tamsing

The frescoes of Mount Athos

These fascinating photographs were shared with me by Nikos Savvidis, who is restoring the frescoes in the monasteries of Mount Athos, Greece.

Byzantine fresco (Christian Greek), Mount Athos, Greece.

Mount Athos is a mountain (6670 feet / 2033m) and peninsula just north of Thessaloniki in Greece. It is the eastern most of the three Chalcidice fingers pointing towards Turkey across the Aegean Sea.

Death conquers. Byzantine fresco (Christian Greek), Mount Athos, Greece.

Mount Athos or Agion Oros, as it is locally known, is the oldest surviving monastic community in the world. It dates back more than a thousand years, to Byzantine times. It is a unique monastic republic, which, although part of Greece, is governed by its own local administration. Quote from ouranoupoli.com.

Chilandari Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece.

The monks spend most of their time in silent prayer, especially between 2 – 6am when all is quiet. Otherwise they are busy maintaining the building, (link to Guardian photo essay), fishing, caring for livestock, growing and making wine, and preparing food. You can order some of their produce online.

In this UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are 2000 monks living in 20 monasteries, 13 skytes, and 700 individual cells, hermitage and other buildings.

Skite or skyte is the state of being concealed. These are therefore private places of contemplation.

Philotheou Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece.

The peninsula is 50km wide and 10km long. (Greek Tourist Board). Some of the monasteries belong to distinct national churches’ including those of Georgia, Bulgaria and Serbia. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/holy-mount-athos

Nikos makes his colours using the original method, from the earth.

Natural pigments in an old toolbits box.

Robert Byron (author of The Station: Athos – Treasures and Men (Traveller’s)) called these frescoes the finest in the world.

Simona Petras Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece.

Despite being known as ‘the garden of the mother of God’, no women are allowed in there – the Virgin Mary is the sole female representative.

Angels in attendance. Byzantine fresco (Christian Greek), Mount Athos, Greece.

Fascinating fact: Edward Lear was one of the many famous (male, of course) visitors to Mount Athos where he painted the Stavronikita Monastery according to Nicholas Shakespeare (link below). To cement the Russian connection (many of the rennovations are funded by them), Vladimir Putin visited in 2006 and 2016.

Simonos Petras monastery perched on the cliff edge, Mount Athos, Greece.

‘Aside from the limited supervision of the civil governor and police force provided by the Greek government, Athos functions autonomously and symbolizes a transnational faith community. ‘ Taken from https://sacredland.org/mount-athos-greece/

The Macedonian School had its centre in Thessaloniki and flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. Its hallmarks are realism in the depiction of the figures, not only in their external features but also in the rendering of their inner world, particularly their pathos. Macedonian heritage

Wonderful monsters. Byzantine fresco (Christian Greek), Mount Athos, Greece.

There are several versions of the formation of the Mount doing the rounds of the internet. They usually concern Athos (one of the Gigantes according to Wikipedia) and a rock dropped on or thrown by Poseidon (the Greek god of the sea) .

You can read stories about the monks here.

Pantokrator Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece.

Why are women banned from Mount Athos? BBC link

The English in this blog from the Halkidiki Tourist Office is not good but there is a lot of very useful information including how to visit.

Pilgrim information

Byzantine art blog

The great Australian travel writer, Bruce Chatwin went to Mount Athos. Nicholas Shakespeare’s article is here.

You can read more about Greece here.

Walking without a dog - travels in Scotland

Tweedbank Station to Melrose, walking the Scottish Borders

December 2018 – a rail journey from Edinburgh to Tweedbank and a short but stunning river pilgrimage walk to Melrose in Roxburghshire, where you will find the ruins of a magnificent Medieval Abbey.

I took the train to Tweedbank in the Borders – it’s the end of the line. It takes 1 hr and the service runs every half hour. It costs £9.30 with an Over 50s Railcard ( I booked the ticket and renewed the rail card last night online through Scotrail for £15 for the year and it took about 5 minutes). Then it’s a 40 minutes walk each way into the town of Melrose, although that doesn’t allow for what I call ‘astonishment time’ ie time for stopping at intervals because, Oh my, look at that, oh I must take a photo, I just can’t believe it, it’s so gorgeous!

