Sea Planes and Plane Crashes in Maine

This is what you will see in Greenville Maine on the weekend after Labor Day.  Most Generally.


Nice, huh?  Well, this year it was a little different.  I went up there to see all the planes flying, and unfortunately, we were struck with a storm the likes of a hurricane.  I'm sure that they were able to hold some of the activities on Sunday, but I had to get home and go back to work.  Bummer.

Now, do not let my one somewhat depressing experience diminish what I am about to write about.  The town is Greenville, Maine.  It's not on the coast.  This place is off of I-95 about 50 miles toward the west part of the state and it's north in the woods.  It's on the way to Canada to the west.  It sits on Route 15, which is one of only two paved roads in the area.  It's remote.  It's one of my favorite places in the world.  So one little festival won't ruin this place for me.  




This is Moosehead Lake.  This is the way life should be, just like Maine's slogan.  The lake is nearly 40 miles long and the width varies due to it's sprawling bays and coves.

And this is Mooshead Lake.  This is how it looks from the air.  One of the most fun things to do in Greenville is to fly.  That's why they have the Sea Plane Fly In every September.  They've been doing it for 39 years, and people bring their sea planes from all over to compete in contests and show off their planes.  On a regular day, there are pilots around that will be happy to take you up to see the world from a different view.  It's the best way to see the north woods, since a lot of places aren't exactly accessible by car.

This is the Katahdin.  This boat has been around since the early 1900's.  It comes from the time of timber barons, when the wealthy used to vacation in the area and spend the entire summer at resort hotels.  There were several of these behemoth vessels to guide the logs across the 40 miles of lake for the timber companies.  The rest of the boats actually burned.  I know, they were on the lake.  The Katahdin is the only surviving boat and is now a wonderful way to enjoy an afternoon and see the lake.

This is the dock area of the Black Frog.  These guys do it all.  They have docks to tie up to, they have rooms to rent out, and they have great food.  The waitresses are friendly, and the humor of the place will keep you coming back.

My other favorite place is Auntie M's.  This is where you have breakfast if you're smart.  They have things that I've never seen on a breakfast menu before, and they also have fun and great service.  If you want to know some of the history of the area, and don't want to visit one of the three museums in town, this is where you go.  They'll tell you all about the historic photos on the walls.  This is also where the current timber corporations truckers get their bag lunches on their way to work.

But, the food and the festivals, the boats and the planes are not the only reasons to go to Greenville.  

That's right, he's my signature photo and he comes from Moosehead Lake.  The locals will tell you that there are more moose than people in the area.  If you want to rustic up your house with some moose stuff, there are several stores in town that would love to help, from the Indian Store to Moosehead Traders.  The best part about shopping in Greenville?  There are no Walmarts.  There is no McDonalds--the one they had went under and is now a wilderness guide service.  Everything in this town from the stores to the restaurants is home grown.  There are no chains.  It's refreshing.

There are several wilderness guide services in town as well.  They'll take you fishing for landlocked salmon.  They'll take you white water rafting on the Penobscot River.  They'll take you canoeing and kayaking all over the place.  They'll take you looking for moose. They'll take you backpacking, camping, hiking on the Appalachian Trail.  Oh yeah, it runs right through the area.

Beautiful, huh?  But, if you don't want to walk, take an ATV.  This is a huge sport in the area, and you can rent and ride or take a guided tour.  It's one of the things that Greenville does better than most, and everyone should give it a whirl.  If you feel like coming up in the winter for a thrill, this is also a huge snow machining area.  The same companies that do the ATV's will be happy to help you with snow machines in the winter.

Now, there's more to Greenville than just the outdoors.  This is quintessential small town.  They sell the work of local artists, they have pancake breakfasts at the local Masons Lodge, they have town banquets for special occasions, they make broasted chicken and banana bread french toast.  They have car races on the icy lake in the winter, they get their supplies at the local trading post,  and they will make you feel welcome everywhere you go.  There are many residents of Greenville that weren't born there.  They moved there because they loved it.  They come from all over, and they will tell you that it's a great place to live.

