Escape to myself

So today I was out early in my usual search for coffee. Success; not Starbucks. I was on a mission to visit as many of the Byzantine churches included in the UNESCO list for Thessaloniki. I managed nine of the 14. They are rather wonderful. They date from the fourth to the fourteenth centuries and being the Balkans have had a chequered history changing from Byzantine Orthodox to Moslem Mosques and back again over many centuries. Some have beautifully preserved mosaics and frescoes and all evince a deep sense of spirituality. Today being Sunday there were many worshippers and I saw quite a few Christening services. This is a strongly religious country it seems. I know I’ve posted a lot on the religious aspects of my travels but it fascinates me even though I have no religion at all myself. But faith is an interesting concept to me. So anyway churches and monasteries today; mainly an artistic and cultural pilgrimage which also gave time for contemplation. The following are a few vignettes to give a flavour of the architecture and art.

You’ll be wondering about cats? Thessaloniki is a city of cats. You find little bowls of food snd water on the streets left for them. They’re abandoned but very skittish … except of the ones that crowded me at the restaurant last night begging for scraps.