The Tweed River between Tweedbank and Melrose, Scottish Borders.

If you like you can stop reading this now and open YouTube or Spotify and find Fording the Tweed By Savourna Stevenson, so that you have something magical to listen to as you continue reading and imagining you are taking this journey with me.

Choose a day where it won’t go above 2 degrees celsius so that it stays white and hard underfoot. Wear thermals under your normal clothes, plus a coat, woolly hat and cosy gloves.

You know what they say, it’s not the weather that’s the problem in Scotland it’s having the right clothes! Not being able to bend your elbows because you have a thick jumper on under your not-quite-big-enough jacket is a small price to pay for all this beauty.

You can see Arthur’s Seat and the Pentland hills from the train.

You will travel on the Waverley Route, so called as it refers to Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley Novels. Start by facing in the direction you are coming from and sitting on the left. This way you will have wonderful views of Edinburgh – Arthur’s Seat. Ignore the rest unless you enjoy the industrial outskirts of cities.

When you hear the nice lady announce Gorebridge, change seats so that you are looking the way you are going and you can either plump for right or left (the views are equally attractive) or, like me you can leap from side to side because, well because the views are both enticing.

Expanses of farm land in the sun, Lothian Region, Scotland.

People seem to have it in for Galashiels, so I will blog separately about that. Suffice to say that it is impossible for a whole town to be boring and I know some lovely people who live there and they like it a lot. It has an excellent brass band for a start.

Leaving Galashiels. Straight out of the 19th century! Scotland.

You will not need a map nor must you look up the way in advance or use your phone. Believe me, if it’s possible to get lost I would have and it’s not. I promise. Sit back and relax. Feast your eyes on the hills, rivers, pretty houses, and majestic trees. Over on one side you will spy the traffic – be pleased that you are not driving, have a nice cup of tea and a comfy seat – you can just gawp.

From the train window between Edinburgh and Tweedback on a chilly morning, Scotland.

Tweedbank station is new and modern with a massive car park. There is one line, two platforms and everything is properly signposted. There is a bus if you prefer.

The end of the line, Waverley Route, Tweedbank Station. Waiting areas and ticket machines in the middle.

Connecting buses, Tweedbank Station, Borders.

Otherwise, walk along the only way you can and straight ahead you will see the cycle path.

Cycle path from Tweedback Station towards Melrose, Scottish Borders.

Today I was enchanted by the way the hoar highlighted the seed heads, fence posts, and each individual blade of grass.

The stalks were as tall as me, upstanding!

You won’t get lost – there are multiple signs: Melrose Link on the left; National Cycle Network on the right.

There will be aluminium buildings to your left. When the SPPA (Scottish Public Pensions Agency) is ahead, admire their gardens and peer at the poor folk inside working on such a wonderful day. Smile. Then walk to the right of them, following those signs.

You will see that you are joining the Southern Upland Way.

This little walk forms part of the Southern Upland Way.

Very soon there is a road to cross and opposite, through a little wooden gate at waist height, is a path with steps going down and there is the Tweed River, burbling on your left.

Lowood Bridge over the River Tweed, Scottish Borders.

On the right you may be lucky enough to see two Highland cattle, and if it is cold enough it will look as if they are vaping with condensed air coming sideways simultaneously from both nostrils in opposite directions.

I scraped the ice from the tourist board telling about the fantastically named Skirmish Hill where King James V’s men fought those of the Duke of Buccleuch and won. The 14 year old monarch is said to have watched from a safe place.

Skirmish Hill hidden behind the tree, Scottish Borders.

At the kissing gate, go to the left of the houses and you will see signs. Almost immediately continue through the woods to the left. The way goes uphill with a wooden handrail, green with lichen.