Now, if you're brave enough to come up in January, you will be able to take part in something that doesn't happen anywhere else in the world.  Back in the 1960's an unusual event happened that changed Greenville forever.  A B-52 Bomber Airplane crashed up on Elephant Mountain, just outside of town.  It was winter, and the townspeople had to make a path to get to the airplane to search for survivors.  they found two, which was pretty good, all things considered.  After this crash, the Strategic Air Command came and salvaged everything that they deemed necessary from the plane, and they left the rest up there.  Every January, the town has a memorial ride up to the the crash site.  I know it sounds weird, but it's a truly unusual adventure.  Now, if you're like me, I don't want to go to Maine in the winter.  So, the rest of the year, you can drive up to the site and see the wreckage.

You leave town on Lily Bay Road, it's the other paved road.  Just outside of town you'll find Prong Pond Road.  This is a dirt road, and you'll see this sign.  Follow the signs for a while.  It's a drive, for sure.

Eventually, you'll come to this.  There you enter the trail into the woods, where you will find this.

This.


And even this.

It's a memorial, and it's one of the strangest tourist attractions I've ever seen.  It's also worth all the trouble to find it and get there.

The beauty of this place amazes me, from the bogs where people go to see moose,

 to Mount Kineo Island where the locals go to play golf and build amazing homes,

to a downtown that screams small town America.  There is no place like Greenville.  It will puzzle you with it's random port-a-johns, and it's stop signs that are made to keep you in a field somewhere, but it will make you want to learn it's secrets.  It will make you want to drop everything and move there.  It's the friendliest and strangest place on Earth, and you'll never want to leave.

So, pick up a phone or get on the web and make a reservation at one of the many lodges, camps, or motels in the area.  Don't worry about big impersonal hotels either.  They're all small, where the people who run the place will remember you, and will help you have the best vacation ever.


http://www.seaplanefly-in.org/
http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/09/press-release-oldest-fly-in-breakfast.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfYtkNLGjec
http://www.kineoview.com/
http://www.blairhill.com/
http://mooseheadhills.com/
http://www.moosemountaininn.com/
http://wilsonsonmooseheadlake.com/
http://www.greenvilleme.com/default.aspx
http://www.mooseheadlake.org/
http://www.mainevacations.net/greenville.htm
http://moosehead.net/history/B-52.html
http://www3.gendisasters.com/maine/11043/greenville-me-usaf-b-52-bomber-crashes-on-elephant-mountain
http://www.mooseheadmotorsports.com/
http://www.maineoutfitter.com/rentals/maine-atv-rentals-tours.html
http://www.visitmaine.net/atv_maine.htm
http://www.moosehead.net/fishing/index.html
http://maineoutdoors.com/fishing/moosehead.html
http://www.maineguideflyshop.com/moosehead.html
http://www.katahdincruises.com/DatesRates.php

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g40658-d1461770-r131171289-Auntie_M_s-Greenville_Maine.html

http://www.theblackfrog.com/
http://www.indianhill.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
https://www.facebook.com/MooseheadMemories/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4tQpLC5xg5VuQEL6zVr3Lw

Enjoy!



 

 








 

Star Wars Fans the World Over, Come to Tunisia

So, have you ever been to Tunisia?  If so, I bet it didn't look quite like this.




 



  It may have looked more like this.  But, like I always say, get away from the tourism.  Get out of Tunis and go to Tatooine.  This is where Luke Skywalker was from in Star Wars.  The picture above is of the set of his old home in Star Wars IV, A New Beginning.
And that's not all.  Luke Skywalker's homestead has been lovingly restored and turned into a hotel, called the Hotel Sidi Driss.  It's not the five star accommodations that you'd think would be linked to one of Hollywood's most iconic movie series.  It's the real thing.  It's the kind of accommodations that were used by the Berbers centuries ago during wartimes.  These rooms are caves.

This is some authenticity that you won't find anywhere else.  There are many well preserved sites that were used in Star Wars in Matmata, the town that hosted the movie moguls in the seventies and again for Episode One.

This is the igloo that represents the outside of Luke's home.  It's only recently been refurbished for tourists to check out.

This is Chott El-Gharsa where Qui-Gonn and Daurth Maul first battled on Tatooine.  
 
