This island is like my other home. It has always felt familiar, friendly and fresh; these days it is not the same, knowing they are desperate for tourism to feed the failing economy. Gladly, this city still provides the same fond feeling of love and awe of antiquity, and I think Rhodes will be okay...
Today was Rhodes Celebration day (unofficial name) to commemorate the unification of Rhodes back with Greece. There was a parade, with cannons, the army marching, tv cameras and lots of Greek flags! It was nice to see such unity of a small island. I walked through the end of the procession as crowds were still lingering and mingling. Along the promenade which once famously held the Collosas of Rhodes, I basically people watched and enjoyed the fine weather.
Observation: everyone was in jeans, thick jackets with fluffy hoods, and scarves.... It was easily 15 degrees!! I was in a singlet!
I walked around to the lighthouse to look back at the promenade and people. I also saw my first greek cats of 2012... Just as relaxed and sleepy as I remember...
Into my favourite fortification - the Rhodes Old City! With its cobblestone paved streets, wooden shutters, colorfully painted wooden signs and awnings, it really is a beautiful place. And today because of the commemoration, everything was shut, which meant I got to take my photos and stroll around in peace :)
After enough of the walled city, beautiful streets and cool shade, I made my way to another square by the promenade and had a gyros. Waiting for Martine, I read my book in the sun and enjoyed the food.
Martine and I finally caught up- between her phone being blocked And it costing me $3 to call her each time, it was A little disastrous...
Once reunited, we went for a walk around the water, and back into the old city where we came to our favourite taverna. Yes, I had just eaten, but that was at 2pm and was breakfast, I had room for some more! Especially Dimitri's patates - they are so good!!! He is such a cool guy, he remembered me from when I was little and brought me Suma and pickled fish, a Greek antipasti, as a welcome back to Rhodes... Unfortunately the pickled fish was not for me, too salty, no matter how much lemon and olive oil I covered it with. The suma is also strong, but got through half the glass! Martine also had fish - barboni, which is red mullet, fried whole and you can still see the eyes! I had one and it was so good, but i was at capacity in my stomach, and was in serious need of a lie down, hahaha...
We walked around a little more, then checked into a hotel and I got my lie down. We met savvas and his girlfriend for dinner at 830, an authentic Italian woodfire pizza place where we had... Pizza!
Then I found myself going with savvas to a bar in the old town to see two of his friends play. I left my camera at home in case it was a messy night- ohhhh my regret when i saw the beautiful old city streets lit so romantically... Oh well; the band was so great! Yiannis voice surprised me, it was quite deep! (we had just had a conversation about bands and lyrics) He sung neil young, pink Floyd and REM, as well as so many awesome Greek songs. The pianist/ bassist / percussionist was also really good, and they harmonized so nicely!
this older guy with a ponytail got up and sung a few songs too. He sounded exactly like how I expected any Greek singer to sound; deep, and raspy, like he has smoked since he was 14 and drinks brown liquor... Turns out he was the owner and shouted us shots. Happy!
It was also on this bar that i heard a saying i thought i should share: Corona is like having sex in a canoe: fucking close to water! ...
Savvas sung, some other musician friends of yiannis sung, and it was a great night. I love this beautiful city, it always shows me a great day!
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