Santorainy

Tuesday 14 May (Day 21)

We tried to nap on the ferry but if we tried to put our feet up on another chair a steward would come along and tell us off (unless you were Greek).  We had arranged (through the hotel) for someone to meet us at the port.  Although this was an extravagant expense (20 euros) we were glad we did it because when we arrived it was pouring with rain and we would never have found our hotel from the bus station.

Santorini is one of  the most spectacular of all the Greek islands (and one of the most expensive).  The island is the largest fragment of a volcanic archipelago made up of the broken remnants of the largest caldera on earth.  It is now thought by many to be the origin of the Atlantis legend, the inpouring of the sea into the caldera during a massive eruption c.1640 BC giving early sailors the impression that the greater part of the island had sunk.

The day was started with a late breakfast (well we didn’t get to bed until gone 2am) before we went out to explore.  We are staying in the village of Firostefani which just north of Fira (the capital).  There were four cruise ships in so it was quite busy.  The small quay where the cruisers are brought in is reached by climbing down 587 awkward steps on foot, by donkey or by cable car.

We went down the 587 steps in he afternoon just as all the cruisers were returning to their mother ships.  The combination of shiny cobblestones, running rainwater and fresh donkey poo was a lethal slippery mixture but we made it down to the bottom unscathed.  There were hundreds of donkeys and only a few people used them, perhaps the cruisers use them to go uphill in the morning.  We took the cable car back up.

In the evening we took the bus to Oia (pronounced EEa) where everyone goes to get the good sunset shots.  After a truly romantic sunset we got a kebab and washed it down with a cheeky can of diet coke (2013 vintage).

Tomorrow is forecast to be a sunnier day so I'm hoping to get some better sunset photos.

 Tracey playing with her model navy

The donkey track down

Rhodes to Ruins

Sunday 12 May (Day 19)

There was a large cruise ship in the port today so we thought we’d delay venturing out until later.  We set off on foot to visit the Temple of Apollo ruins and the nearby ancient stadium.  There were very few people about, maybe the cruisers don’t make it this far.

After a brief rest we went back down into Rhodes Town to walk around the harbour and look at the cruise ships where we met two American ladies taking photos of their cruise ship before they were summoned back on board.  They said that we would enjoy Santorini (our next island) because it was ‘yummy’.

Monday 13 May (Day 20)

While we were packing this morning there was a heavy thunderstorm and we got fairly wet just taking our suitcases to reception.  This didn’t bode well for our 20 minute walk to the ferry later on.  Our ferry wasn't due to leave until 4pm so we walked around in Rhodes Town for one more time trying to keep as dry as possible.  Fortunately the rain stopped in time for us to get to our ferry and we set sail for Santorini (or Thira as the Greeks like to call it) where we are due to arrive an hour after midnight.

Room with a View

The Ancient Stadium

 Temple of Apollo

Whistlestop Tour of Rhodes

Friday 10 May (Day 17)

I went off this morning in search of some breakfast and brought it back to our hotel room.  Our hotel room is at the very top of the building with its own roof terrace (sounds posher than it is).  While we were having breakfast a little girl walked into our room and proceeded to chatter away to us in German.  Using our rusty schoolboy/girl German we managed to establish that her name was Matilda Braun.  She chatted away to us for quite a while and couldn’t quite understand why she couldn’t understand most of the things we said.  Eventually her father found her and after a good look around our room (?) he took her away with a cheerful ‘Auf wiedersehn’.

We explored more of Rhodes Town including the street of the Knights and a good walk around the old city walls.

Saturday 11 May (Day 18)

Hired a car today.  It’s been 20 years since we were last here so we couldn’t remember much about the island.  Our first stop was Epta Piges (Seven Springs).  The lady from the hire car company said it was a waterfall so we had visions of huge Canadian style plumes of water coming down from the mountain.  When we arrived there were lots of people getting out of their cars with expensive camera equipment but when we walked down we discovered it was just seven springs.

Our second stop was Lindos and it looked like it was also the stop for everyone else who had hired a car that day.  We walked through the maze of shops, past the donkey station (where we declined a lift) and up to the Acropolis.

The third stop was Prassonissi at the very southern tip of the island.  We had a late lunch there and walked along the beach to watch the windsurfers and kite surfers. 

The fourth stop was Monolithos Castle built by the intrepid Knights of St John.  The castle is perched high on a chunk of rock overlooking a small islet.  It was well worth the climb to the top.

We then drove back along the western edge of the island.  The western side of Rhodes is much quieter and more rugged, the tourist beaches are mainly on the more sheltered eastern side.