And this is Anakin's slave house set at Mos Espa which was also where the pod racing arena was located.
The area of Matmata is overrun with Star Wars sets.  It has everything that a true fan is looking for.  There are small restaurants, a hotel, and great memorabilia from the movies.  You never know what you're going to run across though.  Ewan McGregor once stopped by while filming Long Way Down with his best friend and hero of mine, Charley Boorman.  Strangely enough, he claimed that no one recognized him.  I thought it was kind of funny that Obi Wan Kenobi stopped by and no one noticed.
So, in a beautiful country that is most well known for having it's government overthrown last year, there is something truly unusual to see.
Tunisia is a country full of Egyptian and Roman ruins.  It snaps back and forth between modern and ancient.  It's a deeply religious Muslim country that currently is somewhat in flux.  It has Mediterranean seaside resorts and bustling cities.  But one thing that you can do in Tunisia that you can't do anywhere else is go to Luke Skywalker's house and sleep in a cave.  If you really love Star Wars, you can't miss this.

http://www.tunisia-tourism.org/star-wars-set-in-tunisia/
http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0009/starwars.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guAohSZse7Y
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/16/star-wars-sets-still-intact-on-real-life-tatooine-but-tunisia-not-taking/
http://inhabitat.com/star-wars-fans-restore-luke-skywalkers-igloo-shaped-home-in-tunisia/
http://www.tunisia-tourism.org/topics/destinations/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html 
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings 
 
Enjoy! 

The Highway is Route 61 -- That's the Real South

Sometimes, my Midwestern heritage makes me think about other cultures that are overlooked in New England where I currently live.  There's a wonderful area of the world that runs between Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana that showcases a magnificent part of American history that where I live is all but forgotten.  The fact that it is forgotten where I am is an awful shame.  Route 61 that runs down the side of the Mississippi River Delta is one of those places that is one of a kind and an adventure for sure.  The famous crossroads of blues at the intersection of Route 61 and Route 49 is in Clarksdale, Mississippi.  This is Ground Zero for the world of blues.

  









Speaking of Ground Zero, this is it.  This Juke Joint style club is a showcase for true blues musicians, and is one of the most popular blues spots in Clarksdale.  That says a lot, since there are blues joints covering almost every square inch of Clarksdale.  It may not look like much, but it's been on several TV shows on both the Food Network and the Travel Channel.  They serve southern style food and blues music.  If you're lucky, you may even get a chance to meet the owner.


That's right, actor Morgan Freeman is one of the owners of this fine establishment. 
There are many other Juke Joints on Route 61  


This is Po' Monkeys, and it's been in one form or another of existence since 1963.  That's right, it looks like a shack.  They do showcase a lot of local talent though, and the food is down home delicious.
Blues is a culture, and the music is it's voice.  The southern comfort food is it's smell and the people who have lived in this area for generations are it's personality.  You can find any number of wonderful Juke Joints, Blues Clubs, and museum's along this historic road.  


I rarely include a map, but this 250 mile or so stretch of road is amazing.  It's like a trip to another country, and a step back in time.  It really helps you put your own life in perspective.


There's a style to this part of the world, and a personality.  There's a laid back feel that makes everyone comfortable.  People seem a little more real.  Food seems to taste a little better.  The weather matters a little less.  Appearances are not the most important thing.  And sports are the most exciting thing around.
The biggest collection of blues items and music probably in the world is in a little town called Oxford.  Have you heard of it?  If not, then you've never heard of Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi.  In that case, you've probably never paid any attention to football.
Oxford is home to such present and past artists at John Grisham and William Faulkner, but to football fans that can't compare to the fact that Eli Manning and his father Archie Manning call this small town home.  Ole Miss has been the training grounds for some of the NFL's most famous athletes, like the Mannings and Brett Favre.  If that doesn't excite the football fan in you, then come on down for the homecoming game and one of the biggest college weekends anywhere in the country, and certainly in the south.
The football homecoming game at Ole Miss is legendary.  It's the busiest weekend of the year in Oxford, and the tailgating is every bit as great as the game.  For college football fans, this is your mecca and it should not be missed.  Book early, because by the time that weekend comes there will be nowhere to stay.
Now, on the other side of life in Oxford, it's that part of New Orleans that you've missed.  You know when you turn on the TV and see all of those travel people in the French Quarter with no crowds?  Forget about it.  Come to Oxford's historic town square area and enjoy the peace that you can't get in the big easy.  
  
