Tom`s travels: Rhodes, Symi & Kos (07-16/05/2021)

After flying back to Germany, following my time in Italy, Ania and I decided to fly once again to Greece, this time heading southeast to visit three islands part of the Dodecanese. In fact, travel was just starting to resume and Greece had just recently lifted the mandatory quarantine for visitors from the EU. All that was needed was a vaccination proof or negative PCR test and we were good to go. So after taking an early flight from Berlin Brandenburg airport we reached the Rhodes Diagoras airport a few hours later. After getting off the plane and out of the airport we found our car rental guy waiting for us who then brought us to his nearby office from where we got the keys to our nice tiny white Škoda. One thing we had noted was that our plane, and in general the airport of Rhodes was rather empty as most people were still not sure they could travel yet, and which turned out to make this vacation so great with nearly no tourists in all the places we went for the next few days. After getting our car we immediately set off and drove in a southerly direction following the main speedway which connects the north of the island to the south along the coast. Along the way, we stopped at a small supermarket where we got some food to eat for lunch later on the way. Then back in the car we drove further and then took an exit to reach the first attraction of our trip, the Epta Piges, or Seven Springs. The springs come out of the mountain and flowing through a natural green and lush area form then a lake which remains replenished even in the summer months thanks to a dam built by the Italians during their occupation of the island in the 1930s. In fact, during the Italo-Turkish War of 1912, the Italians took control of some of the islands in the Aegean and maintained them well until the end of World War 2 when they were finally given ceded to Greece. The area of the springs, being up high in the mountain and covered in greenery offers a cool setting even in the warmest months of the summer. The main attraction is a 186m long narrow dark tunnel that brings the water from the springs directly to the lake. The fun part of it is that one can walk along the tunnel with feet in rather cold water and nothing but darkness for most of its length. We decided to do this and with the help of our phones' flashlights walked the entirety of the tunnel. At some points, it was rather slimy as due to the lockdown measures not many people had been walking it and algae had started growing back. However, once we got to the other side we were glad of having done this unusual activity. After getting back in the car we drove then to the nearby Tsampika monastery, where we reached a taverna halfway up the hill and parked there to continued on foot. We followed the easy staircase, of about 350 steps, leading up to the top of the hill where the church is located. Located at about 240m above sea level, this small Byzantine church features just a room with an icon of the Virgin Mary. The icon is said to be miraculous in that women facing difficulties in conceiving should climb the hill barefooted to pray to the Virgin for fertility and that most of the time, faith is compensated and wishes fulfilled. The highlight for us though was obviously the view we had all around us. To one side is the bay of Tsambika with its large stretch of beach and far in the distance the village of Lindos. To the other side, northwards, Kolymbia and its beaches. It had gotten quite warm and the climb up made us break a sweat but luckily the wind, a constant presence throughout our stay in Greece, helped greatly. We decided then to sit on a bench and enjoy the lunch we had brought with us, bread hummus, cucumber olives, and apple. After eating it was then time to head back down the steps and into our car to drive to the nearby Tsampika beach with its nice spacious sandy shore and its crystal clear blue waters. Ania had a coffee at the nice bar on the beach and then we found a nice spot in the sand where we laid out our stuff. I then decided to have a swim, the first one of the year, and despite the cold temperature of the water, it was nice and refreshing. Right above us, on the stocks, were some goats who were happily munching on the few plants growing there and occasionally letting some debris fall down. Luckily we were close enough to see them but far enough to avoid the falling stones. After relaxing there in the sun for a little while we got back in the car and drove a little further, to the nearby beach of Agia Agathi. Once there we didn't go down to the beach proper but just admired the panorama as it seemed a lot of young people from the area were just playing loud music there and we did not wish to stay there with that noise. We found it funny though that a bunch of goats just decided to take shelter in one of the abandoned buildings right next to the beach and were observing us as we arrived. After taking a few pictures of the panorama we finally headed for the town of Lindos, our last stop of the day. As we approached the destination we stopped on a hill overlooking the town where a nice viewpoint granted an amazing sight of the town with its typical white buildings. The white old town contrasting with the yellow stone of the acropolis and castle was a sight to behold, particularly at that time of the day with the golden sunset light giving its extra touch. As we arrived we then called the owner of the accommodation, Georgios, who then came to pick us up in front of a closed supermarket on the main road and led us down to the nice small apartment where we would spend the next 2 nights. We parked the car nearby, on a street above the accommodation, and then brought our luggage inside. After a shower, we then headed through the town which for a part was positively void of people and thus of tourists but because of that most shops and restaurants were still closed. The architecture of the town was beautiful and mesmerizing and seemed nothing like I had ever seen; in a way it seemed like that of Spain, Italy and Morocco combined together. As we walked around the old town and through its picturesque narrow streets, we tried looking for a place to have dinner however as most places were closed, we ended up at a grill/gyros place where I had gyros with fries and Ania had falafel. It seemed like it was popular as quite a few people were there, probably as it was the only place open and all its inhabitants were there at the same moment. After dinner on our way back to the accommodation, we stopped at one of only two small shops in town to get some groceries for breakfast. Once we then got to our place we enjoyed a few minutes on the terrace which granted an amazing view of the old town which looked even nicer now in the dark with all the lights on making it look like a large nativity scene.