Holy Trinity Church, Melrose, Scotland with the Eildon Hills behind.

The ferns were all flattened by frost as I came into a clearing, going gently downhill. Here I spied more information, this time about fishing: grayling and salmon who make the courageous journey from sea upstream to fresh waters to spawn, often against all odds.

Honestly, the water did really look like this: shiny and luminous. Rver Tweed, Scotland.

There is a choice coming up:
You can either go past the hedge which is too high to see over (I stood on one of the handy benches to get a shot), ignore the sign and keep on going for a while to see the Chain Bridge, but then turn back and take the Town Centre sign. This will take you between the rugby club (left) and the green park (right)

Taken on the way back when the sun was lowering, here is the bench mentioned above.

Or, keep walking past the church to the Chain Bridge and around behind the town centre coming in by the road directly to the Abbey.

The impressive Chain Bridge, near Melrose, Scotland. Ice still on the ground at 11am.

I took the second option because it was signed Abbey Walk.

Everyone is very friendly as are their dogs. A collie politely laid her pink ball at my toes, her nose flat along the ground, eyes expectant. The second time she came back she showed me the tricks she could do with it, presumably as encouragement and to distract from my muddy fingers. The third time, the gap between me and her owner having widened considerably, I informed her this would be the last, before hurling it behind me.

You can halt to admire the horses on the left, or perhaps the motorbikes on the right. (You can pick up a copy of their free magazine too.)

You will continue onto a small road. Turn left if you wish to visit Newstead.

Hang a right at the main road where the signs mysteriously disappear (sorry, I guess what I wrote above was wrong at this juncture).

Walk past the Abbey Woollen Mill shop, or visit if you like. Carry on by the houses and careful because it’s a busy road, but not for long.

Don’t take the next right (St Marys Road) unless visiting the Harmony Garden. The nearby Georgian Manor House is available for holiday lets.

Instead go straight on see to see Melrose Abbey on the left, behind the wall. David I founded the first Cistercian Abbey in 1136. The heart of Robert the Bruce is believed to be buried in the chapter house there. The opening hours and link to the Historic Scotland page are at the end of this blog. The bus stop is to the right of the monument.

The magnificent medieval Melrose Abbey ruins.

The town centre is in the middle of a triangle with a unicorn on an extremely high pillar in its middle. Originally this would have been the Mercat Cross where all types of goods would have been for sale, proclamations were made, and criminals punished. The heraldic unicorn is the supporter for the Royal Arms. Here you will find a pharmacy, and library plus The Roman Centre. There are lots of hotels, cafés and nice independent shops, particularly bookshops, partly because the people who live there like to read, and there is also a Book Festival. Explore!

The Bookroom at the bottom of Dingleton Road, Melrose, Scotland.

One of the inscriptions on this window is ‘Outside a dog, a book is a man’s best friend – inside a dog, it’s too dark to read!’ This is the local library, right in the centre of the town where it should be, Melrose, Scotland.

After your browsing and sightseeing, you can return the other way if you did what I did: to get back to the station, walk out of town along the A6091 road with the Co-operative store (food) on your right, and head towards the Melrose Rugby Club. Anyone will be able to point you in that direction as rugby is THE sport in the Borders.

If it’s still light, enjoy the grand trees, admire the mole hills, and tune into the water as you wander.

A gentleman and I passed the time of day as we recognised each other from the morning when we were then also going in the opposite direction.

Remember that things look different when retracing one’s steps! You must cross two roads and keep both the SPPA and the aluminium buildings on on your right. Keep following the white Scottish thistles and yellow arrow. The final cycle path part is fully lit when it’s darkling (3.30pm at this time of year).

Birds twitched: robin, chaffinch, blackbird, pigeon, crow, mallard and a heron unusually crouched by the riverbank. Luckily there were still plenty of berries available for them to feast on.

Station facilities:
There is a little shop at the station selling hot drinks, snacks and g’n’t. I was reliably informed that passengers usually buy it on the way up in the morning!

