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Published: July 16th 2007
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(Long blog; lots of pics; enjoy what you will)
Arrived about 10 AM. Found a good place to sleep on the ferry, that was nice. Deviating from my original plan, cut a day out of Kos, so I'm early to Rhodes & got a hostel in Old Town. Very hot! But otherwise, Rhodes is cool.
Old Town is a fortified (walled-in) city. It's pretty big, elaborate labrynth of cobblestone streets, some wider, sometimes opening to bigger squares, some incrediblely narrow. To enter Old Town, you cross (what may have been a moat?) bridges to enter through "gates" which are arched short tunnels (the shade is great!). It's incredible how some of these people's houses seem to be built into the walls. It's really bizzare how you walk down these narrow streets & just see some doors & occassionally one is open & there's their living room or kitchen. It just seems so out of context. Because, you really get the feeling like you're in midevil times (if any of you have seen Rome on HBO; it reminds me of walking around a place like that) & then you see someone's modern living room (modern, not in the plasma
screen tv American sense, but modern along 1950's America). There are plenty of places to eat & souveniers (they call it kitsch in Greece). It's a little hard to describe in words, but it is like a castle/fort-city like as in cat walks along the top edge with notches cut out... It's very impressive, definitely worth seeing.
There's a Jewish Quarter there so to please mother I went into the synagouge, even wore a yalmaka! It was built in 1577; once had a thriving community to the degree it was known as Little Jeruselam. Chatted with some folks & even made a tiny donation in your honor. It's near the stone honoring the holocaust victims.
Had some mousaka which is a very popular dish you see everywhere here. It is a layered thing that usually involves meat & eggplant & cheese, but I found a vegetarian one; it was very good, served in a croc sort of like French onion soup. Continued doing as the locals & later in the day enjoyed some more Ouzo; the right way this time, served over ice. Heard the um brell el el ella song again today; apparently it is by Rhianna?
You know it's hot when sleeping makes you sweat. That was even with a fan & sleeping with my room door open to get some air.
Day 2
Took the bus about 20 minutes south to Afandou where I had accomodations for the night, a beach town. (First bus driver was an ass!) After checking in, I continued south for another 40 minutes to Lindos. There is an acropolis there. Again, very weak on the interpetive piece. Now most of you know I don't like to read too much, but enough to figure out my 6 Euros worth. At least I had my own guide book; it helped. It was HOT, (it made me think, how much would it cost to fly from Athens to Iceland for a few days? That's not far from my return flight out of Dublin). Anyway, I toughed out the walk to the top; opposed to the 5 Euro donkey taxi. After that, it was to the beach. One of the nicer beaches I've been to; the aqua blue water that always looks so inviting. Heard the um brell el el ella song again today. Returned to an air conditioned room! (6 Euro
extra, but well worth it!) Did some sink laundry & cleaning up. Slept well!
Day 3
Caught the bus from Afandou back to Rhodes; although it didn't come at 1245 like the schedule said, but did come at 140. Stored my bag back at Mikes', walked the Old Town some more. Had some dolmas (rice wrapped in grape leaves?) Spent a while posting this blog. Heard the um brell el el ella song again today. Went to the port about midnight or so, sat for a couple of hours until the ferry arrived & boarded at 2 AM to Crete.
Side Notes:
1. It is common here for your eggs to be served with chips (french fries)
2. There are many wonderful bakeries all over Greece
3. Recycling is non-existant here
4. I have stayed in some regular hotels over hostels, but I guess not too common to have a TV in hotel rooms
5. Many of you know, in Europe it is the W.C.-water closet which is the toilet
6. Very common to see the double kissing-one cheek to the next even between men
7. Gas is around 1.09 Euro/liter which I think would translate
to close to $5/gallon; no wonder scooters are so popular.
8. Interesting-our hand-held shopping baskets; this one store had some with wheels & a long handle. Kind of cool.
9. People here don't say excuse me; either in English or Greek, & they're not very good about getting out of your way.
10. Everything in Europe is small including the roads. A number of times (granted I've been on busses), one party has to do a significant back up so the other vehicle can pass.
11. I've seen way way too much Dulce & Gabana; who the hell are they anyway
Observation:
Maybe I'm generalizing; maybe I'm seeing only a slice, but I do see a lot of Greeks just sitting around as the day passes (granted, I'm in the touristy area, although I've ventured beyond, but compared to the Jersey shore, or downtown Boulder... & I've traveled a lot in America, you don't see it like this. Good or bad, I don't know. In America we love that time to sit & do nothing because it seems so rare; however, if we did it all the time, I think we'd be quickly bored. Our lives "seem" so
much richer even if you don't like all 900 cable channels it does open your world up. Maybe the Greeks are reading more; I don't know; I haven't seen that in their sitting. Maybe they have greater family bonds because their not distracted by all we do in America; I don't know; taking your kids to soccer might be just as bonding. Movies, theater, sports, traveling seems to be an enricher of life & like I said maybe I'm generalizing, maybe I'm not seeing it, but I've talked to a few people who are like this island is my home, it's great & it's all I need, & I can't but think they don't know what they're missing. But then maybe they look at me & think a wondering sole/soul?
Mike's & Mama's Hostel was like that. Mike was born there; his soul is all over the walls in pictures & poems; Mama is no longer alive & Mike never plans to move on. It appears he's never left the place.
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Jewish Quarter
Great pictures etc. thanks for giving a donation in our honor, I'll have to make sure I get to see the synagogue and your in shul wow!!!!!! keep enjoying.