The next day we had a nice breakfast from the terrace of our room, overlooking the town and acropolis with a few clouds but still rather sunny. The weather was supposed to be cloudy for most of the day so we had planned to stay in town to visit the city center and the surrounding bay. As we strolled through the old town we admired the beautiful white architecture of the buildings and the elegant decorated yellow stone portals some of which date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. We then passed by the main church, that of Panagia, with its nice tall slender yellow stone bell tower and then two lesser churches, the 13th-century church of St Peter and the 14th century chapel of St George. From there we then started our ascent of the large hill overlooking the city center. At the top of it was the Acropolis, a natural citadel which was fortified successively by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Knights of St John, and the Ottomans. The town's location made it in fact attractive to different populations which took over control as the centuries passed. Once we reached the top, we paid for the trance ticket which, in my opinion, was exorbitantly high as it cost 12 euros each. There are larger, more famous, and more beautiful sites that cost less. Nonetheless, we headed in and commenced the visit of the castle, first byzantine and later rebuilt and enlarged by the Knights of Rhodes in 1317 in order to defend the island against the Ottomans. The weather was now fully cloudy and that helped a lot with the heat as most of the area was barren of any trees. Lindos is in fact known for being on average one of the warmest places in Europe, oftentimes even surpassing the Canary Islands. Next to the castle we then visited the partially ruined church of St John, dating from the 14th century. A little further up, following the walls that surround the whole acropolis we finally reached the top and main part, the Temple of Athena Lindia. Built around the 6th century BC above a natural cave in the cliff, it later burnt in 342 BC and was rebuilt in a Doric style which can be partly seen today. In fact, during the Italian rule of the island, the whole acropolis was excavated and buildings, such as the temple, were re-erected using the material around in a technique called anastylosis. From there we had an incredible view down the cliffside and over the bay below. We were also the only tourists there, and not just because of the high price of the ticket, and only two couples came there after us and so we basically had the whole place to ourselves. We then admired the rest of the archeological site which consisted of other ancient greek buildings such as the Propylaea, or monumental staircase, of the sanctuary, the stoa, which used to be the covered portico or walkway, part of the temple, and the remains of a smaller ancient roman temple. On our way back down the castle, we also admired a beautiful carved relief of a Rhodian Trireme dating to the 2nd century BC and cut into the rock at the foot of the steps leading to the acropolis. Once we reached the town we stopped at a shop to grab some food and eat it back at our accommodation. While we sat on the terrace enjoying the view we had a nice refreshing salad with tomatoes cucumbers olives and feta for me and vegan feta, which we were surprised to find in such a tiny shop of a tiny town, for Ania. After lunch, we decided to hike a nice trail that left the town heading northwards along the bay. We followed the trail through barren rocky terrain finding some nice spots along the way where we could admire the old town with the acropolis and castle behind us. We also met some friendly donkeys who greeted us and let us pass through a breach in a stone wall to continue onwards. After a bit, we passed by what seemed to be either a medieval tower or an old windmill which was evidently used by the donkeys and/or goats as an occasional shelter. Finally, at the end of the trail and end of the rocky cape, we reached an elevated position where an ancient Lycian tomb was set. It is known as the Tomb of Kleoboulos and consists of a circular structure with carefully built masonry and a vaulted roof. From here we also had a beautiful view of Lindos and its bay. Again the constant cloud cover despite making pictures look a little duller made the temperature and thus the hike much more pleasant, complicit also the wind that blew from the sea. It was then time to head back, following the trail once more to reach Lindos. As we approached the town we decided to stop at the northern beach which was literally empty apart from 2 people far away at the other end of it. We laid down our beach towels and enjoyed the occasional moments of sunshine peering through the clouds. Before sunset, we then headed back to our accommodation where we showered and changed clothes. We then decided to head to eat at one of the few other places open; a place called Ice Bar which luckily also had food. It was rather nice, located close to our accommodation along the main road, and had a nice outside seating area where we sat down. I had a very large and tasty burger while Ania had vegetables mixed in a sauce called Lindos sauce, a garlic-based one.

After a goodnight's sleep, we woke up to find a beautiful sunny day and decided to head back to the beach which we had visited the day before. It was already warm in the early morning, and would later find out the temperature would reach 29 degrees, so well above 30 in the direct sunlight. A feature which we also discovered in the following days touring the island was that on average Lindos is usually 5 degrees warmer than Rhodes which is just under 50km to the north. Rhodes is in fact much greener and lush than Lindos and has much more annual rainfall. So after heading down to the beach and enjoying it empty of anyone else we walked along the shore admiring once more the beautiful white old town and acropolis glistening under the morning sun. I also dipped my feet in the cold yet crystal clear water. Once back in our car it was time to leave the town for good and drove for a little while in the interior of the island stopping then to visit the small remote monastery of Moni Thari. The monastery is set among a mountainous landscape surrounded by pine forests and originally dates to the 9th century. It then underwent changes and reconstructions which gave it its current look in the 12th and 13th centuries. The interior holds a beautiful gilded iconostasis with the two main icons representing Christ and Mary and flanked by two other icons and frescoes covering the walls dating to 1506. After visiting the Byzantine church we then got back in the car and drove to our next stop, the nearby small town of Asklipio. Like many towns around the island, Asklipio is a relaxed sleepy town with mostly older people living there and spending most of their day outside sitting in the shade, eating, or chatting about. What was really interesting was the amount of lemon and orange trees dotting the town, nearly every house had its own tree, and the lemons were huge, like those found in the Amalfi Coast. After parking the car in the center we then walked uphill to visit the Asklipio Castle. Originally a Byzantine fortification, the castle proper was built in 1479 by Grand Master D'Aubusson. It nowadays stands in ruin but some parts, namely the outer walls and some traces of the interior buildings, still remain. However, the highlight here is the view from the top which spaces from the surrounding hilly and mountainous landscape covered in olive trees and pine forests to the glistening blue of the southern coast of the island. After enjoying the view for a while we then went back down to our car and drove onwards towards the south stopping along the way at a supermarket to grab some food for later. We then continued through a barren empty landscape which reminded me a lot of southern Spain and Portugal. As we drove we decided to stop right next to the road at an abandoned village in a large desolate plain known as Kattavia. Here, during the 1930s, the Italians had decided to found a small colony called San Marco (probably with colonists coming from Veneto) and had built a few buildings in order to develop the surrounding land with land reclamation, road construction, extensive reforestation, and channeling the waterways. Similar colony towns such as this can be found throughout the whole island and most of them date to the 1930s when the Fascist government replicated land development efforts done in Italy, here in Rhodes. In fact, during that period the Italian government had planned to