Don’t believe all the moaning complaints you might find on the internet. The trains are great. Well, we were only delayed 10 minutes homeward bound. I know I am not a commuter but.. take a leaf out of my schoolgirl days (I took a daily return to school for 7 years) and if the train is cancelled don’t go to work, go for a walk instead – look around you and inhale deeply.

Silhouette of a beech tree in its winter glory.

Tweed walking: Peebles, Coldstream etc.

I went there to see friends and give Shiatsu. I will go back, so if you live there and would like a session let me know. Many thanks to the Chris (designer of my lovely website) and Penny for lunch and chat.

Melrose Abbey is open all year round. April to September 9.30 – 17.30; October to March 10 – 16.00.

The McInroy and Wood Lecture featured Robert Peston in 2018.

Greece

Maronia coastline

This is the coast of Greece found between the cities of Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis, in the East Macedonia and Thrace region.

East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

In late November it is stark and beautiful. The geology is second to none and it boasts secluded beaches and miles of land for walking.

The sun lights up the horizon. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

I was driven there by my wonderful host, a fount of local and fascinating information, Anastasia. She knows the location well and I was lucky to be taken to the best places. Monumental cliffs. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.
The island of Samothraki is visible along the length of this coastline. A 2.5 hour ferry trip away from Alexandrouplis, there are men-only monasteries and a fantastic walking route. Further down the coast towards Thessaloniki is the island of Thassos which is made of white marble, the same that was used to build the White House in Washington DC. Samosthraki almost lost in the mists, with fishing boats. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

Beautiful cliffs with the waves lapping. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

All along this stretch glorious colours can be found: pink, blue, white, bronze, yellow, cream and golden. They simply gleam when the waves wash over or the rain drenches them.

There is a tricky climb down to this hidden beach. Rosie the dog couldn’t make it. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

There are rock stacks with grassy tufts growing out of them and, where they are surrounded by sea there are birds perched.

Unfortunately there was a recent tragic tale of an English woman, apparently familiar with the area, who was walking alone and got attacked by wild animals. This has made me wary of solo walking the Via Egnatia which passes this way. (The hiking trail begins in Dures, Albania (Dyrrachium in Roman times) and ends in Istanbul (Constantinople) Turkey – a full 1000 kms, 695 miles).

In twos or groups, the trails would be well worth following. You are advised never to run from such a creature, but to stoop to pick up a stone as if to throw because they understand this gesture and will usually leave.

Marmaritsa (little marble) beach, East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

According to the locals, this is the land of the Cyclops from Homer’s tales of Odysseus. There are two caves nearby purporting to be the place where he was captured by the single eyed giant Polyphemus. There is also a River Ulysses (Odysseus’ Roman name).

Roman amphitheatre, East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

There is a newly excavated Roman amphitheatre with white columns which are the same as those on the beach nearby.

A Roman column just poking out onto the beach. Such a wealth of history. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

A medieval wall. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

I spotted several sorts of succulents. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

Olives – November is picking time. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

Each farmer has his own trees marked with name. Once they are producing enough they can sell them to the oil producers.

wp-1543155719320..jpg — The twisted olive trunk – it must be ages old, East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

wp-1543155841495..jpg — Prickly oak and wild olive grow side by side, crouching low to the ground. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

Juniper. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

Much of the higher land consists of slabs of rock rich in oxydated iron and there are quartz crystals under ledges.

With seams of white reaching into the distance. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

And wind blown trees atop crevices of grey and bronze stripes. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

There is a wealth of local flora, even at this time of year – wild thyme and lavender, rosemary with purple flowers.

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And beachcombing is always a delight.

wp-1543155841515..jpg — A popular place for jumping in from a high place. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

The hounds loved it! East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

wp-1543155719335..jpg — On the way home we saw this little chapel – popular for weddings I was told. East Macedonia and Thrace, Northern Greece.

Walking information:
Via Egnatia, the Roman Road
Lonely Planet
Wikilocs
Wanderlust

Greece

Proskynites

November 2018

It is all about the animals here in Proskynites, a small village located in northern Greece, in the Thrace region.

