Rhodes, Greece 2
We drove the east side of the island on Day 2. It was another sunny day. According to the Greek mythology, when the supreme god, Zeus and the gods of Olympian defeated the Giants, Zeus divided the world among the gods of Olympian. A new island emerging from the sea (Rhodes) was given to Helios, the God of Sun. That's why the island is blessed with an average of 300 sunny days a year. I would believe it because it was always sunny when we were there.
The road ran through dry fields and hills with hundreds of olive trees.
We were getting close to our destination, Lindos, a town on the eastern coast with the Acropolis of Lindos on a steep cliff. Founded around the 10th century BC, Lindos was one of the three major Dorian city-states of Rhodes, along with Kamiros and Ialyssos that we visited on the day before. Lindos is the only one of the three that has remained continuously inhabited.
The modern-day village of Lindos was charming with white-washed houses and narrow cobblestone streets. And also cats, of course. Many of the buildings date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. We got there early before most of the stores were open. We looked for a place for breakfast. There were a few options.
We chose Ginger, a cafe with a roof top garden.
We were seated at the counter table of the roof top garden, overlooking Chapel of Saint George Pahimahiotis and Lindos Beach Cove. It was a little bit windy but warm and comfortable in the shade.
I had pancakes with Greek yogurt, walnuts and honey. Tasty!
We shared Spanakopita or Greek spinach pie. It was pretty good!
J had a breakfast special, including Tiropita or Greek cheese pie, mini pancakes, Greek yogurt, and fruits. Why didn't I order it?
The lovely breakfast was followed by climbing up to the Acropolis of Lindos.
Today the Acropolis of Lindos is an archeological site featuring a mix of ancient ruins, including the Temple of Athena Lindia, a Hellenistic stoa, a Byzantine church, and remnants of the fortifications built by the Knights of St. John. However, the first thing caught me after passing the ticket house was a stunning view of Lindos Beach Cove!
The Engraved Warship Stern at Lindos was found at the bottom of the long staircase to the Acropolis. The large relief of a Rhodian warship's stern (rear section) was carved directly into the rock around 180-170 BC, which showcases not only the advanced craftsmanship but also the rich naval history of Hellenistic-era Rhodes.
A cat from nowhere...
At the highest level was the Temple of Athena Lindia that was first constructed in the 4th century BC by the Lindians.
Looking at the temple from the other side...
A model of the village of Lindos could be built with little white LEGO blocks.
St. Paul's Bay and our car park were down there.
At a middle terrace of the Acropolis was the Church of St. John, featuring its Byzantine origins and Gothic architectural style.
The village of Lindos was awake when we came down there. Many souvenir stores and restaurants were welcoming the wave of tourists. Meanwhile, we were still able to find a quiet corner in the maze of Lindos alleys.
We happened to find a viewpoint overlooking the amphitheater of Lindos on the southwest slope of the Acroplis of Lindos. The ancient theater dates from the 4th century BC and could seat between 1,800 and 2,000 spectators.
We also visited the Church of Panagia (Our Lady), a 13th century Greek orthodox church located in the middle of the village. The interior walls were beautifully covered with the 19th-century frescoes depicting biblical scenes. Unfortunately taking a photo inside wasn't allowed.
Hello, Donkey! Donkeys are traditionally used to take tourists up to the Acropolis of Lindos via steep and narrow paths. I didn't see anyone using a donkey taxi service while we were there.
It was time to say good-bye to Lindos.
There were many pottery stores on the major roads and we visited one. Actually the store was closed at that time but some people were making pottery there. They saw us and let us in. Although we didn't find anything interesting to buy, we found people there gentle and kind.
Our next stop was Anthony Quinn Bay, named after an American actor Anthony Quinn, who played a role in the 1961 movie "The Guns of Navarone" that was filmed primarily on Rhodes. There were some theories as to how the bay got its name, but basically Quinn fell in love with Rhodes and then he bought the bay or the government gave him the bay as a token of their appreciation for the tourist promotion of the movie. However, Quinn encountered some problems with the property and his love to Rhodes was over although the bay has kept his name. Anyway, the bay was very beautiful. I would love to own it if it were a freebie!
There was another bay right next to Anthony Quinn Bay. With two beaches, it was more open geographically and more crowded.
Then we drove north and visited the Kallithea Springs. Since ancient times, the springs of Kallithea been known for their therapeutic powers. Under Italian rule in 1920s, a spa complex was developed based on a positive result of a study of the spring waters. Many patients and scientists visited it from the entire world, but the spa declined at the end of the 20th century. In the early 2000, the buildings were renovated and today the Kallithea Springs offers "the exquisite architecture, crystal-clear waters, the recreation area (cafeteria), and the picturesque bay with its unique natural beauty."
The beach was a filming location of Poirot's "Triangle at Rhodes," which was supposed to be a beach near the Palace Hotel, where Poirot stayed.
The large Rotunda was also a Poirot filming location. It was used as a restaurant in the TV episode and Poirot ordered a lamb kidney dish.
The rocky shore under the Rotunda was another Poirot filming location although we didn't identify the exact spot.
When we came back to the Old Town, we had a late lunch/early dinner at Romios, a Greek restaurant serving modern Rhodian dishes. We were seated at their large outdoor dining area. I got used to eating outside in Rhodes. I ordered a kind of salad with avocado (somehow I had a taste for avocado at that moment.) and this fancy one came. The rose in the middle was made with tomato. My main dish was Stifado, a Rhodian beef(veal) stew. So many baby onions! Perhaps more than veal. To be honest I preferred that way. The tender sweet onions were my favorite part of the stew.
J had one of the daily specials, a kind of stew with lamb and potatoes. I forgot the name. Some garlic bread and a side salad were accompanied. I think he enjoyed his choice.
We took away a couple of sweets at Stani, an ice cream and pastry shop as well as Greek coffee for J at another shop and enjoyed them at the peaceful terrace of our hotel. The pastries were very good but pretty sweet. Two pieces were just enough.