settle about 8000 colonists on the island; it seemed though that like this and the other three colonies around the island they did not succeed or grow into towns to this day, but at least, helped with the development of the land. The Italians had in fact managed to do something positive: they had helped eradicate malaria in the whole island, brought modern plumbing and electricity, and uncovered and restored the local archaeological sites. The church and nearby building of this colony had been recently restored and a cafè had been set up, however during our visit it was still closed, probably waiting for the busier season to open. As we continued on driving we then reached, not far from there, Prasonissi Beach. This beautiful beach is set at the southern tip of the island and forms a bay with a small island in front, sometimes accessible on foot when the tide is low enough. As we arrived, we thought it was a bit too windy to stay there, something which we figured out the place is known exactly for as it is flocked by wind and kite surfers who take advantage of it, so we decided to look for a spot behind the dunes to eat our lunch. We had brought sandwiches with salad, cucumber, and feta for me and vegan feta for Ania. As it was too cold and windy we decided not to stay there longer and head back in the car to drive onwards. As we left the beach we noticed that a kind of huge refinery had been built right above the beach, which was also a natural park, and it seemed that, according to an old signboard, locals had tried to oppose its construction without a positive outcome. The signboard state in fact that the refinery was going to dump harmful byproducts in the air and water harming the beach and its natural park, something I guess was now already occurring since the construction had been completed. From there we then drove onwards and after a bit of driving, starting our ascent of the mountainous landscape which covers the western part of the island, passed by the town of Monolithos where we would be spending the night. We didn't stop there and instead drove onwards and past the nearby Monolithos Castle which we decided to visit later. We admired the castle from different viewpoints on our way down the mountains towards the coast until we reached the end of the road and the beach of Fourni. The large beach was mostly empty apart from a couple and a small family. We found a spot close to the water and laid down our towels on the pebbles. It was rather windy, something which would follow us for the whole vacation, making it really great for visiting but a little less pleasing after swimming the cold waters of May. From the beach, I then decided to explore the coast by walking along the shore and climbing some rocks to reach another nearby beach. This one was completely empty so I decided to swim naked in the cold but crystal clear water. After returning back to Ania we then walked together towards the other end of the beach and up the cliff where some caves had been dug, probably in ancient times for the stone. There was even an old tomb at the end of the small cape, similar to the one we had seen in Lindos. The view from up there was amazing, with the open, large, and windy Fourni Beach on one side and some smaller coves among the high cliffs on the other. The water had some beautiful blue and green hues which were just so inviting me to jump in. I even managed to get some signal in such a remote location and video called my parents to show them how nice it looked. Once we had enjoyed our time there for a bit we decided to get in the car and drive back up towards Monolithos castle. We park the car right below the fortification and then walked up the steep staircase to reach the top of the 236m rock on which it is built upon. It was built during the 15th century by the Knights of St John on top of a solitary rock due to its strategic location that allowed a clear view of the Mediterranean. The extremely challenging route to reach it and its hardly accessible position made it very difficult for enemies, including the Ottomans, to seize it. However, today only some external parts of the fortifications remain with the rest mostly gone, probably crumbled down the steep cliff or used for construction elsewhere. It still retains though a small chapel from the 15th century dedicated to St. Panteleimon and its highlight is the breathtaking view of the mountain of Akramytis crowning the back, the village of Monolithos right below it, and the island Halki and the vast Aegean Sea to the other side. After the visit to the castle, we walked back down to our car and finally drove into Monolithos town and to our accommodation, the Limeri Traditional Guesthouse, where we were warmly greeted by the friendly staff who also offered us a nice refreshing apple juice. After being shown to our room which featured a beautiful decoration and what looked like a really comfortable double bed, as most hotels during our vacation seemed to offer only twin beds, we then showered and then headed downstairs to have dinner. I ordered beef with groats cooked in a traditional clay pot oven with a tasty sauce and Ania had an orzo with vegetables cooked in coconut milk. We also had a tasty local red wine to go with it and were happy for the quality and price of it all.

The morning after we had breakfast at the place, I had yogurt with oats and nuts and Ania had an avocado toast. We then thanked the super kind staff and drove onwards, starting the day by visiting the castle of Kritinia. As we reached the place and parked the car we then followed the staircase leading up to the structure. This castle was better preserved than the one in Asklipio but still partly in ruins. Built in 1472 over a pre-exiting Byzantine structure by the Venetian sculptor, Giorgio Orsini, also known as Giorgio da Sibenico, it is often erroneously considered a Venetian castle. However, it was actually built for the Knights of St John to protect this side of the island from enemy incursions as it offers a commanding and thus now breathtaking view of the Aegean Sea, the island of Chalki, and the islets of Strogyli, Makri, Alimia, and others. Only the shell of the castle still survives today, but above the rather damaged entrance lie the coats of arms of two of the Grand Masters: that of Grand Master D’Amboise and that of Grand Master Origny. Despite the strong sun, the wind helped a lot with the temperature and we enjoyed the beautiful view of the surrounding countryside and the sea below from an altitude of about 131m. From the castle, we then drove to the nearby beach of Kopria, where we stayed for a little while with no one around in sight. I even had a nice refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters. After the time at the beach, we then decided to drive further north along the coast and stop at the archaeological site of Ancient Kamiros. The ticket entry was 8 euros which seemed in this case appropriate for the quality and quantity of the things seen. As with other places so far, we were the only visitors there and really enjoyed the tour of the ancient site. Lying on the western shore of the island, close to the promontory of Agios Minas, Kamiros was one of the three large Doric cities of the island, Ialysos and Lindos being the other two, which made up the city-state of Rhodes. Having a mostly agricultural-based economy the city reached its golden age during the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. but then began its decline after the city of Rhodes was founded in 408 B.C and after two earthquakes, one in 226 BC and one in 142 AD. The city was built on a degrading hill facing the sea, with the acropolis and the temple of Athena at its highest point, the residential area in the middle and the commercial area with the agora, and other public buildings at the lowest point. We walked up and down the archaeological site twice to be able to admire everything and I thought that despite not being promoted so much the site was really incredible and the ancient city so well-preserved. After visiting the archeological site we drove just a few minutes down the road and stopped at a restaurant called Dionysos Steki to have lunch. I had fish with fries while Ania took a moussaka and then the kind owner gave us a complimentary dessert, apples with cinnamon. After lunch, we then had a little stroll right outside the restaurant as it was located right by the beach and with a really nice view. We headed back in the car and drove onwards to the north to our next stop. We passed the airport once more and then driving uphill for the last part, reached the Monastery of