Saturday July 17
The gentle rolling of our cruise ship had lulled me to dreamland. So I was startled to awaken and discover it was already 9.30 am. Since we were nearing Rhodes harbour, I hurriedly breakfasted on fresh rolls and hot coffee, then disembarked with half the passengers, to spend the whole day exploring this historic island!
Rhodes is an island located northeast of Crete and southeast of Athens. And though Greek, it is closer to the Anatolian coast of Turkey. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, both in land area and population.
by kind courtesy of http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/grdodecanese.htm
Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for its Colossus, which protected the island and its harbour till it was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.
The Colossus astride the ancient harbour of Rhodes once stood over 30 meters (98.4 ft) high, and must have been an imposing sight for merchant boats entering or leaving the island's ancient harbour.
Built to honour the Greek Titan, Helios, It was one of the tallest statues of the ancient world and is, today, considered one of the Seven wonders of the Ancient World
by kind courtesy of http://www.aycalifeclub.com/colossus-of-rhodes.html/colossus-of-rhodes-16
Today, the medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. And I was totally thrilled to be spending the day there.
by kind courtesy of http://travelsort.com/blog/history-beautiful-views-and-nightlife-in-rhodes-greece
Our first group excursion was to the Grand Master's Palace where an English speaking tour guide enthusiastically educated us around the edifice.The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes is a medieval castle in the city of Rhodes. The site was previously a citadel of the Knights Hospitaller that functioned as a palace, headquarters and fortress.
by kind courtesy of http://www.visitgreece.gr/deployedFiles/StaticFiles/Photos/Castello_The%20Grand%20Masters'%20Palace_%20Rhodes%20Old%20Town_510.jpg]
Some parts of the palace were damaged by an ammunition explosion in 1856. When the Kingdom of Italy occupied Rhodes in 1912, the Italians made the palace a holiday residence for the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, and later for Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, whose name can still be seen on a large plaque near the entrance.
On 10 February 1947, the Treaty of Peace with Italy, one of the Paris Peace Treaties, determined that the recently-established Italian Republic would transfer the Dodecanese Islands to Greece. In 1948, Rhodes and the rest of the Dodecanese were transferred as previously agreed. The palace was then converted to a museum and is today visited by millions of tourist annually.Above excerpt taken from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_the_Grand_Master_of_the_Knights_of_Rhodes
My favourite surprise discovery at the Grand Master's Palace was a marble mosaic floor that featured a detailed astrological map. It's solid, ancient presence, still preserved in this palace, reassured me that ancient princes had respected and revered Astrology.
Leaving the Grand Master's Palace, Donna and I strolled the picturesque back streets of Rhodes, getting lost among the quaint old roads of the Medieval town. The shadows cast by the buildings provided excellent shade, most efficiently shielding us from the searing noonday sun.
Eventually we re-joined the crowds in the main street that stretched towards the harbour, beneath the outer walls of the Grand Master's palace. Here the atmosphere was definitely more lively with a street fair in full swing with independent merchants selling their wares.
Eventually we re-joined the crowds in the main street that stretched towards the harbour, beneath the outer walls of the Grand Master's palace. Here the atmosphere was definitely more lively with a street fair in full swing with independent merchants selling their wares.
Though this video conveys the feeling of walking through the streets of Rhodes
Closer to the harbour many street vendors were selling freshly cooked food, which smelled heavenly to me. It had been many hours since my bread roll and coffee before leaving the ship. So I was ready to risk freshly cooked souvlaki wrapped in flat bread. But since Donna was not willing to trust her stomach to rough local cuisine, we parted ways by the water, agreeing to meet on board our ship later.
I spent the rest of that afternoon in blissful solitude, eating my simple yet delicious lunch sitting on a wall overlooking Elli beach. Today, swank resort hotels provide beach loungers and drinks service to attract younger, more active tourists. But back then, those hotels had yet to be built.
In 1976, very few pale-skinned tourists braved the town's nearest beach that midday. But since I tan to bronze quickly, I rarely used lotions. After lunch, I moved to the water's edge and stripped to my bikini, leaving shoes and outer clothing in a pile close to the water's edge. The Aegean and Mediterranean seas have no tides so there was no risk that my clothes would not be swept into it.
