HOOKED ON GREECE
Athens
Naxos
Santorini
Rhodes
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Hooked on Greece: Rhodes |
Our flight to Rhodes was uneventful. The first thing we noticed about this island was that there were actual multi-lane paved roads.
We had chosen to vist Old Town and Lindos with the limited time we had left.
For convenience sake, we chose to stay at Faliraki beach. Our hotel was a ten minute walk from the town of Faliraki.
It was the least traditional and thus my least favourite hotel so far. It was a highrise and reminded me of a hotel in Miami (Nothing against Miami but if I wanted Miami, I could have gone to Miami). It had however, really good bus service to the places we had chosen to visit.
We hopped the local bus in front of the hotel and it took us right to downtown Rhodes. The harbour is a wonderful spot full of boats. People are everywhere. We walked to the famous "Old Town" first. As you walk through the entrance of this walled town, you are taken back to very ancient times.
The streets are narrow cobblestone. You can imagine the knights of old riding on horseback to their destination. There is much to see. We spent several hours within the walls wandering around and I really don't think we saw everything.
A better map would have helped. The Palace of the Knights is quite impressive. My favourite, though, were the long narrow passages with archways, stone and flowers.
The next day, we caught a boat outside our hotel which takes guests to the town of Lindos. It travels along the south-eastern shore from Faliraki beach right to Lindos port. The ride is about an hour or so and it is very picturesque.
When the boat lets you off at the small port, you can see the huge acropolis within walking distance. If you follow the signs, there is a lovely village square where the buses stop. There are tavernas and shops everywhere. There are also donkeys which you can rent for the journey up to the top.
As you start climbing the hill there are kiosks along the way and there is overhead shading. Further along as it becomes more steep, there are many Greek ladies with their beautiful hand crafted linens laying out for sale. It is difficult to stop and look when there are many people in front and behind you.
We were there at mid-day and it was very crowded. By this time the terrain becomes much more steep and there are more steps. I believe I read that there are about 280 steps to climb. There are no railings to hold on to and the steps can be a bit slippery. I advise caution that the climb may not be for everyone.
When we finally reached the top, I was most impressed with the spectacular view of the town and harbour below. If you plan to visit the Acropolis of Lindos, I highly recommend doing so very early in the day or in the off-season. Good walking shoes and a hat are a must.
Exhausted, we decided to take a taxi back to the hotel. The next day we were flying back to Athens for one night and then heading back home to Canada.
 HOOKED ON GREECE
I hope you have enjoyed our travelogue. My husband Shawn and I enjoyed Greece so much that we are planning our trip for 2002. We will visit Lesvos and Chios. Greece is not a place you will easily forget. Many people speak English, the food and drink is delicious. The scenery is amazing. We were there at the end of May and beginning of June. The days were very warm, the sea was refreshingly cool and we had sunshine each and every day. The people were helpful and very friendly. Since returning home I have gathered Greek recipes, bought Greek wine, and learned more Greek phrases. We even attended the Greek festival which Ottawa has each year. We are truly hooked on Greece! Adio for now.
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