Most Memorable Vacation, Post 5 of 8 – Rhodes
We arrived in Rhodes, docking at the northern tip of the island in Rhodes Town, bright and early on Tuesday morning with a schedule to keep. Immediately after debarking, we rented a car and drove down the coast to Lindos.
Lindos was founded in the 10th c. BC and boasts an acropolis with temples and stoas. With the rise in prominence of Rhodes Town itself, Lindos declined in importance over the centuries. Ultimately, a Byzantine fortress built by the Knights of St. John came to dominate the acropolis. The site now has a fascinating mixture of architecture that plainly shows the evolution of its history.
Reconstruction of the Temple of Lindian Athena.
Greek trireme (relief of a warship).
Architectural mish-mash – ancient Greek columns and Byzantine castle walls.
Lagoon and sea (taken while carefully peering over the castle walls – no guardrails!).
The beach below the acropolis.
The view of Lindos as seen from the road into town.
As much as we would have loved to see more of the Rhodes countryside, we had to get back to Rhodes Town. While the timing of our visit to Santorini may have prevented us from seeing Akrotiri, being in Rhodes on a Tuesday gave us the incredible opportunity to walk around the walls of the medieval city. And when I say “walk around”, I should clarify that I mean “walk on TOP of the walls around the perimeter of the city”. Yes – an actual walled medieval city where people still work and shop and LIVE in the same buildings as they did centuries ago. A microcosm of living history. And we had a birds-eye view.
(Oy. I hate that expression. A former co-worker used it incorrectly all the damn time. And he was Greek. But this time it’s accurate. Spiros, take note.)
The view as you enter (Yes, we pushed our way to the front – rude American bastards that we are.)
Palace of the Grand Master (where we entered the tour).
What was once the moat.
No guardrail. If you fall over the edge, you eat concrete in the town streets below.
The town, with our ship in the background.
We went back to the ship for dinner and a performance by some Greek dancers beforehand. Somehow we got roped into joining them.
After dinner, we went back into town to explore a bit more.
As with the other ports we visited, I wish we had had more time in Rhodes. There’s so much more to the island that we didn’t see, although I think we were fortunate to see as much as we did. It was interesting to see how elements of ancient Greece and the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire were all present in a single location. I called it a mish-mash above, but that’s not really fair. It’s actually amazing to me that so much cultural history from different eras has survived to modern times.
Unfortunately, one aspect of Rhodes that I didn’t really enjoy (and turned out to be foreshadowing) was the pushiness of the merchants. In Athens and Mykonos and Santorini, we were able to windowshop without interference and pressure. In Rhodes, the shopkeepers were quite chatty, and I began to feel uncomfortable admiring their wares when I truly wasn’t planning to buy anything. Little did I know what it would be like in Turkey.
Next stop, Bodrum.
June 23rd, 2006 at 7:32 am
Sigh. I love your vacation stories..and pictures.
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:36 am
Hi lovely pictures. I have a question: I used to read your blog over at blogger and I noticed you changed spots. I want to change from blogger to msn spaces, but I don’t know how to transfer all my entries. Is it even possible? Thanks!
June 23rd, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Y’all took such EXCELLENT pictures, Julie. The sea and the sky are unfathomably blue! Again, thanks for sharing your adventures with us travel-deprived souls.
June 23rd, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Wow, you guys are quite the world travelers! You remind me that we are in need of a vacation, but until then I will live vicariously through your stories.
June 23rd, 2006 at 12:25 pm
I’m so glad you do these posts…I love being able to travel the world vicariously through your blog.
June 23rd, 2006 at 5:01 pm
chills. those pictures are freaking gorgeous.
what a marvelous experience.
June 23rd, 2006 at 5:05 pm
So how did you get roped into the dancing with the Greek dancers?
June 23rd, 2006 at 8:15 pm
What an amzing trip! The pictures are amazing! I just discovered your site by the way. Great one! I will be coming back!
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Hoy! Love the pics!
am jealous of the vaca!!!
June 24th, 2006 at 6:15 am
Those are some gorgeous photos! Sounds like a very memorable vacation!
June 24th, 2006 at 8:26 am
Thanks for the memories, yours and mine. One of my most memorable trips was to Greece and Turkey. I was especially lucky because we spent four days on Santorini! Beautiful pictures you have here.
June 24th, 2006 at 9:34 am
Thanks for the adventure…
Ohhh Greece…
We loved it there… Mykonos and Santorini and Crete were our islands…
Looking forward to Bodrum adventures…
Thanks for taking us there…
June 24th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I have always wanted to go there. Thanks for the pics. It is beautiful.
Lisa
June 24th, 2006 at 11:52 pm
…someday…when I am done with school…!!!
*sigh*
Hh
P.S. Check out my blog with today’s post–Sat., the 23rd to see why I often live vicariously through your young kiddles quotes.
June 26th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
I love your travel pics. Your stories make me think that this should be our next trip. How did you like Windstar?
June 26th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
Gorgeous pictures. You look so intent in that line dancing one — but not out of place at all (whereas I would have been making a fool out of myself by being completely out of step!)
June 28th, 2006 at 8:11 am
Jamie – Several other guests urged us to join the dancers (and pointed and gestured at us when volunteers were requested). We’re good sports (usually).
Kim – We LOVED Windstar. Expensive, but worth every penny.