– by Suzanne Morphet –
I knew it was a bad idea soon after our boat pulls away from the dock. I’m aboard the Ioanna, a motor cruiser that takes tourists along the rugged Aegean coastline of northern Greece to see the ancient monasteries of Mount Athos.
Greeks call Mount Athos the Holy Mountain. I’d seen photos and was so enthralled that I was willing to drive three hours on narrow, winding roads from my hotel near Thessaloniki to Ouranoupolis, where the Ioanna departs each morning. As a woman, a boat is my only option; women have been banned from setting foot on Mount Athos since 1046.
But after cruising past the first few monasteries, I realize I’m in for a three-hour let down. Peering through the telescopic lens of my camera, I admire some green and red onion-shaped domes and some crosses, but most of the buildings are architecturally uninspiring. And at 500 metres – the distance boats carrying women must stay – we’re simply too far away.
The weather isn’t helping. This landscape calls for moody skies and storm clouds, not bright sunshine that washes out what little colour the dry landscape offers. The other passengers – mostly Greeks and a large group of Bulgarians – appear equally unmoved, chain-smoking to pass the time. One teenaged boy throws bits of junk food into the air for seagulls. When the boat turns to head back to port I lean back for a nap.
Sometime later I’m awoken by music. A man is singing and playing an electric piano, while a dozen or so passengers – all women – dance in a circle, arms linked, feet moving in unison.
Now this is intriguing; not quite My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but entertaining enough. I move closer to watch as a young woman wearing a body-hugging peach-coloured dress and matching lipstick moves to the centre of the circle. Her hips, arms, and long blonde locks sway to the music.
A few songs later, it’s the men’s turn. They need some cajoling from a female crewmember, but soon she has half a dozen men on their feet and orders them to copy her moves. After warming them up, it’s time for a challenge. She pours herself a swig of tsipouro, the favourite local liquor, sets the plastic glass on the floor, gets down into a push-up position, slowly lowers herself until she can grip the glass between her teeth, then carefully stands back up, throws her head back and swallows the contents in one gulp! We all cheer, then look to the men.
As the music begins again, each man in turn successfully duplicates the feat until there’s only one man left. When he’s not looking, the woman swaps his plastic glass for a heavy beer mug. Monks on the Holy Mountain could have heard our gut-splitting laughter. The man proves to be a good sport, getting down into a push up position and – with the help of the woman organizing the fun – takes the glass between his teeth, stands up and drains it.
I won’t remember Mt. Athos for its otherworldly beauty, but I’ll certainly remember the Greek women for their joie de vivre and the men for their good humour and athleticism. That would be worth 20 Euros and a few hours drive any day.
For more information en.mountathosarea.org and www.discovergreece.com. Half-day boat tours of Mount Athos are offered by Athos Sea Cruises for 20 Euros per person.
