Gallimaufry#100

 Day 3—Truffle hunting in Kalambaka

Meet Benfra, our truffle dog, with her trainer. Benfra is the name of an Italian company renowned for its excavators. What a perfect name for a truffle hunter!

THE FUN BEGINS 

Venturing into the oak forest

Benfra in action

Good job, Benfra!

Benfra looking for her reward in her trainer's pocket

We were told that Benfra doesn't receive a treat unless she genuinely uncovers a truffle—she occasionally deceives her trainer by digging a hole without actually finding a truffle and then insists on her reward!

Following the hunt, we were taken to the "kitchen," which turned out to be outdoors.

Fruits of Benfra's labour

Alexandra preparing a pasta meal with wild mushrooms and the truffles gathered during the hunt.

An Instagram moment for Son#2

A super delicious picnic of truffle pasta and mushroom candy dessert in the woods

Can you spot the stray that joined us?

Next, we were shuttled off by coach to the Natural History Museum of Meteora and Mushroom Museum.

Lunch before our 5-hour road trip back to Athens.

Souvlaki

Soutzoukakia

A video by the Meteora Museum to share

      

                           

Gallimaufry#99

 DAY 2 — Meteora

My photos do no justice to the jaw-dropping beauty of Meteora. I simply couldn't capture the full grandeur of the  monasteries that perched atop the towering rock formations. It's a sight that must be experienced firsthand to truly appreciate its breathtaking beauty.

Here's an image I snagged from the internet that perfectly captures the sense of wonder I experienced.

Watch this drone video by Youtuber Main Stream Travel, and you will know what I mean.

                           

Out of the six active monasteries that are open to the public, we only visited the Holy Monastery of Varlaam and the Agios Stefanos Monastery.

Climbing the 195 steps leading to the entrance of Varlaam

Almost there...

The Holy Monastery of Varlaam

Elaborate frescos adorn the ceilings and walls of the monasteries, depicting scenes from Greek Orthodox scripture.

The frescoes date back to the Byzantine era, with some of them originating from the 14th century.

This basket-and-pulley system was one of the methods used to transport people, goods, and food supplies between the monasteries and the ground below. The system was powered manually by the monks and workers who lived in the monasteries. Today, of course, there are steps, so they are easier to access.

Going down ...

These colossal rock formations are composed of a unique combination of sandstone and conglomerate rock.

An amazing shot by our tour leader

Meteora in Greek means "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens". It is said that when there is mist, the floating pinnacles of Meteora resemble the “Hallelujah Mountains” of Pandora in the film Avatar.

Thank God, the Monastery of Agios Stefanos was easy to access. We simply crossed a small bridge to reach the entrance. I couldn't possibly climb any more stairs!

This monastery, originally housed monks. It was converted to a nunnery in the 20th century. Today, there are about 28 nuns and an abbess living here.

Shrine in the courtyard of the Monastery of Agios Stefanos

Views of the rocks in Kalambaka, the foot of Meteora

We had lunch in a taverna in Kalambaka against the majestic backdrop of the towering rock pillars.

Gemista

Lamb Kleftiko

One for the album 📸

Gallimaufry#98

 DAY 1 - ATHENS

We took a red-eye flight, departed Kuala Lumpur at 2:40 AM, and arrived in Athens in the evening after a twelve-plus-hour flight with a layover of 5 hours in Dubai.

Day 1 began and ended with dinner at Oroscopo Restaurant.

Walking towards the restaurant.

Ancient Greek barley bread and village bread (Horiatiko psomi) with two types of tzaziki dips

Horiatiki

Moussaka

Dessert

Our tour manager surprised us with a cake for both my son and a member of our group who happened to share the same birthday. What a wonderful gesture!

After enjoying a delightful dinner, we checked into our hotel for a much-needed shut-eye.

Greece is 5 hours behind Malaysia. 💤

Night view of the Acropolis from the roof top of our hotel

Καληνυχτα !

I'm back!

Hi, my dearest bloggy pallies! I'm alive and kicking and have just been back from a glorious vacation. Sorry for the silence and absence in the blogosphere. I was totally off-grid, and today is my first day back online.

I miss you all and can't wait to hear what you guys have been up to. As much as I'd love to dive right back into my blogging routine, I need a bit of time to settle down. I am excited to share more about my adventures with you.

Thank you so much for your kind words and concern regarding my absence from the blogosphere. Your friendship means the world to me. 🧡🧡🧡

Until then .....

Can you guess from the photo which country I was in?