Somewhere between Memphis and New Orleans is a whole world of music, food, architecture, and college sports that is a wonderland to explore.  It would be an awful shame to miss out on it.  There are a lot of places that people want to go to because they're big, bustling and sophisticated.  Many people rush to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York to see the latest and the most chic.  I say come and try out some tradition and real life atmosphere.  Try out some grass roots music and some down home food.  Meet some people who live their life here because they love it.  Share someone's day instead of staring at things on display.  The south is a wonderful one of a kind place, and it doesn't get any more original than along the blues highway, Route 61.

 http://highway61blues.com/highway_61_blues_museum.htm
 http://www.banktravelmanagement.com/Article.aspx?id=212
 http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/blues-highway-road-trip/
 http://www.roadtripusa.com/routes/greatriver/mississippi/mississippi.html
 http://www.jukejointfestival.com/index.php
 http://www.msbluestrail.org/blues-trail-markers/po-monkeys
 http://visitsouth.com/articles/article/favorite-mississippi-juke-joints/
 http://www.oxfordms.net/visitors.html
http://live.oxfordms.com/recreation-oxford-mississippi/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings 
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html 

Enjoy! 

Chicago is not the Kind of Place I Would Normally Write About, But...

Above is a picture of Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle.  If you've ever done the right thing as a tourist in Chicago, Illinois, you'll know what that is.  It's one of the most beloved exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry.  It's not alone.  There's also a simulated coal mine to explore, a WWII submarine to tour, and many other things from tornadoes to giant hamster wheels to keep everyone in a family entertained.  It's the most extreme museum of it's kind in the western hemisphere.  I didn't know that as a kid.  I just knew that I was damn impressed.
Was this the reason that I decided to mention Chicago in this blog?  No.  The reason that I decided to mention this is because a friend of mine said that I should talk about some of the more unusual things about Chicago.  She was right.  So here it goes.

  Now, everyone's heard of something about Chicago.  Most of us remember Millennium Park from the last presidential campaign.  That park is however, the centerpiece of downtown Chicago and host to many notable events.  
Chicago is also famous for it's sports.  It has them all, and they are all world renowned.  Heck, I've gone to see the Bears a number of times.  I've also spent a lot of time watching the Cubs.
Chicago is also famous for it's music and art.  Jazz, Blues, Rock, and many others ring through the streets downtown at night.  Comedy is big there too.  Many legends of comedy have come from Chicago.  The Art Institute keeps the arts alive and well in the city from painting and sculpture to theater.
 
In reality, Navy Pier is just the beginning.  The reason that I've decided to mention Chicago is because of a couple of the little tours that people should really try.  We all know about the big stuff.  It's the little stuff that makes you feel like an insider.

 
There are a few companies that offer what is called architectural tours along the Chicago River.  This is the kind of city that makes something like that interesting.  Chicago was burned down at the turn of the last century, and then it started to make taller and more inventive buildings, until it became a breeding ground for notable skyscrapers.  These tours take you to up to 40 sites and tell you all about the amazing buildings that you're seeing.  The river is a beautiful place lined with parks as well as giant buildings and criss crossed with draw bridges from days past.  It's a fabulous way to spend an afternoon.  
 
This is the Wrigley Building, a stopover on the tour.
 
This is the world renowned Marina Complex.  All of these buildings and so much more are on these little river tours.  They are a great way to spend the afternoon.  It's relaxing and the view is positively indescribable.  It's a little gem of a thing to do in a town that can quickly get out of control with touristy things that everyone else is doing.
 
Here's another one to remember.  Chicago Pizza Tours takes you to several of the most notable pizzeria's in the city, and let's you not only taste them all, but also let's you go behind the scenes and see how they're made.  If you're not on a diet, and love pizza, then this tour is for you.  Chicago is famous for Chicago Style Pizza, but a lot of people don't realize that the city is full of different styles of pizza and is ground zero for the true pizza lover.  I don't endorse a tour very often, but this one is great.  
   Pizano's is only one of the amazing places that you'll see how the pizza is made and get a slice of heavenly pizza.  Really, this one is a can't miss if you love pizza.
  
So, if this is the view that drew you to Chicago, then take the time to appreciate it.  The sports are great, the shopping is magnificent, and the museums are some of the best in the world; it's the view that puts the city over the top.  It's the food that makes you remember not only how it looked, but how it smelled.  Take the time to look at her buildings and taste her most famous food.  Then, and only then have you truly experienced Chicago.

http://www.chicagotours.us/

http://www.chicagopizzatours.com/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chicago/

http://explorechicago.org/city/en.html/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
 

Chicago is one of those places that will stay with you for a lifetime.  I was blessed to grow up near such a wonderful place.