Filerimos. Located on a hill of the same name at 267m just 15km south of Rhodes, it grants an amazing view of the surrounding landscape, the small town of Ialyssos below, and the deep blue sea in the distance. Due to its strategic location, the mount has been the site of different buildings from different eras and populations. It's on top of it that the ancient city of Ialysos, one of the three ancient Doric cities, was located, with some traces of it still visible laying around, such as the temple of Athena. Like Kamiros the city gradually fell into decadence after the founding of the nearby city of Rhodes. The Byzantines then built a castle here and the Knights of St John which followed had a Monastery constructed surrounded by cloisters and cells and a number of chapels. After the Ottoman conquest of the island during the 16th century the monastery and the surrounding buildings were mostly destroyed and left in ruins, and only during the Italian occupation from the 1920s was the whole complex rebuilt to look as it can be seen today. The entrance to the monastery was 6 euros and we thoroughly enjoyed the striking architecture, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic Templar buildings which reminded me a lot of those I had seen in Portugal. We visited the nice fortified tower, then the cloister with the palace, and finally the church with its somber and dark interior. Nearby was also a nice subterranean chapel dedicated to St George, the only remaining trace of Byzantine architecture there, which was built during the 13th century and with frescoes added in the 15th and 16th centuries by the Knights of St John. We noticed also that all around the hilltop were so many peacocks who seemed to have it an idyllic spot, and who could blame them. The Italians had put some Capuchin monks to live and manage the monastery and had constructed a beautiful path lined with cypress trees ending at a large metallic cross. After seeing the monastery we walked to it and from there had an amazing view of the surroundings. Once we had seen all, we finally drove into Rhodes town where we reached our accommodation located just outside the old town, in the new town, where we would spend the following two nights, Hotel Helena. After checking in we decided to explore the city and started out by walking around the neighborhood surrounding the hotel. Known as the new town it was built during the Italian occupation and featured nice buildings from the early 20th century with lots of space and greenery. Here were also located the most part of the hotels with the newest ones standing right on the beaches. As we walked we passed by the Palazzo del Governatore an eclectic building featuring a neo-Venetian gothic style that once served as the base for the Italian administration of the town and which nowadays hold the offices of the Dodecanese prefecture. We then continued on passing the Cathedral church of the Annunciation, formerly the catholic church of St John, also built by the Italians on the model of gothic churches found on the island. We then walked along the Mandraki harbor, the town's port since ancient times. Two columns stand at the entrance: one features a bronze stag, and the other a bronze doe, both emblems of Rhodes. The columns and statues stand where the legendary Colossus of Rhodes once stood. Right nearby is the Fort of St Nicholas which received its title from the patron saint of the seaman and now also operates as a lighthouse. Along the breakwater jetty where the fort is located are three iconic medieval windmills which used to grind grains brought from vessels that moored in the harbor. From the harbor, we then entered the town proper through one of the many city gates, the northern Liberty Gate. Rhodes is in fact fully encircled by a double set of medieval walls which encircle the town completely and were built by the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John by enhancing the existing Byzantine walls starting from the 14th century and remade after the Ottoman siege of 1480 and the earthquake of the following year. The fortifications and the medieval city inside have in fact been inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage List since 1988. The old town is a beautiful mix of templar medieval architecture and later ottoman buildings with a few traces of ancient greek foundations as well. As soon as we entered the city gate we passed by a nice square which featured the temple of Aphrodite and Athena to the left and the Rhodes Municipal Gallery to the right. Then a little further we passed by the Auberge d'Auvergne and the church of Our Lady of the Castle. The Knights Hospitallers, or Knights of St John, were in fact administratively divided roughly based on their ethnolinguistics. Each langue, or administrative division, was subdivided into Priories or Grand Priories, Bailiwicks and Commanderies and each langue had an auberge as its headquarters. This is why in Rhodes, like it later happened in Malta, there are still several auberges remaining pertaining to an ethnolinguistic group, such as the Spanish, Italians, Germans, and French. Right nearby we then passed the archaeological museum of the city, hosted inside the impressive building of the hospital of the Knights of St John, built during the 15th century. From there we then continued on through the maze of narrow streets which characterize the old town and passed by a few buildings of note such as the Yeni Hammam, the ottoman public baths, and the Mustafa Pasha Mosque next to it, built in 1758. We then passed through the main part of town where we walked by the Suleymaniye Mosque, the first mosque in town, built in 1522 when the city was captured by the Ottomans, but rebuilt in its now bright red colors in 1808. Next to it we then admired the nice clock tower, built in 1852 in order to signal the strict rules for public life set by the Ottomans for the Greek citizens. Just a little further up the street we then came in sight of the town's main monument, the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. Built after the conquest of the city under the rule of Grand Master H. de Villeneuve on the site of a 7th-century Byzantine fortress, it then functioned as the residence of the Grand Master but also as the main administrative seat of the Order and the social-cultural center of the island. After the Ottoman occupation, the building lost its importance and was mainly used as a prison. Several earthquakes damaged the building throughout the years and in 1865 the final blow was a devastating explosion in the nearby basement of the church of St. John, used as an arsenal by the Ottomans, which turned the Palace into a mass of ruins. It was during the Italian occupation in 1937 that extensive restoration works were carried out to rebuild the palace. However, the restoration was later criticized for destroying a part of the original construction. Unfortunately, when we got there we found out that the Palace was closed, and due to corona measures and lockdowns would not open until the day after we would leave the island. We then left the old town from there by exiting the northwestern gate, the Gate of Amboise, and then decided to head for dinner at a place called Ono by Marouli. It was a vegetarian and vegan restaurant where we ordered a mix of 10 vegan meze dishes to share between the two of us plus an additional dish we ordered separately beetroot tortellini. Together with homemade lemonade and ice tea we only paid about 28 euros and had a really tasty and filling dinner. I was also amazed to find out the cook was Italian and specifically from Casale Monferrato right next to Alessandria, my mother's family hometown, and she had worked for many years in the goldsmithing business also in Vicenza. After the nice dinner, it was time to head back to our hotel ready for a new day,

