Today was the perfect kind of day for Yours Truly: I got to . . .
- Hang out with some amazing people
- See some spectacular sites
- Check some important items off of my to do list
- Spend some time in solitude writing and thinking
- Go for a jog on the deck of a ship
- End it all with a “fancy“ dinner along with my fellow Pilgrims
But, let’s begin at the beginning:
We disembarked on the Island of Rhodes at around 7:30 AM. The island is perhaps most famous for that great wonder of antiquity, the Colossus of Rhodes (306 BC), which was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC. We hopped on board our tour bus for the 50 minute ride to Lindos, a medieval fishing village that sits beneath the ruins of the acropolis of Rhodes. Like many of the Greek islands, Rhodes would have played an important role in maritime trade and defense from antiquity onward. We made our way through the winding medieval streets of Lindos, up the nearly 350 steps to Monte Smith, the acropolis of Rhodes.
What struck me most about the site is the coexistence of ruins from both the Middle Ages and ancient times, with a medieval church nestled below the Greek columns which remain from the ancient temple to Athena. The site gives a spectacular view of the Bay of St. Paul, far below. We were one of the first groups to arrive, and in a matter of minutes, the site was overwhelmed with fellow tourists. I’v noticed that the Greeks tend to take a minimalist approach when it comes to signage/interpretive aids.
After making the descent from the acropolis, I took a moment to catch my breath in a cafe and post a few photos from our pilgrimage.
We made our way back to the city of Rhodes, the largest medieval town still inhabited in Europe, where we began our tour outside of the great city wall. The fortifications, dating back to the Knights of Saint John, are truly impressive. Our guide recounted the events of the siege of Rhodes (1522). I’d like to do more reading about the conflict between the Christian and Ottoman Empire during this time period.
After our tour, most of us headed back to the ship for a bite to eat. I kept it light, because I knew that I had a MISSION ahead of me: I had determined that today was the day when I would find something special for my beloved bride. Joined by my trust Sisters-in-shopping, Kitti and Gabriele, I headed back into the ancient city. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that after a few false starts, my mission was accomplished ✅.
With THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM checked off of my list, I decided to celebrate with a little writing and photo posting in a charming second-story cafe. It had an excellent view, and the host was delightful. With the time remaining, I made a quick tour of the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, restored in 1937. The palace has been decorated with medieval art and furniture, but, again, given the minimalist approach taken by the Greek Board of Cultural affairs, I found myself asking all sorts of questions for which no answers were provided. I find their museums informationally coy.
Once back on board the ship, elated by my purchase and all the events of the day, I decided to go for a jog before meeting the rest of the pilgrims for dinner. It was such a lovely day!