The Walls of Rhodes.

---

I thought I'd detail another aspect of Rhodes.

The old town of Rhodes is encircled by these tall, thick stone walls built to repel any kind of siege. The old town is like a fortress. Kathleena and I were walking and I happened to see a short row of square holes through the wall. I could see vegetation through the holes and they were big enough for me to crawl through without any squirming or fuss. So I did, and found myself in an arched little space close to the ground. I stuck my head out and, seeing no video cameras, crept out. I was in the space between a tower and the wall surrounding it. There were grass and flowers growing wild everywhere, just as if no-one ever went back there.

I walked along that curving space and found an old wooden ladder leading up to the top of a wall. So I went up there and it was a narrow oblong meadow with the top of the wall rising up about four feet on either side. It's like they never expected anyone would think to go in there. Anywhere else in the world I'd expect enough security and impediment that you'd never be able to just creep in and see the sights, but there you have it.

Another time we were walking between two walls and it is wild back there. There is no railways or tour guides or information on glass panels to tell you the history. It's like they just left it there, and it's awesome! We climbed up a crumbling stairway to the top of a wall and it's just completely overgrown. It's a meadow. Just incredible. I took a lot of pictures, and it's something I'll remember.

This afternoon we leave for Nisyros, which is nothing but a dry, hot dead volcano rising out of the sea just north of here. We're going to hike it and look inside the bowl at the top. Then back to Rhodes to catch a ferry to Holy Patmos. I am so psyched to see the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, the cavern where the apostle St John the Theologian heard the voice of God and wrote the Book of Revelations. It's gonna be Heavy.

---