After waking up early the next day we took the car and drove to the archaeological site of ancient Rhodes located right by the new town on a hilly outcrop overlooking the sea now known as Monte Smith. The Acropolis of Rhodes, unlike other Acropoleis, was not fortified and consisted of a monumental zone with sanctuaries, large temples, and public buildings. Excavation on the site took place mainly during the Italian occupation and later also when the Greeks retook control of the island. As we reached the top of the hill where the acropolis is located we saw the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and below it the reconstructed Odeon theatre which is now also used for theatrical representations. Next to it we then walked along the Ancient Stadium, one of the best-preserved I had ever seen, with the near-complete perimeter, seats, and turning posts. Some local inhabitants used it as a running track and I thought a better one than that could not exist. After the visit to the archaeological site, we headed back in the car and drove on to reach the nearby Anthony Quinn Bay. The place is named after the actor who played in the 1961 movie Guns of Navarone, filmed on the island, as he had purchased land on that specific bay. The beach there is one of the most famous on the whole island but being it in May and during the pandemic, there were barely any people there. The water was beautiful with some amazing color hues, and probably one of the best beaches of the whole vacation. We enjoyed the sun and sea for a while, and I even swam around the small bay admiring the fish and seabed through that crustal clear water. Then we headed up to the modern-looking beach restaurant right above the bay overlooking the sea where we had a super tasty and relatively cheap lunch. I had a salad with a local grilled cheese covered in seeds and Ania had a greek salad, we then shared pita bread with hummus and both had a fresh orange juice. After enjoying the view of the beach and sea while eating our lunch, we then got back in the car and drove on to the next beach, Kallithea Springs. After reaching the place we headed through an open gate which usually requires a 3euro entry fee but as it was still not fully open due to the pandemic they allowed us in for free. Here, a large thermal complex with a central domed structure where hot springs usually spew out hot water was built by the Italians. The system was turned off at the moment of our visit but we still enjoyed the beautiful beach which features comfortable sunbeds and beach umbrellas laid out around the small bay. We decided not to get the sunbeds as they had fixed daily and not hourly rates and we were just èplanning to spend a couple hours there. We enjoyed the afternoon sun and the view and I even had another quick refreshing swim. As Ania attempted to do the same though we noticed a long slim green figure darting its way quickly through the water right in front of us. We immediately jumped out of the water and onto the rocks and after a bit of observation came to the conclusion it must have been a moray eel, a strange occurrence as they usually live between rocks and in deep waters. After the encounter, we headed back to the car and drove to our next stop, the small town of Koskinou. Located on a hilly area south of Rhodes close to the sea this little dormant town is actually a beautiful gem waiting to be discovered. The old town features an incredible palette of colors, with houses painted in vivid colors, little gardens, and decorative plants lining the streets giving the town a really picturesque setting. After strolling about admiring the wonderful colors of Koskinou we got back in the car and eventually drove on to the airport where we finally dropped off our car and took the next bus back to Rhodes city. After a quick shower at our accommodation, we then went on to look for a restaurant and opted for a Lebanese one not far from the hotel. The food was tasty and well priced.

The day after, our final day in Rhodes was all dedicated to visiting the city. We asked the kind lady at the reception of our hotel to keep our backpack until our departure and then headed on to visit the city. We reached the old town by passing through the Amboise Gate, with the large complex of the Palace of the Grand Masters in front of us. As it was closed we decided to continue on along the main street which headed down from it to the east known as the Street of the Knights of Rhodes. The city's prettiest street, it is fully medieval with wonderful palaces, houses, and other buildings lining it. We passed by the auberges, pertaining to the different linguistic groups of which the knights belonged, and saw the. french auberge, the Spanish one, and even the Italian one. We then walked by the Sea Gate, another of the city gates, and reached Hippocrates Square with its nice fountain at the center and the bars, clubs, and restaurant around it which at the moment were all mostly closed. We then walked through the eastern part of the old town, once where the Jewish neighborhood lied, now with still a few traces of that past including the only surviving of six synagogues and a square dedicated to the Jewish people who died in the holocaust. We then passed the ruins of what was once the church of the Virgin of the Burgh, a late gothic 14th-century building that was destroyed by a bombing in ww2 with only three apses now remaining. At the eastern end of town right next to the city walls we then reached and entered the tiny church of Agios Panteleimon, the only open church in all the old town. From the church, we then decided to walk through the beautiful park that had been created between the two immense sets of walls surrounding the city. This is where the moat used to be and nowadays a nice path with trees, plants and green grass grants a pleasant walk sided by tall walls. We walked the entirety of the moat, passing below the gates and towers of the medieval fortifications and then at the end of it, on the northern side, right below the impressive structure of the Palace of the Grand Masters. This area looked even nicer with bougainvilleas and flowers creating a sharp color contrast with the yellow and gray stones of the walls and old town. As we exited the moat we then reentered the town by walking through one of the small tunnels dug into the walls. We then had another stroll through town passing by some of the main sites which are all unfortunately closed. The 14th-century Byzantine church of the Holy Trinity, the 16th century Recep Pasha Mosque, the other 16th century Ibrahim Pasha Mosque, and the Byzantine church of St George. This last one was located on the western side of the old town close to the main area which we decided to walk through once more, where the Suleiman Mosque, clock tower, and palace of the Knights of St John are located. For lunch, we then decided to head back to the restaurant Ono by Marouli where we had again the shared vegan meze. We had a tasty meal and after that decided to walk along the beach bordering the town to the west and north. The water was incredible, a blue color I had rarely seen, with the constant wind disturbing the surface but still seemingly crystal clear. The amazing thing was also that it seem deserted as there were still barely any tourists around. We enjoyed walking close to the water and admiring the panorama of the new and old towns on one side and the Turkish coast, so near, on the other. After one last stroll through the old town, it was then time to leave. We headed back to the hotel to pick up our backpacks and after a short half-hour break at the beach once more we finally headed to the port to catch our ferry to the next island: Symi. The ferry was a large ship with 8 levels, two of which were dedicated just to car transport. The rest were seating areas, cafes, restaurants, and sleeping rooms. Due to its size, the view from the was great and we could admire all Rhodes as we left the port. The ride took just over an hour and we disembarked on the island a bit further away from the main town. As we then headed towards the town and the accommodation, walking along the waterfront we were mesmerized and amazed at the view of the town and island. In fact, Symi town was built on a steep sloping coast with colorful houses all around reaching right onto the waterfront. This created a picturesque view with the colors of the houses contrasting with the light of the sun setting behind the mountains landscape. It took me a while to walk on, as I was constantly taking pictures and gathering in the view. Right before reaching our accommodation, located on the northern edge of the old town close to the waterfront, we stopped at a nice small modern supermarket (the only one in town) where we bought some bread, tomatoes, cucumber, vegan and non-vegan feta, tasty local fresh olives and hummer to have for dinner as well as some stuff for the following two breakfasts as we would be spending two nights there. The prices were a little higher than in Rhodes due to the remote location of the town and island but that didn't bother us, in fact, we had seen many of those who had boarded the ferry with us carrying a lot of food but also other products as it probably made sense for those permanently living there. After purchasing the stuff at the supermarket we reached our accommodation, the Aegli Apartments, where we had dinner and went then to sleep.