The cobalt blue water felt warm and silky on my skin, and was so clean that I initially spent several minutes time floating face down, mesmerized by schools of small fishes darting about in the shallow water.
But when I turned my face to the sky, the shock of the water on my back informed me that the hot noontime Greek sun was, indeed, a force to be reckoned with. While I had been happily chasing fishes, my neck, shoulders and upper arms had been sizzling like steak on a barbecue.
But when I turned my face to the sky, the shock of the water on my back informed me that the hot noontime Greek sun was, indeed, a force to be reckoned with. While I had been happily chasing fishes, my neck, shoulders and upper arms had been sizzling like steak on a barbecue.
In an effort to literally save my skin, I spent the rest of that afternoon immersed in the water, diving under it, treading water and swimming - anything but passively floating on the surface. Unused to the intensity of Greek sunshine, I realized I was very, very lucky to have escaped getting sunstroke that day!
For an overview of modern day Elli beach and its amenities press this link.
Too soon, it was time to head back to the harbour and rejoin my cruise. But my afternoon of solitary play in that warm and welcoming salt water had revitalized me, giving me the strength I needed to withstand the remainder of (what would be) our cruise's rigorous sightseeing schedule.
Storm at sea
Everyone was on board before the supper rotation began. And most ate very heartily after a day of sightseeing and shopping in old town Rhodes. Oddly, I had very little appetite for a big meal that night, despite the always tempting menu. Instead I chose a meal of cold cuts, a freshly made salad and some fresh fruit, washed down with a couple of glasses of wine.
by kind courtesy of http://origin-ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0025322707000400-gr2.jpg
During the night, as our ship plied the waters between the southernmost Greek Isles, the weather gods stirred up a classic Aegean storm, very like the ones faced by ancient Greek heroes in Homer's Odyssey. We were passing through the Cretan Trough, an undersea depression between Rhodes and Crete known for its undersea volcanic activity and earthquakes. This area frequently tested the nerve and talent of those who plied its waters. And, that night, it blew us a storm of epic proportions!
Fortunately, I already encountered gale force winds whilst travelling to the mainland of Scotland from the Outer Hebrides in the summer of 1971. But then, the townsfolk of Stornaway, who had seen the storm forecast, took care to warn us to limit our food intake before boarding that ferry.
On this Grecian journey, however, we passengers had received no such warning, whatsoever, So, following a day of exploration, many had eaten and drunk to excess at supper, oblivious of the violent storm that was fast approaching.
As the storm intensified, and the ship began pitching into the mighty waves, many people began to look rather green around the gills, and thus chose to return to their cabins. Donna, unfortunately, was one of them.
Montreal Olympics begin
by kind courtesy of http://www.pinsandthings.com/546-660-large/ioc-olympic-logo-montreal-1976-pin-badge.jpg
I was glad to have eaten so sparingly during the day, and again at supper that my own stomach was not at all affected by the waves. Apart from two glasses of wine at supper, I'd drunk only water for that entire day. Thus when tumultuous waves raised our ship high into the air, it felt like - to me - as if we were riding on an endless slow motion roller coaster.The ship pitched so violently, that its much anticipated televised reception of the 1976 Olympics was frequently interrupted by static.
The opening ceremonies of the Olympics were actually taking place in Montreal at that very moment. But since Greece is 7 time zones ahead of Montreal, we were watching them on board during a dark and very stormy night.
I have a wonderful, if rather bizarre, memory of our national anthem 'Oh Canada' being sung by several strong-stomached Canadians on board, who had gathered by the lounge television to wait out the storm. In fact, the only consistent rendition of our national anthem that night was ours since our ship's television reception disappeared intermittently whenever our vessel pitched into a wave.
At such auspicious moments, it was a matter of pride for us, Canadians, to fill in the gaps of our anthem. And we did so enthusiastically - in both our national languages, no less!
Sleep, when it came, was fitful, even after a day of activities in Rhodes. In that continuing storm, I was mightily grateful that our berths were designed with sturdy side barriers that kept us from being tossed to the floor during the night.
Next Time
July 18 - 20
GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE
Crete
Palace of Knossos
Heraklion Museum
Heraklion Museum
Santorini
Donkey Rides
Churches
Triple decker Ice Cream cones
Donkey Rides
Churches
Triple decker Ice Cream cones
GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE
July 18 Crete and Santorini
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