When I arrived the tabby was at home and the mother and all her kittens were at the field

A few days later the same mother, a tabby/white mix with a wonky eye, joined us at the house having made the journey herself (it took me 25 minutes to walk but maybe she knew a short cut!)

The queen, looking as if butter wouldn’t melt, but actually establishing her superiority over the resident female within a very short time

Leaving the rest behind to fight amongst themselves

And always waiting to be fed and given affection

Somehow not as attractive as these turkeys who live by the petrol station

The land of Thrace also lies in Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the east. The goddess of the same name was daughter of Oceanus and Parthenope, and sister of Europa. There is always a story.

Proskynites boasts 2 cafés where you can sit all day drinking tsipouro (a sort of grapa distinct from ouzo by omission of star anise) if you fancy; an equal number of churches; an extremely well kitted out supermarket selling almost everything and with a spotless meat area out back; a community centre; and a bus stop where you can get a lift to Komotini which is the nearest big town (about half an hours ride at 2.30 euros).

Several times a week a gentleman hollers out over the village for 2 and a half hours. It is a Greek orthodox Church

Everywhere I spy saints – icons sitting with their back to the till in the supermarket or stuck up above the steering wheel of the bus.

On 2 floors, the house has a courtyard with a roof for training the vies over providing shade in the summer when temperatures reach the mid 30s

From the top of the steps I can see over the rooftops

Here was some afternoon sunshine during my first 2 days and look!

Swarms of Autumn swallows swooping in front of me and once or twice settling on the wires in their hundreds

Our days are mapped out with twice regular visits to the field ( 10 minutes away by jeep) to feed, water and look after the horses, one of whom has a sneezy cough.

Giselle resplendent in her coat and Juli

Anyone who loves horses enough to do this is bound for heaven in my opinion, particularly with winds wailing from the Russian plains, temperatures of 4 degrees or torrential rain, the rest of us mere mortals would stay at home.

The dogs taunt the horses something dreadful, causing them to gallop around and kick up their hind legs

Not much further on is an abandoned village. The authorities offered them compensation in the form of land if they would vacate because it was too expensive to run electricity there. So the tale is told.

It is cotton country and at this time of year there are cotton wool balls in the hedgerows, beside the road, in transporter trucks and vestiges still in the fields.

The tracks all look the same unless you learn to identify the different hills surrounding them.

They looked dramatic as the light waned at 5pm

A flock of goats with herder and dogs cause Lea and Rosie great excitement

They took absolutely no notice of me and only came back when they were effectively seen off.

This part of Greece is so close to the border that you can almost see across to Turkey, a non-EU country.

The rain causes the clay to coagulate around our boots

Causing it to fly off in chunky lumps when we once more gain the road.

Wild cucumbers – poisonous although made into a tincture and used sparingly the drops are good for sinusitis

Wrapped in foil and baked in the oven on top of the wood burner, they were delicious for breakfast.

Several spectacular sunsets before the rain came and then the full moon

Cycle route through the area

https://www.mapmyride.com/gr/komotini-east-macedonia-and-thrace/proskinites-route-139669967

Walking without a donkey - travels in Croatia

Zagreb – getting to the airport

At the stop on Avenija Dubrovnik (some 5 minutes from the apartment) which Google maps recommended, there was a list of buses but it didn’t include an airport one or the numbers mentioned, so I took someone’s advice instead. I took the #6 tram.

Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning

More than an hour later, the airport bus did indeed stop right where Google maps said it would, so I am writing this blog to help others to avoid the same waste of time and energy.

You can pick up the airport bus from a number of different places but notably from the Autobusni kolodov (Zagreb bus station). Allow time to find the bay as it is not amongst the other bus stops.

This is the airport bus terminal, tucked behind all the other bays – no signs pointing in this direction, no officials to ask where it is – but it is the part of Zagreb bus station where you get the airport bus.