The following day we were hoping to catch a bus to the opposite end of the island, but due to the fact there were no tourists yet, we found out no bus was leaving. In fact, even though travel was allowed in Greece, travel between islands and ferry travel, in general, had just been formally allowed the night before, so we were literally the only tourists on the whole island! The guards at the docks in Rhodes had in fact been a little confused when saw us boarding but had let us on either way as the lockdown measures had supposedly just been lifted. As there was no bus, we thought about our possibilities for a while, thinking at first to take a taxi which cost 27 euros and then head back on for about 4-5 hours. However, we eventually settled with renting a car for just 20 euros, plus 10 euros for gas, and then drove southwards across the mountainous arid landscape which characterizes the island. Driving through Symi town was terrible as the main street along the waterside was so narrow, with cars parked on either side, a two way so cars coming from the opposite direction, and no protection from falling into the water. We eventually managed to drive through and out of town and then started our ascent of the nearby mountain that towers over the town. Here we stopped at a nice viewpoint where we admired Symi with its colorful houses and its bay glistening in the sun. After some driving through barren mountainous terrain, we came in sight of the southern end of the island. Here we stopped at another viewpoint to admire the famous Panormitis Monastery, our next destination. After driving back down the other side of a mountain we reached the beautiful and peaceful bay where the monastery is set. There were just a couple of cars here, those of some workers working on one of the buildings there. We parked our car and headed to visit the beautiful monastery. The large complex is composed of a central church set in a nice courtyard and surrounded by service buildings, most of which were built by the Italians during their occupation of the Dodecanese. The church itself features a tall slender and ornate bell tower in a neo-baroque style dating to 1911 and easily recognizable from the distance. The interior of the church features some traces of Byzantine frescoes and splendid icons and iconostasis. The main one represents the Arcangel Michael, to which the church is dedicated, patron saint of the island but also of all sailors in the Dodecanese. After the visit, we decided to walk around the bay and reach the other end where a small abandoned windmill was set. Here we had a nice view and decided to eat the lunch we had brought with us from our accommodation. We had sandwiches with tomato, cucumber, and hummus sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree with an amazing view in front of us. The place was a paradise, so peaceful, silent with no one around both due to the fact that it is a monastery and that we were the only tourists on the island. It just felt like we never wanted to leave that place. The water there was so clear and inviting that I decided to have a swim right after eating. Due to the natural form of the bay, the wind was not as strong here as in other beaches and places we had been so it was really pleasant to dive in the cold crystal clear waters and then dry out in the strong and warm greek sun. After eventually heading back to the car we reluctantly left the area and drove a few minutes to reach Marathounda Bay, a remote beach located on the eastern part of the island. We were the only ones there apart from two fishermen on their boat in the distance. The water was crystal clear here too and of a beautiful light blue color. I had a few swims and enjoyed the light breeze and sun strong laying down on the sand. At one point another car arrived with a couple who, luckily, took the other far end of the beach as their spot to lay down. When I then decided to head back in the water though, just as the water reached my knees I started noticing some thin and long black figures darting their way rapidly through the water in my direction. I quickly got out and then went to pick up my goggles to what they were. They looked larger and longer than normal pipefish, which are usually just the size of a hand, but what seemed even stranger and scary was that they weren't afraid of me, like most fish, and instead were rushing closer. They were well over the length of my whole arm so I was not sure I wished to swim with six of them around me. Later on, I found out through the help of my brother that they were trumpet fish and were usually found in tropical waters and most definitely not in the Mediterranean sea. Apparently, some species were seen here in the year 2000 and now at this beach six of them were just swimming about. They apparently weren't dangerous but their behavior of trying to chase me had me think twice before swimming close to them again. After a while, another car came and a man got off and headed for the semi-abandoned house right above the beach. He seemed to live there but then suddenly started yelling some random words and phrases and sitting down on his porch turning on really loud music. We didn't consider him much but then at one point we really an extremely loud bang and started running. We heard another bang as we rushed away and felt extremely terrified and confused. At first, I thought he had set off some fireworks but Ania was sure he had shot with a gun. We didn't want to take any chances so we quickly rushed back to our stuff, grabbed it, and then ran inside the car. As we left the beach we heard the man from the other couple who was laying on the beach approaching and yelling back to the crazy man something but we didn't wish to see what would happen and just quickly drove towards Symi. After dropping off the car and calming down from the terrifying and weird incident we decided to have a stroll around the old town and then along the waterfront. We admired the beautiful architecture and setting of the town, with its colored houses and sloping constructions. We passed next to the church of St John with its nice typical bell tower and then along the waterfront where the main bars and restaurants are located. After heading back to our accommodation for a nice shower we then went back to town to look for a place to eat. We chose one our host had suggested to us via WhatsApp as he was not present on the island: the Lyris tavern, on the main square. Only greeks seemed to eat there, also during the tourist season, and apparently, even three Italians were there, probably having retired on the island. I had mussels in a tomato and feta sauce called saganaki while Ania had fava puree, mushrooms, and some veggies. As we started eating our dinner suddenly a man from the table next to us fell right off his chair and face down on the floor without moving. Everyone jumped up immediately and rush to help him, with some already trying to contact an ambulance or doctor. A medic then came to check up on him and soon after an ambulance took the man who seemed to have been recovering a little already. It made me wonder in fact as I had not seen nor read there were any hospitals on the island if for grave time-sensitive cases they would probably need to use a helicopter to bring patients back to Rhodes. We then ended dinner and thought that that day had been enough of an adventure with a crazy man shooting and another nearly dying next to us.

