JULY 2023 : DAY 33 : RHODES : Lindos

Lindos

Breakfast in a quiet cafe before the tourist hordes arrived.

Doorways and alleyways

After breakfast we made a spontaneous decision to walk up to the acropolis/ fort. It was 9am and we only had to queue for a few minutes - exiting the site there was a line for a 100m, mainly tourist bus groups.

Fascinating site - brief history.

The site high above the town has been established since the 6th century BC

Caves were used for worshipping.

First a Temple of Athena Lindos in the 4th century BC - sandstone columns covered in white stucco.

Over the centuries it was fortified by the Byzantine, Medieval and Ottoman colonisers

For two hundred years from 1397-1522 it was the headquarters of the Knights of St John during the Crusades until it became a Turkish garrison until 1844.

Magnificent views to St Paul’s Bay where we are regularly swimming.

A mid-morning swim, perfect for doing a few laps. Then this afternoon the wedding guests met at the beach for a meet and greet. There was another wedding at the little chapel by the beach.

Pre-dinner drinks with Ros, Jenny and co

A generous pre-wedding dinner hosted by Ashleigh’s family in their beautiful (rented) villa in a bay 10 minutes north of the Old Town.

M&M

JULY 2023 : DAY 32 : RHODES : Lindos

Lindos

Breakfast at Hotel Anastasia with our grumpy host. I thought he was going to have a conniption this morning when I said that he was a lucky man because we were returning next weekend too.

We caught a 9.30am public bus to Lindos. €5.50 each for the 90 minute bus trip. We headed south along the east coast through tourist towns and chaos. Some were more like Las Vegas rather than seaside resorts. We even saw a Colossus of Rhodes in a passing restaurant.

The driver was excellent, patient,  giving advice to travellers at each stop. A driver, in front of us, put on her emergency lights, parked at a traffic light and got of the car to go shopping but the bus driver, incredulous, manoeuvred the bus regardless, around her car.

First view of Lindos with its acropolis high above the town.

We walked down into the town with its maze of streets, obviously constructed to confused invaders like us. We found our traditional apartment up a quiet alley way. Exactly as expected with kitchen on to a small courtyard. Excellent air con and wifi. A relief as it is a very hot, humid day - high 30s.

So first stop was St Paul’s Bay, a five minute walk into a safe swimming area, where we met Ros, my sister and Jenny, my sister-in-law. This week all of my siblings and partners are here, which is a real treat.

Very crowded down the alleyways with excellent shopping opportunities. In contrast, we walked closer to my sister’s villa and met a donkey coming the other way.

Ros and Jenny’s villa - wonderful courtyard overlooking another bay.

To avoid the crowds we found a hotel restaurant in a quiet garden near the villa and all had scrumptious salads for lunch.

Another swim this afternoon, after washing my all my clothes, and I’ve found a short cut to the beach from our apartment 

A belated 70th birthday dinner for Chris at a rooftop restaurant, Timi’s Place

Beautiful views over the town

Nige and Tracy dropped in with more guests

After the meal Jenny suggested we climb to the doors of the castle (without the crowds). Very pleasant.






Lindos is such an amazing town. We are looking forward to learning a lot more about it this week.

M&M

JULY 2023 : DAY 31 : RHODES : Rhodes Town

Rhodes Town 

A more comfortable night than expected after we found the air conditioning and now appreciate that the B&B is close to everything, even with its own special charm.

After a quick breakfast we headed to the port for a pre-booked cruise to Symi Island, recommended by several friends.

Leaving Rhodes Town at 9am

At about 10.30 we arrived in Panormotis on the southern tip of Symi Island.

Panormitis is a small port and the site of the Monastery of the archangel, Michael, patron saint of the island.





It is still a functioning monastery with a spectacular all-silver icon Archangel Michael in the chapel. It also has two museums that showcase a collection of ecclesiastical art, icons, ship model offerings for safe sailing and objects of folk culture, particularly about the sponge diving industry.

There was quite a collection of ancient and medieval clay pots that sponge divers had retrieved from shipwrecks on their extensive tours of duty.

With our boat of 400 and another ferry-load of passengers it was a popular destination today so we enjoyed the monastery grounds and museums but didn’t queue for the church, although from the photos the interior is full of rich decoration.

A little idea of the monastery decoration through a internet search

Iconic windmill on the entry to the little port.

Along the coast lots of little bays and sailing craft.

Gialos (or Symi Town) the main port on Symi Island. The houses are very colourful and attractive. It is said that the sponge divers, who travelled far and for many months diving for sponges, painted their houses brightly so that when they were far off sailing back to port, could recognise their own houses.

A busy little port dependent on tourist cruises like ours today. Stalls still selling sponges is a reminder of the sponge industry, with early diving suits developed in the mid-1800s.

The record of a dive of 88m in 3.5 minutes in 1913.

We found a traditional cafe for lunch. The waiter brought out a tray of their specialities so you could select quickly rather than rummaging through the long menu.

After a wander and shop we opted for the swimming section on the pier to compensate for the heat - definitely 35o.

We left Gialos (or Symi Town) about 4.20pm - an hour and a half back to Rhodes Town.

Some impressive craft sailing past our boat 

Two happy people - great day trip, Mark’s bag has been delivered by the airline (yay!) and a delicious traditional Greek meal of gyros near our B&B.

An evening stroll in the Old Town

M&M

JULY 2023 : DAY 30 : RHODES : Rhodes Town

 

We had a 3am taxi pick up from our hotel this morning for a 6am flight to Rhodes via Rome and Athens.

We arrived in Rhodes at about 4. 

Our flights were all in time today but unfortunately Mark’s bag was lost en route but they assure us it will be delivered tonight.

We are in Rhodes Town for two nights.

Hotel Anastasia- a rather quirky establishment with a Greek Basil Fawlty.

It is close to the port and old town.

As we arrived late in the afternoon we just had a brief look around the port - the spot where the huge bronze statue of Colossus of Rhodes once stood before it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226BC. It was said to be 32m high and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

A busy harbour. The main feature is the old castle of St Nicholaos, the patron saint of sailors, which is now a lighthouse.

Near the port there was a derelict mosque and Muslim graveyard, now home to cats.

The festivities have begun. For the last week of our holiday we are spending it with family celebrating our nephew, Michael’s wedding to the lovely Ashleigh. Our B&B host recommended a seafood restaurant on the beach, which was a wonderful setting for our first meal together.

Sunset at 8.30.



Looking forward to exploring the Old Town tomorrow.

M&M