The recent visit by Putin to Mt. Athos reminded me of my time there in 2010.

Mt. Athos is the name for the highest mountain on the peninsula into the Aegean Sea as well as a short name for the Autonomous Monastic State of Mt. Athos.

I spent the Orthodox Easter weekend in 2010 at the Megisti Lavra, Mt. Athos' oldest monastery and the only lavra, located at the south-eastern tip of the peninsula. It is considered the single most important monastery in the Orthodox Christianity. 

I booked this trip with Mt. Athos authorities 6 months in advance. I took a boat from Ouranoupoli in Greece to Dafni, a port in Mt. Athos, took a mini bus from the port to Karyes, the capital of Mt. Athos, and from there took another mini bus for 5 hours to get to the Lavra. Along the way we stopped at at least two other monasteries. 

The two night-stay in a dorm and food were free.

As I remember, the Easter service started at 2 am on the Sunday morning. I diligently listened to the monks read in Greek until breakfast at 6 am. They served large chunks of amazingly tasteless (as in no taste, not in bad taste) white fish, considered to be a feast for the monks as they had been fasting for a while.

I learned that some secular/non-secular people also went to Mt. Athos for hiking, as it offers spectacular view of the Aegean Sea. I met such a man from Cyprus, with whom I am still in touch. There are hiking trails (Originally for monks to travel from one monastery to another), so it's possible to hike around the peninsula staying at monasteries for free. What a vacation that would be! But I think there is a time limit for non-Orthodox Christians to be in the Monastic State.

PHOTO 1: A view of Mt. Athos from Greece.

PHOTO 2: The Megisti Lavra

PHOTO 3: The Easter service.

PHOTO 4: A view from the Lavra of the Aegean Sea at sunrise right before the breakfast.

All in all it was quite an extraordinary experience!