The decision to travel to Mount Athos was a spontaneous one, but the preparations were surprisingly swift. Thus began the "Sinners' Ride," an expedition that proved to be more than just a motorcycle trip – it was a journey of rediscovery and spiritual purification.
It all started with the announcement from our captain, OmBun, who invited us to "cleanse our souls of sins" through a visit to Mount Athos:
"With a certain piety, we thought that it is never too late, nor too early to cleanse our souls a bit, so we thought it appropriate to embark on the Sinners' Ride! 🙂
Route: Buc- Mount Athos -Balcik - Bucharest
Departure: 14.05.
On 15.05. we ascend Mount Athos, 2 days of free time, each with his own thoughts, opinions, and confessions.
On 17.05. morning we head to Balcik to reunite with the HOG for another unforgettable party. 😃
On 19.05. - home, returning to everyday life after a unique experience and a soulful journey.
Registrations in private only for about 2-3 days, then Balamuc must handle the passports for the parishioners."
Following this message, 16 comrades announced their presence, and the organization began immediately. Each member had a clear role. Bala was in charge of access to the mountain and the program on Mount Athos, OmBun managed organization and communication, and I (Profu') took care of accommodations and collecting funds. Along the way, everyone contributed, including Nemu, who quickly dismounted at each barrier and paid the "tribute" for each motorcycle that passed.
After everything was set, we mounted our bikes and met at 7 a.m. at the exit of Bucharest to start the adventure under the Hai Hui brand. Our group consisted of: OmBun, MaiNea, Profu, Flaviu, Jokeru, Varu, Tricky, Doc, Blue-i, Nemu, Cici, DonBila, Jereu, Bala, Fantomas, and Yoyo.
We fueled up and hit the road, having over 700 km to cover. At the Giurgiu border, we encountered our first mishap: Bala had forgotten his registration papers at home and couldn't leave the country. Ha ha ha, there is no Hai Huială without some mischief. Bala turned back to get his forgotten document, while we continued our journey to Ouranoupoli, the closest place to the entrance to Mount Athos. The road was long but without major issues. We arrived, checked in, and had a few minor inconveniences, inevitable with a large group of people. After a hearty meal, where Nemu ensured we lacked nothing, we met Costica, our guide for Mount Athos. A character with extensive knowledge about Mount Athos and the Orthodox Church, but quite strict and not very aligned with our humorous style. Costica explained the rules and customs we had to follow during our stay. The moment that made us quiet down was when he told us that the next day at 4:45 a.m., we had to meet in front of the hotel to get the entry permit to Mount Athos, a permit carefully obtained by Bala. Bala managed to join the group just in time to quench his thirst and hunger.
The next morning, we woke up early and got our permits, hurrying to catch the 6:30 a.m. ferry to Mount Athos. The atmosphere in Ouranoupoli, on the ferry, and on Mount Athos was one of piety and prayer, with people in a continuous connection with divinity or at least trying to connect. It was an atypical silence, people whose eyes reflected their desire to understand, to touch divinity. Most were praying in some way, eagerly awaiting to disembark on the holy land. We, on the other hand, were a bit noisier and tired, sleeping in various spots on the ferry.
It didn't take long before we had to quickly disembark at Dochiariu, as the ferry only stopped for 5 minutes. Blue-i was surprised to find out he didn't have time to disembark, continuing the journey on the ferry for another 15 minutes to the next port. Evidently, we are not true HaiHuieni without a mishap.
The program stated: "We disembark at Dochiariu-- worship." I wasn't quite sure what it meant, not being a very devout Orthodox, but "worship" seemed to imply some sort of "visit." Well, it means exactly what it says, meaning we enter the church and do everything an Orthodox does. Alongside this worship, we learned more about icons, churches, places, their history, and customs. The information wasn't received as easily as we thought, being presented in an organized manner by our guide who probably had a word quota and couldn't afford to waste them, hence he insisted we were always present when he spoke or answered questions. Ha ha ha, amusingly strict. Probably what also encouraged Nemu to keep engaging him in conversation.
After the first worship, we headed to the next monastery, Xenofont, where another worship and discussions about history, place, icons, and church awaited. Meanwhile, Blue-i had disembarked at Xenofont and came running back to Dochiariu to join us for the journey to Xenofont, where he had originally disembarked. Ha ha ha, sporty Blue-i, as some of us observed on the 25-minute walk to Xenofont. The road wasn't exactly straight, and our bellies and cigarettes put some pressure on our untrained lungs.
At Xenofont, we participated in another worship, then got on the minibus and headed to Vatopedu, where we would be staying at St. Andrew's Skete.
The minibus dropped us off in Karyes, the capital of Athos, where we stretched our legs and enjoyed some warm pies and steaming beans. The capital was not at all impressive, consisting of a few houses – maybe 10-15. What surprised me during the entire trip was the large number of Romanians; you almost felt like you were in Romania, realizing how many faithful there are among our compatriots.
We walked to St. Andrew's Skete, where we were to stay for one night. Entering the skete, we were struck by the darkness and profound silence, interrupted only by a monk passing by with a bucket in one hand and a mop in the other, praying as he went. Our guide explained that all monks pray while working. After being instructed in a firm tone about what we were not allowed to do, our muffled laughs couldn't be held back. Jockeru was laughing in desperation, having just found out he wasn't allowed to shower and seeing the room where we would all sleep.
Despite our muffled laughs, we received the blessing to sleep in the skete. The room had 29 beds, clean but not new, with some imperfect windows, but which proved perfect for allowing air to enter without opening them.
After settling in, we waited for dinner, which was immediately after the evening service. Meanwhile, the room we were in filled up, so we were 30 people in 29 beds, with one person sleeping on a pile of mattresses, all Romanians. At dinner, we received a potato soup and an orange, but we couldn't get to the table until we were instructed in a firm and stern tone by the guide. We weren't allowed to make any noise, ask for anything, or respond to anything – everything was conducted through signs and glances. We ate and then went to our rooms like chickens at 7 p.m., the time when the skete closed, with no one entering or leaving. So we went to bed and started giggling like high schoolers on a field trip.
Slowly, night fell over Mount Athos, and everyone began to fall asleep. Almost everyone, as the snoring concert kept me from sleeping. I dozed off occasionally, but had the opportunity to hear a snoring concert in multiple voices, a unique experience. The next day, we were to wake up again at 4 a.m. for the morning service and then breakfast. I must admit, I preferred to stay in the room to catch some more sleep, as the snoring rhythm had slowed. Still, at 5, I got up, bored of lying in bed, and went to the church to hear the service, held in Greek.
So far, the journey to Mount Athos has been an unforgettable experience, full of moments of laughter, reflection, and spiritual discovery. Each mishap added a touch of humor and adventure, making the Sinners' Ride a story we will tell endlessly in our club evenings.
The continuation of this adventure will be shared in the coming days.
To be continued...
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