Rodos, Greece

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According to mythology, Rhodes was the island Zeus gave to Helios, the sun god. Helios fell in love with Rhodes, the daughter of Poseidon and Aphrodite and named the island after her. It is known for its natural beauty and its historical and archaeological treasures. The old town is surrounded with the most impressive fortress walls we have seen on this trip. What interested us the most was learning how important this place was in history. 1) Paul once stopped here on a missionary journey 2) From the 3rd to 5th centuries AD this was an important center for the Roman and Byzantine empires. 3) and the Knights of St. John (a.k.a. the Knights of Hospitaller) occupied the medieval fortress of Rhodes from 1306-1522. The palace of the Grand Masters, the knights hospital, and this medieval cobblestone town is all part of their legacy. Another interesting fact is that Hippocrates, "the father of medicine", started here in Rhodes. The Jewish community also played an integral role since the inception of the city and the Turkish conqueror "Suleyman" also played a part in respecting and preserving the fortress, palace, and walls.
After a good day of touring, a long nap, a little greek dancing and folksongs - we had our last Italian dinner at Toscana and then hung out with Ed and Barbara Taylor after the show. It was nice to talk with them. Thank you God for the Knights of St. John. Amen.

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