We had a speaker at school today who encouraged us to look for those things in the world that inspire us. Those pieces of art, and music and performances that move us to do better and to see the world differently. Those creations that make us "stand in awe at the achievements of mankind through the inspiration of God" (to quote the speaker). When he said this, I immediately thought of The Metéora, a group of six Eastern Orthodox Monasteries built on top of sandstone pillars in central Greece. If anything makes you stop and stare in amazement, it's these monasteries.
They were built to be inaccessible due to intense religious persecution, so much so, that new monks had to be pulled up in a net and using a pulley system! Now, the monasteries are accessible by road, and it's just a short hike up the paths carved into the sandstone.
These monasteries are still in use today and the monks are
very conservative, so women are asked to wear long skirts (wrap-around, long skirts are provided to cover short skirts or pants) and have their shoulders covered, and shorts are not permitted.
