Greece - Korina Miller [207]
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A FIGHT FOR THE RIVER
Conservationists, industrialists and villagers are still fighting over the government’s construction of a 135m-high hydroelectric dam near Mesohora village on the upper Aheloös River in the South Pindos range, part of a larger plan to divert the water eastward to satisfy the agricultural needs of the plain of Thessaly. The government built the dam first, did the environmental studies second. As a result, the EU has declined to fund the project, Greek appellate courts have denied permits, and the finished dam sits empty.
If allowed to begin, the ecological effects would be felt as far south as the wetland wildlife sanctuaries around Messolongi, while the nearby village of Mesohora would be inundated. In Greek mythology, Aheloös is god of the river – his mother Tethys is crying now because, as one local put it, ‘Her son is being cut into pieces for money and power’.
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The small but popular Pertouli Skiing Centre ( 24340 91385; www.snowreport.gr/pertouli), on the slopes of Mt Koziakas (1340m), sports three lifts with four runs, including slalom and beginner slopes. Skis and snowboards can be hired (€10 to €15 per day).
SLEEPING & EATING
Most of Elati’s hotels and tavernas are bunched up, probably to keep warm.
Hotel Koziakas ( 24340 71270; fax 24340 71106; Elati; s/d incl breakfast from €35/50) Try this rambling hotel for wood-beamed ambience and massively comfortable rooms. The lobby restaurant features boar chops and venison stew among its gamey offerings (€6 to €9).
Hotel Papanastasiou ( 24340 71280; fax 24340 71153; Elati; s/d/studio incl breakfast from €45/70/110) More woodsy rooms await at this place with a meaty taverna on the premises, specialising in grilled liver and other organ delicacies (€3 to €7).
Taverna To Limeri Tou Vassili ( 24340 91200; mains €6-10) Nestled on the right side of the road just before Pertouli, this welcoming taverna is known for wild mushrooms, traditional bean soup along with the ever-turning grilled meats.
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METEORA ΜΕΤΕΩΡΑ
Meteora (meh-teh-o-rah) is an extraordinary place, and one of the most visited in all of Greece. The massive pinnacles of smooth rock are ancient and yet could be the setting for a futuristic science fiction tale. The monasteries atop them add to this strange and beautiful landscape.
Each monastery is built around a central courtyard surrounded by monks’ cells, chapels and a refectory. In the centre of each courtyard is the katholikon (main church). Meteora is listed as a World Heritage Site.
An excellent map (available at the newsstand in Kalambaka) is the Panoramic Map with Geology Meteora. A detailed booklet and map in English, The Footpaths of Meteora by Andonis Kalogirou (Kritiki Publishers), is available from the same shop.
History
The name Meteora derives from the Greek adjective meteoros, which means ‘suspended in the air’. The word ‘meteor’ is from the same root, and one look at this majestic feat of nature will convince you; see The Meteora: Geology of a Rock Forest, Click here.
From the 11th century, hermit monks lived in the scattered caverns of Meteora. By the 14th century, the Byzantine power of the Roman Empire was on the wane and Turkish incursions into Greece were on the rise, so monks began to seek safe havens away from the bloodshed. The inaccessibility of the rocks of Meteora made them an ideal retreat.
The earliest monasteries were reached by climbing removable ladders. Later, windlasses were used so monks could be hauled up in nets. A story goes that when curious visitors asked how frequently the ropes were replaced, the monks’ stock reply was ‘when the Lord lets them break’.
These days, access to the monasteries is by steps that were hewn into the rocks