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Published: October 14th 2008
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Bellying up to the bar already
The Courtyard of Hotel Isole...it was such a quiet place during the day. In the evenings, most guests hang out at the bar before going out to dinner around 8. Day 9, 10 & 11.5
I got the brainwave to try writing this blog in Word then copy and pasting into the blog. Tried it out last night and it works. This way I can write a little each morning when I am at my most coherent. It’s hard to remember some things about a place, especially when you are already somewhere else and trying to write like you aren’t! It makes me laugh because my Word program doesn’t recognize “blog” as a valid word…does anyone know what blog actually means?
I am sitting on the terrace outside our studio; I can hear but not see the waves because the sun isn’t up yet. I have decided in this case it is just as well that I am no longer in Rodos (Rhodes) Old Town, because were I to have written from there it would not have been a particularly positive account…
Imagine, if you will, the very worst part of visiting either Niagara Falls, or perhaps Banff, for you westerners...tourist town, complete with miles of souvenir shops and gimmicks to draw you in to bars or restaurants. But at the same time there is
...but closed to the public
Our first evening here we came upon people getting into costume and were all excited to think we were going to see a re-enactment of some sort of ceremony of the Knights of St. John. We went to buy tickets for it and were told it was a private event, sponsored by the Russians. When we found this sign I could not resist the irony of it all!!! something absolutely amazing to see there. We arrived by plane about 10 a.m. and caught a city bus to New Town and proceeded to be lost from that moment on! Kindly people eventually helped us find our hotel. Our room was very small but impeccably clean, and opens onto an indoor court yard where Louisa, a Dutch woman here for years, and her husband Guido, an Italian, have set up a very welcoming space. Louisa speaks 6 languages herself and Guido at least 3. Guido also takes people on his boat for tours and wasn’t around much, tho we didn’t know that’s what he does until the last morning. There is a “salon” here every night…aka happy hour!
We sort of unpacked and set out with map in hand to look around. Neither of us has much a sense of direction and every “intersection” (about every 20 feet or so)we had to stop, look for St signs, turn the map around, scrap a little bit, and so on for 2 hours or so until we found the Avenue of the Knights and the Palace of the Grand Master. When we stepped on to Socrates St (which we had
Socrates St...Evening
On the map it's called Sokratous St., took us a whole day to figure out what that translated to. Signs all over Greece are written in Greek and then phonetically in using the English alphabet been on when we first arrived but didn’t know where we were), I believe I gasped out loud. People and stores as far as the eyes could see…Gords’ eyes lit up because my main squeeze does love to shop! This town has a remarkable history in regards to the Knights of St John, who came there around 1300. They are responsible for most of the spectacular fortification and accompanying buildings. Again I am at loss for words to describe things; I hope the pictures give you a little idea.
Old Town is also the biggest packaged tourism draw in the whole of the Dodecanese Islands...remembering that we are here in low season, indeed almost at the end of the season and still cruise ship after cruise ship pulls into port. According to Louisa only a few tourists ever venture out of the shopping St’s, except to tour the palace. She said that until 10 years ago, when they moved off their boat and into Old Town that it was considered to be where trashy people lived. The stores, unless you get off the beaten consumer path, sell mainly goods made in China passed off as “authentic Greek items.”
It wasn’t until my early morning walk the next day that I really appreciated just how beautiful and interesting the town is. I met up with a bunch of “clubbers” just heading home at 6a.m.ish a few St’s from the hotel and felt very cool and hip…so what if they were just heading home for bed and I was just getting up, I was part of the scene man!!! Besides the 3 or 4 main streets, the town is a maze of little alley’s leading to other alleyways, and so on and so on. I am a huge fan of wondering alleys, and I left the map at the hotel. Once you landmark the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificant (I love saying that…as you will be able to tell, should I ever have the time to put on the video I made from the wall) and the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (full title), it really isn’t all that confusing. Of course this is much easier to do when all the shops are closed and it’s quiet (except for the opera music someone decided they just had to listen to
Socrates St in the afternoon
This is what we dragged out suitcase through looking for our hotel. at full volume at 4am and still playing at 6am).
Our first order of business when Gord got mobile was to see a travel agent regarding getting to Crete from here by ferry. We weren’t sure which ferry lines run out of Rodos. The travel agent guy gave us a quick rundown of where he thought we should go on Crete. It was exactly opposite of what has been recommended to us by fellow, like-minded travelers. The thing I have realized on this trip is that every recommendation someone gives you is entirely subjective. On Lesvos, the proprietor of our hotel thought we were crazy to go to Chios because there was nothing going on there in his opinion and that is the Island we have loved the most so far. Rodos (the Island Danielle highly recommended to me, Pat) is something to see but I wish now we had spent less time in Old Town (one day would have been more than enough for us) and more time where we are now on the southern part of the Island…but that’s for the next blog.
The pictures tell the story of our days in Old Town.
Louisa, Hotel Isole
She arrives about 7 am and begins her almost silent ritual of setting up for breakfast, in her bare feet. I told her I woke early and asked where I could get a coffee around 6. She laughed and said, "no, not it Greece," then showed me where to find the instant coffee. She started brewing a pot of coffee when she arrived and it was the best coffee I have had so far!!! Of course that's because it was made the way I am used to. The sun is up and it’s time for my morning walk on the beach. Brenda and Gord
PS I am posting this at 4:10 pm local time Tues 14 Oct. Since I'm not sure how the rest of the day is going to play out I want to wish Annie a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I can't remember if you are still in Victoria...if you are, toast your self with a wee cuppa and know that we are thinking of you.
Had a moment of panic...spent 1.5 hours captioning pics while the short video uploaded...it takes a long time....then all of a sudden I couldn't get into the blog...all is well, but it was time for a beer!
We are off to catch a slow boat to Crete. Signing off now from the home of Democracy...go and vote right now, it's a priviledge we owe ourselves...climbing off my soapbox now...B
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Heather
non-member comment
That's my ship..that's definitely my ship!
Do we need to send you bandages for the feet? It sounds like alottttt of walking you fellas have being doing. Pics are fantastic, food looks soooooo good to. I had a very large real Greek salad at a Greek restaurant yesterday and it was awesome and I thought I was sitting along side of you guys on the patio in Greece. I've got a great imagination you know haha. Fletcher is just fine..gained another pound I might add . He looks healthy though. We'll take him for a long walk Sun. if weather permits and then take him for a good shave (before you guys head home) so that you won't notice all the fat. .....poor Missy..she's starving........I'am off to Hawaii now, so do take care ..and stay safe.......love you guys....H.