (transliterated as KalaMbaka in Greek roadsigns but you read only the B sound because the orthographic combination of the MP letters is read as B in Greek). Anyway, Meteora is in the middle of the continental part of the country, near one of the highest mountain ranges - Pindus Mountains. 

Here is where Meteora is on the map.
Image taken from http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com/destinations_greece_meteora_kalambaka.htm

How to get there?

There are - as always - two ways. Both, however, involve having a car. There are great motorways up till Trikala and then there is a good first-class road that leads to Kalabaka. Meteora is roughly 350 km away. If you come from some other country - like Bulgaria - it is less (because it is closer to the border.) In any case, you'll need a car to go round the place. Once you get there, there are some hiking tours and loads of things to do but still - if you ask me - don't underestimate the car. 

The road to Kalabaka - notice the lights - they go on for kilometers

What is Meteora?

In Greek, Μετέωρα means "middle of the sky", "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above". The Greeks gave that name to the place because of its unique look. The name stands for a unique rock formation in the plain of Thessaly. The sandstone pillars, as they are called, show that at some point of its geological history, that part of Greece was below sea level. 

Some of the stone pillars

The same idea, "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above", goes for the complex of monasteries build on top of some of the pillars. They look like birds nests from below and really, you start wondering how did they make them in the first place. 



The answer is - with baskets and a lot of ropes. Everything that is up the stone pillars now was brought up in a basket - brick by brick, stone by stone. 

The ropes that lead up to Agios Nikolaos monastery - now used to hoard in supplies

The place looks surreal and no wonder that it was a favorite place of hermit monks as early as the 9th century AD. They lived in caves inside the pillars and the predecessors of the monasteries were built in the 12th century. The biggest monastery of the complex, The Great Meteoron, was founded in the 14th century. At that time, the Ottoman Turks invaded the area so the rock pillars proved to be the ideal hiding place for the hermit monks. They built more than 20 monasteries up the pillars but only 6 remain today. 

The monasteries

The six monasteries of Meteora are spectacular to see but you cannot visit them all in one day. The reason? They are not open all at once. Meteora has a website where you can check what's the current situation but here it is once more (if you are lazy enough not to click on the link above)
THIS IS THE SUMMER TIMETABLE (April 1st to October 31st) (there is a winter one as well, so check out the webiste)

St. Stephen's Nunnery

Visiting Hours: 9:00 to 13:30 and 15:30 to 17:30.
The monastery stays closed on Mondays.

Great Meteoron Monastery

Visiting Hours: 09:00 to 17:00.
The monastery stays closed on Tuesdays.

Roussanou Monastery

Visiting Hours: 09:00 to 17:45.
The monastery stays closed on Wednesdays.

Holy Trinity Monastery

Visiting Hours: 09:00 to 17:00.
The monastery stays closed on Thursdays.

Varlaam Monastery

Visiting Hours: 09:00 to 16:00.
The monastery stays closed on Fridays.

St. Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery

Visiting Hours: 09:00 to 15:30.
The monastery stays closed on Fridays.

From the list above - you have 2 monasteries closed on Friday and one each other day of the work week. If you go on Saturday and Sunday - you will see the monasteries open but you will not be the only visitor. Meteora is very popular in Greece (and virtually unknown outside it) so expect a lot of tourists. Moreover, Meteora is part of UNESCO World Heritage list so there are even more tourists.
Hint: they usually visit places at noon, so they are relatively easy to avoid.  

Agios Nikolaos church from the outside - while you are forbidden to take pictures inside the church, you can do so outside

What I highly recommend is getting a place to sleep in Kastraki (the nearest village to the monasteries) or Kalabaka (the bigger town) and then spend two days there and see all monasteries. Thus, if the weather is bad you have one more day to sort things out. 

All monasteries are currently in use so you are NOT entering a museum - keep in mind that photos INSIDE THE CHURCH are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN and you should be dressed properly - some info for the ladies - even if you wear jeans and not shorts, you'll be given a skirt - Greek Orthodox Church rule - if you are a female, you enter church in a skirt. No exceptions (only little girls are allowed to enter in jeans and the rest). 