Street of the Knights

 Not really a waterfall

 Lindos

Donkey Station

 Prassonissi Beach

 Monolithos

 View from Monolithos

Goodbye Patmos, Hello Rhodes

Tuesday 7 May (Day 14)

According to the weather forecast it was going to be our last sunny day for a while so we asked Irene for directions to the best beach on the island.  We followed her instructions and found a beautiful tree lined beach.  After staring at the sea for some while we plucked up the courage to venture forth, the water was freezing so we didn’t spend too long in there.

Wednesday 8 May (Day 15)

As forecast, we awoke to a day of hazy sunshine.  The second largest settlement on the island is the town of Kampos which is about 5km away (uphill of course).  Kampos seems a very friendly place.  We stopped for coffee in the small town square and everyone driving past (no one walks here, they mainly ride scooters) waved hello to others in the café.  We had a little stroll around the town and went into the beautiful church which was having its post Easter clean.

Irene brought us a cheese pie later in the afternoon and while we were talking an Israeli couple who were also staying in one of Irene’s apartments came back from their walk.  There then followed a bizarre conversation far too complicated to record in this blog which mainly involved Tracey translating Israeli English into Greek English and vice versa.

Thursday 9 May (Day 16)

Today we travelled from Patmos to Rhodes.  Irene loves her garden so we had bought her a geranium as a present to say thank you for looking after us so well.  The Israeli couple were on the same catamaran but we managed to avoid sitting to close to them as we didn’t want the job as translators permanently.

We managed to eventually find our hotel which was a bit of a struggle because I had only sketched a poor map on a scrap of paper and pulling suitcases along cobbled streets isn’t easy.

 Rhodes Town

Dancing after the Apocalypse

Monday 6 May (Day 13)

Spoke to Irene this morning who said that she had got it wrong and the Greek dancing was tonight.  She more than made up for her mistake by bringing us fresh eggs from her chickens.  After a late breakfast we went on a walk to the town of Chora (6km away up a long hill) to visit the Monastery of the Apocalypse.  During the walk up we kept an eye out for any horsemen but none were to be seen.  When our long climb was over we discovered that the monastery shut at 1:30pm.  Never mind, the views were worth it.

Half way up was the convent of the apocalypse (also shut)

We walked up there!

We went to the town square in the evening and watched the local children performing their traditional dance.  The mayor gave a speech beforehand, we didn’t understand a word of it but it didn’t matter because he gave out cake to everyone who listened.

Irene

Come On Irene

Saturday 4 May (Day 11)

Left Bodrum port at 9am and arrived in Kos at 10am.  The temperature has gone from 32 to 22 degrees, we might need our cardies in the evening at this rate.

Irene (our landlady) had said there was a ferry leaving Kos at 11am although my handy island hopping app said it was 16:30.  We made sure we were at the front of the queue at passport control and rushed around Kos port looking for a ticket office.  Sure enough the ferry wasn’t due to leave until 16:30, so much for local knowledge.  We whiled away our day in various tavernas and took it in turns to look around Kos castle.

Irene met us in Patmos (Skala port) as arranged and drove us at breakneck speed to our apartment.  She was in a bit of a hurry as there was a night of Easter dancing ahead.  Tracey and I made a sandwich and turned in for the night.

Doesn't fill us with confidence

 Easter in Kos Town

Sunday 5 May (Day 12)

Explored the main town of Skala today.  Most of the shops are shut as it is Easter Sunday.  Irene said that there would be another evening of Easter dancing down in the town square tonight.  When we got to the square there was no sign of any dancing – so far Irene’s information hasn’t been that reliable.

Small boat in Patmos harbour

Bodrum Castle

Thursday  2 May (Day 9)

Sorry about the infrequent updates but I can only get a wifi signal if I sit outside the owner’s house in the pitch darkness.  I have to contend with mopeds, scooters, cats pawing at me and stray dogs looking at me warily.  The things I do for my readers!

After all the recent travelling we had a lazy morning before going to visit Bodrum Castle.  The castle, which is now the home of the Underwater Archaeological  Museum  contained plenty of shipwrecked boats recovered from the seabed in the local area.  Tracey had been recommended to visit it by Dr Andrew Shortland a forensic archaeologist at Cranfield University and it did not disappoint.

Bodrum Marina

 6th century shipwreck

Friday 3 May (Day 10)

Bought tickets this morning for our ferry crossing to Kos.  From Kos we have to get on another ferry to Patmos. 

We have hopefully booked accommodation near the main town of Skala with a woman called Irene.  I say hopefully because there has been a lot of confusing email traffic between us about the availability of the room and the times of the ferry.  This weekend is Easter time in Greece so the island of Patmos is likely to be quite busy.

Bodrum Castle