Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Nine)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

“He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy” Socrates

Ye Olde Town: The Harbour

Gun’s travel log, stardate 10.08.2015, 03.00 PM (GMT +3)

This, the largest of the islands in the Dodecanese, is a popular tourist destination. It is also a large charter base, so visiting mid-week provides a better chance of finding a berth. The main harbour for yachts is Mandraki on the north east tip of the island.

Position 36° 27.1’N, 28° 13.4’E. (Mandraki yacht harbour)

Rhodes town is very congested with crowds from cruise ships, ferries, holiday package groups, etc. and has thousands of shops and restaurants. Many cruisers prefer to moor in Lindos and take the bus up to Rhodes for the day

You can travel near or far from the Mandraki harbour. Pick up a ride for the day or join a cruiser and set sail for the distant lands. Or you may simply enjoy watching the very fine yahts docked at the piers and dream of a life of luxury…

Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Eight)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

“He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature” Socrates

Shopping

Gun’s travel log, stardate 10.08.2015, 02.00 PM (GMT +3)

Oh shop-keep, shop-keep?
Can you possibly assist me?
You see, I have all this money
Burning a hole in my pocket
No, I am not just being funny
Even though I ate a lot of chocolate
So pull out the inventory
And soon you will have a story
Of the crazy middle aged lady
Who bought your store empty

It was time to hit the shops. Our first stop was a gallery specializing in leather painted goods such as sandals, wallets, handbags and jewellery. Luckily the shop carried the “slender size 42” (EU size) in stock and I managed to get a pair of sandals into my possession in exchange for a fair amount of Euros. And by the way, I managed to get out of the shop with just one purchase, which in itself, is a record 😉

PS. A woman can never have to many shoes!

Venturing onwards to the shopping streets of many. Browsing, drooling, pondering over the bling blings, shoes – but of course and oh yes, if possible to find one more handbag for my collection of plenty.

Here are a few shops to check out if you are in the vicinity:

Top Notch

Stigma

And some more…

Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Seven)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

“True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing” Socrates

Ye Olde Town: History

Gun’s travel log, stardate 10.08.2015, 12.00 PM (GMT +3)

Welcome to Ye Olde Town
Throw away your frown
Enjoy the ancient history
From the turns of the centuries
Stroll around the ruins
In the footsteps of the druids
The lessons of ages past
Some things will last

old-town-12

On today’s agenda of this week’s excursion, was to set sail to the City of Rhodes, namely the Old Town. This former fortress is the perfect combination for a busy tourist, offering history, shopping and food in the small area inside the walls of the Old Town. Lots of ruins and sites to visit. Then take a break in any of the many restaurants neatly placed all around, enjoying a traditional Greek Salad and a drink. When fed and refreshed, you may want to visit the various shops selling both hand made and imported goods. The palate varies from hand made original jewellery to gold and silver items. Also leather items such as bags or sandals are in abundance.

old-town-5

The walkabout around the ruins in the scorching heat, with the temperature of 30 degrees Celsius in the shadow and even hotter in the sun, can be exhausting.

After the history lessons and putting some of it on record, a short break sipping cold drinks and watching the tourists walking by like the natives do, was more than welcome.

Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Six)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

“The unexamined life is not worth living” Socrates

Ye Olde Town

Gun’s travel log, stardate 10.08.2015, AM (GMT +3)

Wikipedia

Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος, Ródos, [ˈroðos]) is the principal city and a former municipality on the island of Rhodes in the Dodecanese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rhodes, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.[2] It has a population of approximately 100,000. Rhodes has been famous since antiquity as the site of Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The citadel of Rhodes, built by the Hospitalliers, is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, which in 1988 was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city of Rhodes is a popular international tourist destination.

Unesco

Medieval City of Rhodes
The Order of St John of Jerusalem occupied Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and set about transforming the city into a stronghold. It subsequently came under Turkish and Italian rule. With the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great Hospital and the Street of the Knights, the Upper Town is one of the most beautiful urban ensembles of the Gothic period. In the Lower Town, Gothic architecture coexists with mosques, public baths and other buildings dating from the Ottoman period.

Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Five)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

“And if you make it on a bleak day, a freak day, a week day
While you can be her guest
But never, never on a Sunday, a Sunday
The one day she’s got to get her rest”

Sunday

Gun’s travel log, stardate 09.08.2015, late morning AM (GMT +3)

Never ever on a Sunday
That is my fun day
After all, I am on a holiday
This is my day of rest
Which suits me the best

See Y’all tomorrow!

Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Four)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

Greeks that are really drunk aren’t “wasted”…they are “pie” (πἰτα)

The Sunset

Gun’s travel log, stardate 08.08.2015, 20.00 EET (GMT +3)

Time to calm down and watch the sunset beyond the horizon.

The sun is finally setting
It is the time of forgetting
Settling in for the night
No time for fright or flight
Gently lulling to sleep
Into the thoughts deep
Before waking to a new day
Ready for come what ever may

Gun’s Travel Diary: Greece – Rhodes Island (Three)

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Travel /Photography /Travel Diary /TBT

A Greek isn’t just “very busy”…she’s “running without arriving” (τρἐχει και δεν φτἀνει)

The Arrival

Gun’s travel log, stardate 08.08.2015, 11.00 EET (GMT +3)

Aeroport:

The flight was right on time and we landed on the Diagoras aeroport. The bus whisked us to the terminal, where the bags soon arrived without any hassle. The aeroport itself is very small, but comfortable. Not too much traffic, but just enough. Thinking ahead and wanting the brief vacation to run as smoothly as possible, we had spent the extra cost and reserved a private ride to the hotel.

Hotel:

Since we arrived at the hotel earlier than check out time (2 PM local time by default) we had to wait a few hours before settling in. The hotel itself, Amathus Elite Suites, Rhodes, was the option for us, simply because of the facilities and services offered: private pool and spa and of course the location: the north side of the island due to it’s cooling breeze.

At the hotel, the welcome was excellent and warm. And during our lengthened wait for our room to be ready (some three hours in the end) we were well taken care of: with coffee, fruits, juice and pastries and sweets and most importantly, free WI-FI!

After a quick tour around the complimentary services, we finally arrived in our suite. And of course, the pièce de résistance, the private swimming pool! Awaiting on ice: Sparkly wine and fruits. Now it was time to shed off the travel clothes and dip into the turquoise pool!

On a Sofa in Vienna (Seat Sunday 2016-02-07)

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Gun Roswell

Posted in Bench a Sunday Post/Seat Sunday Series
Poetry and Photography
&
Travel Words Photo Challenge Bench Series
(Sunday 07-02-2016)

“When in Vienna, sit on a comfy sofa”

On a Sofa in Vienna (Seat Sunday 2016-02-07)

When weary from your travels
And the day slowly starts to unravel
Better answer to the beckoning
When to its seat it is welcoming
At this hour it surely is permitted
A true respit for the wicked

Feeling beat
Take a seat
It has your number
Fall into a slumber
In the bosom
Of the softest of cushions

And have a good night’s sleep