For more information on how to behave in Orthodox churches and monasteries, see this post:

Rila Monastery - the biggest monastery on the Balkan peninsula part 1 Or - general rules for visiting Eastern Orthodox churches and monasteries

Now that you have been warned, you know what to expect inside. 

My visit to the monasteries

Map of the monasteries - we started from Agios Nikolaos - the closet to Kastraki
Image taken from http://pravoslavieto.com/poklonnichestvo/gr/meteora/index.htm

Meteora had been on the list for quite some time but, since it is relatively close to Bulgaria, I always left it for some later time. When I finally included it in the list, it was a tough call. Last item on the sightseeing list, and even that - we had to cross half of continental Greece (traveling from Delfi) and arrive in Kastraki in the evening. Then, the next morning up till noon was reserved for visiting some of the monasteries and then - off we go to Bulgaria. 

As you can see, visiting all the monasteries, even if we had actually come during the weekend, was out of the question. 

I had been to Meteora when I was 11 and then we visited St. Stephen's Nunnery, Great Meteoron Monastery, and one more which escapes my mind right now. Thus, I think that I can give you some additional info about each of the monasteries: 


St. Stephen's Nunnery

Biggest nunnery at Meteora - the other nunnery, Roussanouq is much smaller. The monastery is close to the Great Meteoron and it is easily accessible by car but when I was 11 they didn't let people go further than the yard. You can visit the church of course, but not much more. I don't remember it having any view - or if it had, we didn't see it. 

Great Meteoron Monastery

Agios Nikolaos, Varlaam and probably the Great Meteoron (it is somewhat behind Varlaam so I'm not sure which one is visible in the picture). All viewed from Rousssanou

The biggest monastery at Meteora and if you ask me, the one touched by commercial industry the most. It has  abig museum of Meteora and its surroundings and overall - since it is really big - you get the impression that you are really visiting a museum and not a real monastery. On the other hand, if it is open for visitors, you should definitely see it since it's the only place where you can see a monastery from the inside - some of the living quarters of the monks and common halls included. Besides, in the museum you'll find out more about the history of the place - which I am too lazy to write in here are well.  All other monasteries in the complex are much smaller and the living quarters are closed to visitors. The view is great - even from the parking lots. Oh, I forgot to mention - all monasteries have parkings around them - not big but enough - the road that goes around the monasteries is neither narrow nor wide so keep traffic in mind when you park (and keep tourist buses in mind!!!) 

Roussanou Monastery

Small nunnery with amazing view to Great Meteoron, St.Stephen's nunnery and Varlaaam. You get up there by stairs (not too many don't worry) and the monastery itself is a small and cozy one. In all monasteries you can buy some souvenirs (usually handmade and sold by the monks and nuns - the older don't speak much English but they will sort you out) but the biggest variety is, as usual, in the Great Meteoron. Roussanou is deffinitely worth the visit and if you visit some of the three above (Great Meteoron, St.Stephen's nunnery and Varlaaam) try to capture Rousssanou from there - it is a spectacular view - a small monastery at the summit of a stone pillar. 

The garden at Roussanou - the monastery can be shot from Varlaam or the Great Meteoron - it is impossible to take a pictutre of it from the road because it's not visible

Varlaam Monastery

Varlaaam as seen from Roussanou

It's in the middle of the rock formations so from it you have view to all other monasteries. It is relatively big and quite visited by tourists - mainly because of the amazing view. Definitely a must-see if it is open! Even if it is not - stop at the parking and take a picture of it - you won't regret it. 

Varlaaam from the road - couldn't stop there so I had to shoot while the car was moving

St. Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery

Agios Nikolaos from the road - and if you take a closer look - through the car window

The smallest of all monasteries. If you ask me, this one is the most authentic one. By far, it is on the lowest stone pillar and the view towards Kalabaka and Kastraki is great. Agios Nikolaos is the closest to Kastraki. It has a small parking and usually big tourist groups bypass it. It is really small (I mean REALLY) and you can get up there by climbing quite a lot of stairs but the climb is worth it. Agios Nikolaos is the only monastery where you can still see the old basket-and-rope structures that were used to build Meteora and to bring up supplies. 