Enjoy! 

Honduras? Why? Let Me Tell You About Something...

  Isn't this beautiful?  This is Roatan, one of the islands of Honduras.  This is an island that boasts being one of the best dive spots in the world.  There are tons of guides and businesses that will help you go diving on this wonderful little island.  There are several wonderful resort hotels, such as Palmetto Bay and Infinity Bay.

The island of Roatan is only three miles wide and is the top of an undersea mountainous coral reef like environment.  The water is crystal clear, the wildlife is amazing to look at under the water, the coral is beautiful and vibrant, and the water runs deep for plenty of fun and investigation.
Diving can be done for under $100 dollars a day if you know what you're doing and where to get all the best deals.
But, why am I writing one of my blogs about something that would take a lot of training to do?  Scuba at this level takes a lot of training and experience.  Do I recommend it?  Sure I do, because it's a fabulous way to look at the world underneath us, which is just as amazing as looking at space.  Is it something that I focus on for my blog?  No.
Here's the thing that anyone should try when visiting Roatan.  They have a unique experience, one that can only happen there.  They have a submarine that you can go in.  I don't mean one of the tourist subs that Hawaii, a lot of the rest of the Caribbean and Mallorca have invested in to take tourists out and show them Nemo swimming around a reef or looking at ship wrecks.  
 
This is Idabel.  She's got room for two passengers plus the captain to ride, and she goes theoretically to 3,000 feet deep.  So far, the deepest that she's gone is reportedly 2,660 feet, but she's a safe ride.  Karl Stanley, Captain extraordinaire, helped design and build this fabulous underwater vessel, and he takes tourists on the ride of a lifetime to fund his underwater research.  There are a few different dives that can be purchased.  The perk here is that not only do you get to go in a submarine, but you get to dive deep enough that the subs lights need to be used to see the deep water creatures that live in the dark recesses of the ocean.  It's not the usual trip, folks.  You get to do what the researchers do.  You get to see things that most other people will never get to see.
   
   
All of this, and so much more awaits you under the sea.  There are excursions available that go as deep as 2,000 feet.  There's really no where else on Earth that you can get that close up a view of the actual deep sea world as a tourist.  I can't believe that it's been kept so quiet.  It's definitely something that anyone can do and everyone should.
So, if you happen to find yourself in picturesque Roatan off the coast of Honduras, don't forget to check out the Roatan Institute of Deep Sea Exploration, and take part in researching the world undersea that we still know way too little about.  Captain Karl will be happy to introduce you to his world.
  So, wanna get away?  This is the view that will be only the beginning of your undersea adventure.  Even if you are a diver, you'll want to go even deeper in Idabel, and see what you haven't been able to in a dive suit.  You only live once.  Do it right.

http://www.stanleysubmarines.com/
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/21/11359/481/travel/Roatan%27s+Only+Homemade+Submarine+in+Limbo
http://www.roatanresorts.com/
http://travel-to-honduras.com/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/honduras/bay-islands/roatan
http://sidewalkmystic.com/Roatan-Diving.htm
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html

Enjoy! 

Eze, Modern Meets Past

  I don't gush about little towns much, but there's this place in France called Eze.  I saw this on TV years ago, and I've never lost interest in this place.  It's a tiny medieval town not far from Nice on the French Riviera.  I have to give them an A+ for location.
Eze has been around for hundreds of years.  This place has been home to Moors, Christian Crusaders, and it's even belonged to Genoa before.  Now it is a tourist attraction, but I have to mention it, because its a really good one.  The buildings here look like they've all been carved out of caves.  They may have been, for all I know.  There are castle ruins on the tippy top of the town, and beautiful churches to look at that come from medieval times.  The streets are all still made of stone, and there is no room for cars.  You must park outside the village to come in.  There are very few residents in this tiny village.  Most of what you see are shops and restaurants, with some top of the line perfumeries and a fabulous hotel called Chateau Eze.  The view from the hotel alone is worth the trip.
The beautiful little village sits near Nice and Monaco on the coast of France. The area was once ruled by the King of Monaco. There are many activities in the area that are coastal related like boating and the beach.  But there are also some unique things that they do around Eze.  There is paragliding, and spelunking in the caves below the village.  
 
