KLM on Twitter

Take a look at this video where KLM Royal Dutch Airlines tracks down passengers which tweeted about KLM. Didn’t know Big Brother wears blue…

Meteora Roussanou Monastery

The Meteora Roussano Monastery looks like it is almost melted to its underlying rock cliff. The road passes directly underneath it. You park on the side of the road, and then you walk up a neighboring cliff. At the left of the photo you can see a small bridge which you cross to enter the monastery.

 
A bus parked at the side with tourists visiting the Roussanou Monastery

 

Just before you enter the Roussanou Monastery there is a plateau where you can look around.

  
Near the entrance of the Roussanou Monastery

 

The access bridge seen from the Roussanou Monastery

 

Transportation room seen from the outside. Supplies are delivered here by pulling them up with a rope.

 

Roussano Monastery down left and its surroundings.
You can see the access bridge on the right hand side of the monastery. The monastery has a terrace where you can enjoy the magnificent view. I have made a photo of the view, which I will publish in a separate post.

 

A ‘close up’ of the back side of Roussanou Monastery

View from Great Meteora Monastery

The terrace of the Great Meteora Monastery has a terrific view over the strange rock cliffs. Stay tuned for more photos!

20 Things I Learned About Browsers & the Web

The web site called 20 Things I Learned About Browsers & the Web contains a very nice introduction about the things you should/want to know about the Internet. Starting with the Internet, and explaining things like HTML5, plug-ins it gives a nice overview of the state of the web. The text is easily readable and the layout is gorgeous. It’s like you are reading an actual book. Recommended reading!

How to drive your car in (non-)slippery conditions

Winter falls in Holland, it is raining heavily and temperatures are dropping below zero degrees celcius. Roads will be very slippery and and black ice will make it very dangerously. You really need special winter tires to get some grip. These conditions reminded me of the following video by Ken Block. Even though it isn’t winter in the video, you get a good idea what you might encounter when you do not have any grip left on the road.

I am just wondering one thing: how many tire changes were needed for this video?

Visiting the Great Meteora Monastery

The monasteries of Meteora are one of the most unique sites I have ever seen. Strange pointy cliffs thrust upward from the earth, while ‘normal hills’ surround the area. Meteora means “hanging from the air”, which is a real understatement.

A neighbor of the Great Meteora Monastery seen through the cliffs

It’s not known how the cliffs are formed. The locals tell me that this area was once a sea, but it still does not explain why the cliffs rise so steeply. It’s also not known how the first monks got to the top. Hermits climbed the steep cliffs to be closer to God. One of the monks called Athanasius founded the Church of Transfiguration and built the monastery Megalo Meteoro. It is now known as Great Meteora Monastery.

 
Great Meteora Monastery

You can visit about six monasteries. We stayed near Kalambaka to arrive early. You drive up to a parking place nearby, walk down to the base of the cliff and then climb up the stairs carved out of the side of the cliff. You will need at least a whole day to visit all the monasteries.

 
Entrance to Great Meteora Monastery

Small shrine halfway the stairs up to Great Meteora Monastery

Outside the Great Meteora Monastery 

The Great Meteora Monastery is one of the largest. You can still visit the various rooms like the authentic kitchen, wine cellar and the church.

Meteora Monastery Wine Cellar

 
Entrance to the Great Meteora Church

 
Kitchen

The view from the monasteries is breathtaking!

View from the Great Meteora Monastery

In the old days food, other supplies and even monks were hoisted up with a windlass, rope and baskets. The stairs, which the tourists use, were only made recently. That is the reason every monastery has a dedicated ‘transport room’.

Transportation Room Great Meteora Monastery