Well, it's a bit modernized, bu still. You can get the overall impression, especially if you imagine that happening with one of the higher pillars. 

Holy Trinity Monastery

Haven't been there yet, can't tell much about it.  I think it is a nunnery but I'm not sure...

No matter which monastery you visit, take a time and buy a candle - thus you respect the place and use the time to say a prayer or two - no need to be a devout Christian to do so - just wish for good health and happiness, that's enough. 

Advice - choose a place with a view - Meteora is amazing at sunset and at night! Kalabaka or better still - Kastraki, are the wisest choices, if you ask me.

After saying all that, here is a bit of advice:

Clothing

• In that part of Greece, it is generally hot in the summer. That goes only for the day, at night it can be rather chilly so - bring a jacket (you'll thank me later). Meteora is quite rainy and misty in spring and autumn so keep that in mind. Jeans and a T-shirt would do. Remember what I said here about how to dress in Orthodox churches and monasteries. I know I'm getting kind of boring with that but if you visit such a place, you should show some respect. 

Some of the stairs towards Agios Nikolaos

• Bring comfortable shoes (I mean really COMFORTABLE) - sneakers would do.

• It is quite windy up on the pillars so if you bring a hat - hold on to it.

Camera gear, settings and other tips

There is no way of going to Meteora and returning without nice pictures. The place is just so amazing that you will capture at least a few things that are stunning. Here are a few things to keep in mind. 

View from Agios Nikolaos - used the wide angle lens for that

Gear to take

There would be climbing so don't take all your lenses with you. 
You'll need:

• a wide angle (10-18mm or less)
• a general non-telephoto (17/18-55mm will do, if you have something better - bring it on)
• a tripod!!! (priceless for shooting sunset and night pics)

Meteora at night - exposure -  around 5 minutes. That's why you need a tripod! 

• something to clean up your gear - you have no idea how messy it gets when wind starts blowing
• a lot of memory cards - especially if you shoot in RAW format
• remote trigger - for the night and sunset shots (if you have a compact camera, you'll only need a portable tripod and will have to use the )
• anything else would help but it is not mandatory

Camera settings

To get amazing pictures you'll need a closed big f/ number (around and above f/8 - I recommend f/16)

Keep shutter speed at at least 1/200 sec. - that way camera shake will not be a problem.

Keep an eye on the light and avoid shooting when the sun shines in your lens - unless you have a DSLR and shoot in RAW format you won't be able to see much in them.
Keep ISO as low as possible (you'll thank me later about that). 

Light

Meteora is amazing to shoot at the Golden Hour ( around 10 am and around 4 or 5 pm in summer). Morning is good but only for some locations, same goes for evening.  Keep in mind that there will be areas that are bright in the sunlight and others that will be in the shadow - that goes especially for the summits of the stone pillars. The only way to get them well-lit is to visit Meteora when it rains or it is about to rain. 

Meteora in the mprning as seen from Kastraki - as you can see - the light comes from behind the pillars

Traveling info

Meteora is in Central Greece so people there are different from what you will encounter in Peloponnese or Crete. The traditional hospitality is still there but people tend to be less 'open' and more like the people in Bulgaria (which means - frowning and not exactly hospitable). This is a personal opinion - which may be due to the fact that I visited the place in a cold and rainy evening in September. Still, the food is great (as anywhere in Greece) - try the local wine and the meat - you'll see few types of fish here but the rest is delicious. 

Bring in a torch - streets of Kastraki do have some lamps but they are not enough - it all depends on where you'e staying. Bring in an umbrella as well - you never know when it's going to rain there. 

Having said all that, I wish you a wonderful Easter and can't wait so see your pictures from Meteora!