Date: May 1, 2004
Cities: Rhodes, Lindos


Greece
2004After a 7:00 buffet breakfast we assembled to leave at 7:50 and took the English speaking bus for our tour. We went to the old city of Rhodes first, in large part because the rest of the buses headed to Lindos first. The old city is very picturesque, with fortified walls mostly intact and a rebuilt citadel which the Italians had planned to use as a residence for Victor Emanual II. World War II prevented him from occupying it, but the restoration was completed.

Greece
2004The bombings during the German occupation did not damage the structures much. The Hotels of the eight tongues of the Knights of St. John are still standing, and now they house the Greek ministry of antiquities and related groups, including the French cultural attache. The Hospital is now a museum, which was undergoing renovations and planned to re-open in June 2004.

Greece
2004Between Rhodes and Lindos we stopped at a ceramics shop where we watched a very skilled old man throw a pot on an electric wheel. He had great technique, and when he finished throwing the pot, he sliced it in half to show off the thin and even cross-section of the thrown vessel. A few others bought token pieces in the shop, but there was nothing simple and functional enough for our tastes.

Greece
2004Acrolindos was closed for the May Day strikes, but we drove down to the Bay of St. John and saw the church of St. John, built in 1951. We also went into Lindos and saw a church with 18th century artwork on a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The church was reminiscent of the lower basilica of St. Francis in Assisi in feel, though newer and less primitive in many respects. We also saw the donkeys which you can hire for the ride up to Acrolindos. Since the site was closed, tourists were having their photos taken on the donkeys and letting their children ride.

Allan was concerned that we would miss lunch because we were running late, but since we were on a ship-run tour, they opened the lunch buffet line again when we got back at 13:15. That's the advantage of being on a ship-scheduled outing.

We slept away the late afternoon before going to the 18:30 early seating of dinner. Some people had appropriate dress for theme and formal nights, but we were travelling in carry-ons, so we went casual both nights. The children we expected at the early seating all wound up in the late seating, so dinner was quiet and peaceful.

After dinner we lay on the top deck, and then watched the end of the Greek evening show. Later we went to the Duty Free shop and bought Jane some Disaronno and a necklace, and some chocolate for Allan. Jane got one last decent-sized glass of Macallan Cask Strength out of her flask, and then refilled it with Disaronno.

Since we had a relatively short distance for the 12 hour voyage to Patmos, the Triton cruised slowly, with only one engine burning at full steam. The chop was much more noticeable for lack of headway. Jane took Dramamine twice a day for the whole voyage and her stomach stayed relatively steady.

cookie by
Allan West and
Jane Dominguez
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