The day after we rose early and had a quick stroll around town before catching the ferry to the island of Kos. As we boarded the ferry, this one smaller than the one from Rhodes as it didn't carry any cars or transport equipment, a man from the coast guard approached us. He asked if we were on the Marathounda Bay the previous day; I got a little worried as I thought he might think we came to the island before the lockdown measures had been lifted. But as I responded positively to the question he then said he was the guy from the couple who had been at the other end of town and had recognized us thanks to Ania's blonde hair. He told us then that he had confronted the crazy man, who had indeed shot with his gun, and had threatened to have him arrested; apparently, it was not the first time the crazy man had done it. We talked a bit with him and laughed until it was time for us to board we thanked him and waved goodbye, headed for Kos. 1h 30 minutes later we reached the port of Kos where we met with the car rental employer who gave us our mini blue Micra for the rest of the days on the island. We then headed to our hotel, the Aegean Blu, where we met with a really young manager who told us that unfortunately most of the hotel was still closed including the restaurant, reception, and pool but our room was still available. This is probably why it cost us so little to stay in this four-star hotel. We left our backpacks in the room and then drove off to our next destination. Not far from Kos town we drove and reached a beach on the eastern end of the island called Therma Beach. As the name suggests it is supposed to feature some hot springs. We did not see any until we saw two greek women laying tight next to two tiny holes in the sand right by the sea. As it was still out of season, the holes had not been expanded yet and during the winter because of the wind and waves shrunk to their current size. In fact, as you dig anywhere along the beach, even just a few centimeters with your feet, extremely hot water comes out from under the sand. When the two women left we used one of the two holes filled with hot water and dug around a little more to be able to fit the both of us. It was an extremely pleasant feeling, sitting in the warm water with the waves from the sea bringing in colder water once in a while. We stayed there for a while and had lunch there too which we had previously bought in a supermarket along the road. I had a ham and cheese sandwich while Ania had cucumber hummus and bread. At one point a curious goat came down from one of the cliffs above the beach and tried taking some food for us. We gave him the core of our apples and then saw him leave to look for something else to scavenge. After the beach, we then drove back to Kos and took a road heading to the countryside close to the city to reach the archaeological site of the Asclepeion of Kos. Sitting on the slopes of a low tree-covered hill that gazes out to the sea and the Turkish coast beyond is the most important archaeological site on the island. It consists of an Asclepeion, a healing temple dedicated to Asclepius, a hero and god of medicine in ancient Greek mythology, son of Apollo and Coronis. It is also one of three great sanctuaries dedicated to Asclepius in all ancient Greece. The ticket to get in cost 6 euros and allowed us to visit the ruins of the buildings which expanded up the hill. The sanctuary was built around the time Kos itself was founded, during the 4th century BC. It flourished during the following centuries and gained its monumental appearance, the ruins of which can be seen today, during the 2nd century BC. It then received additions and improvements until the 4th century AD when it was gradually abandoned following two successive earthquakes. It was then rediscovered many centuries later by German archaeologist R. Herzog between 1901 and 1905, and then in the 1930s, Italian archaeologists restored the site monuments, giving them their current appearance. We walked up the monumental staircase from the top of which we had a great view of the ruins below and Kos, the sea, and the Turkish coast in the distance. After the visit we then drove back to our hotel, showered to remove the sulfur smell from the beach, and decided to walk through Kos town to visit it. One thing which surprised me as we walked along the seaside was the vicinity of the Turkish coast which was so close you could see the houses of the town of Akyarlar right across the water. As we walked along the port of Kos we then passed by the Neratzia Castle, located at the entrance of the harbor to the north of the old town. Originally constructed by the Genoese during their 4-century rule of the island it was then expanded and made to look how it appears today in the 15th century by the Knights of St John who took over control of the island. Next to the castle we then passed by the Gazi Hassan Pasha Mosque built in 1786 but badly damaged during ww2. This is why it still looks mostly abandoned even though we noticed the beautiful minaret and part of the exterior walls had scaffolding so might hopefully be restored to its former glory. Right in front of the mosque, we saw a huge plane tree which legend says the famous ancient Greek physician Hippocrates of Kos taught his pupils the art of medicine. The current tree is only about 500 years old but may possibly be a descendant of the original tree which allegedly stood there 2400 years ago. The size of it is so big that most of its branches are supported by metal poles and scaffolding. It is in fact considered the largest plane tree in Europe. Walking a little further we then found a small gate that was open and led to a large area right in the middle of the city where the ruins of the ancient city of Kos were located. This area was excavated when the destructive earthquake of 1933 had devastated most of the town. The Italian authorities who back then ruled over the island decided to create zones where the excavations would take place and reveal buildings from ancient greek and roman times. The one we were now visiting was the eastern archeological site with the ruins of the ancient agora, the sanctuaries of Herakles and Aphrodite, and the insulae. The western archaeological area was on the other side of town which we would walk by later on. This part of the ruins was really impressive and worth a visit, we did not have to pay an entrance ticket, and the buildings were set among a lovely wild garden with plants, flowers, and palms growing all around. After admiring the remains of columns, friezes, and also some mosaics we reached the town's main square, Eleftherias Square, which is surrounded by some of the town's main buildings. On one side the Defterdar Mosque, built during the 18th century, which unfortunately was damaged during an earthquake in 2017 and lost its minaret. On the other sides of the square were three buildings built in a fascist-style during the Italian occupation of the island. The building to the north now holds the archaeological museum which we decided to visit next. The ticket entry was 6 euros and the interior featured many nice artifacts from the ancient greek period found throughout the island. Particularly noteworthy were the statues of Hermes, that of Hera, and a mosaic depicting the arrival of Asclepius on the island of Kos. After the visit to the museum, we continued our walk through town and passed by some traces of the ancient past of the town in the area known as the western archaeological site. This one was already closed bu we could still admire it from the outside, including buildings such as the altar of Dionysus, a reconstructed Roman villa, the ancient gymnasium, and the 2nd-century roman Odeon reconstructed in 1929. After further strolling around the old town it was then time for us to have dinner. We opted for a restaurant called Patriko which served typical local food. Unfortunately just as we arrived the whole town experienced a loss of electrical power so the staff let us know they would do their best with our food by opting to use the stove to cook. That meant that my istilker kebab rolls which were supposed to come with potato fries came instead with rice, which I actually thought was even better, as it seems that in Greece they do just love to add fries to any dish. Ania had zucchini balls, falafel, and a salad which she also shared with me. We then had some red wine go with the meal and ouzo to finish it off. Feeling a little buzzed from the alcohol we thanked the restaurant staff and then walked back to our hotel.