You will have to go to a tour agency to do these things, but what other time in your life will you paraglide off of a 427 foot high cliff over the French Riviera?  I think it's worth it.
The little cave like shops and restaurants are amazing to look at, much less to visit and shop in.

Even though the merchandise isn't hundreds of years old, the shops look like they are.  The streets are so narrow, you have to walk. 











Not far from the castle ruins is a wonderful botanic garden which would remind most people of something that they would see in Arizona.  It sits high atop a cliff with cactus and a fabulous view of the Mediterranean.  I can't stress how great the view is from this little village.
So, if you want to get a little out of the way while wandering the French Riviera, Eze is a great spot for that.  I do recommend that you don't go there in the high summer season.  The off seasons of Spring and Fall are the best and least crowded times to go.  The main thing is, if you love something kitchy, you like history, and you love a good view--go to Eze.  Let the people of the locals shops, restaurants and hotels treat you like royalty, and relax, stroll and enjoy the view without the interference of cars, buses, taxis, trains, planes, or boats.  Take a glide, climb a cliff, play some golf, or check out the caves below the 427 foot high village.  Just remember, you know it's worth it when your view before you go to bed looks like this:
   Enough said.  Buy a ticket to Nice and rent a car to drive to Eze.

http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/alpmarit/eze/eze.htm
http://www.eze-riviera.com/village/accueil_village.html
http://www.slh.com/destinations/europe/france/eze-village/chateau-eza-hotel/?refcd=MS9828136994b_chXFteau_eza_france&tsacr=MS1151250770&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hotel_names_-_country&utm_term=ch%C3%A2teau_eza_-_france
http://www.eze-riviera.com/infos/ang/welcome.html
http://www.france-travel-secrets.com/eze-france.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/5006850/Eze-France-The-perfect-break.html
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy! 

Monasteries in the Clouds

On my travels around the world, I missed this one, but there are the special few who have taken the time and have told me that it was abundantly worth it.  So, while in Greece, I recommend getting out of Athens and off the islands for a little while and visiting a surreal place where the rocks jut straight up out of the ground and have monasteries on top.  This is the Meteora area of Greece in the center of the mainland.
Now, it would be amazing to see one monastery perched on top of the spires of Meteora, but at one time there were at least a dozen.  There are still six that are active and accessible.  That's amazing.  I hear that there are two that everyone should visit.  The first is Moni Megalou Meteorou, or Metamorphosis  .

The other is Moni Agia Triada, or Holy Trinity.

Metamorphosis is the biggest and sits atop a 2,000 foot spire.  It's church is full of frescoes depicting martyrs and their deaths.  There is a collection of skulls and other bones that are displayed for public viewing.  It's an interesting look and the monks view on death and martyrdom.  It is a little graphic, but well worth a look.
Holy Trinity is currently home to only two monks who love to have visitors.  They will show you around personally and show you where all the best views are.  They serve tea and candy and tell stories about the old days when the monastery was far busier.  Although the atmosphere is vastly different than at Metamorphosis, it is harder to get to with narrow steep stairs and it's quite a climb to the top.

Meteora is located in the Thessaly region of Greece.  You can grab a tour bus in Trikala.  It's approximately 5 hours from Athens.  It's a great day trip into the uncommon.  Make sure you bring your camera, but make sure you don't wear anything offensive.  The monks prefer that visitors come dressed conservatively as part of their religious beliefs.  Check ahead for the hours, or you may be surprised to hear that they are closed for one reason of another, and have wasted a trip.  Also, be prepared to climb some steps.  It's not easy getting to most of the monasteries.  Face it, the reason that they're so interesting is because they are perched on top of 2,000 foot spires.
So, be prepared to walk, dress accordingly and spend some time on the road from Athens.  Take your camera and a little cash to get in and have the driving, climbing, and cultural visit of a lifetime with a view that you'll never see again.  Embrace the spires of Meteora, or suspended in the air and take a little walk on the unusual side.

http://www.travelwithachallenge.com/Greece-Meteora.htm

http://www.infohub.com/vacation_packages/30029.html

 http://www.partner.viator.com/en/3888/tours/Athens/3-Day-Trip-to-Delphi-and-Meteora-from-Athens/d496-31408

http://www.greeklandscapes.com/greece/meteora/meteora.html

http://www.great-adventures.com/destinations/greece/meteora.html

http://www.greecetravel.com/meteora/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
 

  Don't miss it!
Enjoy!