The following day we woke up a little later and drove to a nearby medical center to get our covid antigen test for the day-after flight. After getting our negative results we then drove off to the other side of the island, towards the west, for some beach time. We first passed the airport, in the center of the island, and then the town of Kefalos reaching the western part of the island, which was very mountains and with beautiful spots to admire the view. We stopped at a small church along the way, the church of St John of Thyme overlooking the sea. From here we were then supposed to drive a little further and reach a beach called Paradise Beach. The road though was extremely rough, with no asphalt but just rocks, potholes, and some occasional boulders. The car really struggled and this even going downhill. I could not imagine trying then to head back the same way uphill. At one point shortly after I couldn't take it longer and just decided to head back. We found a little spot to barely turn the car around and then struggled to head back from where we came. I had some moments where I thought the car would just give up and we would be stuck there. Luckily we eventually managed to get back on the asphalt and decided instead to reach a more accessible beach we had passed before, Agios Stefanos Beach. This beautiful beach, which had nearly no one at the time of our visit, had the incredible feature of holding the ruins of the Basilica of St Stephen. This 6th-century church erected right on the waterfront was destroyed and abandoned following an earthquake and only uncovered by Italian archaeologists in the 1930s. The remains of the marble columns, the brick foundations of the building, and even a trace of a mosaic were an incredible sight made even better by the sight of the crystal clear blue waters around it. Right in front of the beach was also a small island where a more modern chapel dedicated to St Stephen was built. I decided to swim the short distance between the beach and the island and climb the small cliff to reach the chapel. Here though I was then nearly attacked by seagulls which were constantly hovering above and then shooting down towards me probably to scare me off, as that island must have easily been their breeding ground. After enjoying the view and keeping the attacking seagulls at bay I then swam back to the beach and lay in the sun for a while enjoying the warmth and peace of that paradise. Here we then had our lunch, a bit of bread with hummus, veggies, and then fruit, and then decided to try visiting another nearby beach. Heading just north across to the other coast a 10-minute drive took us to Kohilari Beach which was completely empty. The sand here was super thin and soft and perfect to lay and to enjoy reading a book with the crystal clear waters in front of us. As the beach was empty I then decided to have a swim naked in the cold shallow waters and then dry out in the still warm and strong afternoon sun. We stayed there for a while enjoying the peace and quiet and beauty of the place. Then we got back in the car and drove in the direction of Kos, stopping along the way to visit the Fortress of Antimachia. Situated on a high plateau surrounded by ravines and rough terrain overlooking the southern coast this castle was built at the end of the 15th century by the Knights of St John over a previous Byzantine one. It is erroneously considered a Venetian castle, most probably because of its renaissance-style thick low defensive walls. Mostly in ruins, it featured though a well-preserved part of the walls and granted some beautiful views all around. As sunset was approaching the atmosphere there was made even more special as we were also the only ones visiting. Actually, as we walked through the ruins we noticed we were not alone, in fact, we saw a hare, a pheasant, and even a turtle enjoying their time in the abandoned place. Once back in the car we then reached Kos and our hotel where we showered and then got ready to head to have dinner. We opted for a place that served fish called Nick the Fisherman. I had linguine with shrimp and Ania had fava puree, grilled bell pepper, and boiled greens. The shrimp was really tasty but the pasta was quite overcooked, as I had unfortunately expected outside of Italy.

The next day, our last one of the trip, we decided to wake up early and drive once again through the island stopping in the central part to visit the castle of Palio Pyli high up in a mountainous area. As we reached the place we parked the car and then headed up a staircase through the forest. An old man was sitting on a chair right at the beginning of the staircase and mentioned to us to visit the church, the taverna, and the castle on the way up. As it was partly cloudy the hike was not as bad as expected and actually really pleasant and refreshing without too much heat. The settlement of Pyli was built on a mountainous landscape at about 300m above sea level inside a lush green valley with an abundance of water. It was inhabited well into the 19th century when a decimating cholera case forced the population to flee in 1830. Nowadays most of the buildings are in ruins but there is a nice trail which takes you through to admire them in this beautiful natural habitat. On the way up we stopped at the first church and then walking on saw we were being observed by some goats munching and roaming in the area. We then reached the second church which is said to contain byzantine frescoes but which was unfortunately closed. Here Ania spotted an adder dart just a couple of steps ahead of her and so from then on took care to step our feet hard on the ground as we made our up so as to be sure not to encounter another snake. After reaching the castle at the top of a high rock we enjoyed the beautiful view of the surrounding forested mountains area around the glistening blue sea in the distance to the north. The castle, built between the 11th and 12th centuries, is one of the few Byzantine traces left on the island as together with the rest of the settlement was inhabited well into the 19th century. However, in ruins, it still provides a wonderful lookout point and a great place to explore. After taking in the view we then descended back down the staircase and met again the old man who had now dressed up with a local traditional garb in order to impress tourists. Unfortunately, due to the covid restrictions, not many would be coming there, and he asked us if we wanted a picture with him for some coins. We found out we only had large bills and thanked for the offer but had to refuse. After getting in the car we then drove onwards and decided to stop along the way at the Marmari beach, not far from the castle on the central northern coast of the island. Here we spent an hour enjoying the sun and reading a book before driving off to reach a nearby restaurant which we had seen along the road the previous day. We stopped at the place called Taverna Perasma where I ordered a local cheese flavored with red wine and grilled shrimp while Ania took bruschetta and grilled vegetables. She then had a fresh orange juice while I had what was supposed to be fresh season fruit but which just turned out to be vitamin juice. At our question, if that was fresh and not vitamin juice the waitress answered a bit rudely that of course it was fresh and left us in a bit of an awkward situation. Nonetheless, apart from that hiccup, the food was tasty and we left the place well satisfied. After lunch, we then decided to spend the last hours on the island at a beach called Magic Beach not far from the airport on the southern coast. Here we enjoyed a nearly completely empty shore with a slight breeze, a warm sunny blue sky, and crystal clear waters. It really felt like paradise and I didn't wanna think of the upcoming return. I had my last swim of the vacation and we then headed to the airport where we dropped off the car and caught our flight back to Berlin.