Rest and Relaxation in Rhodes...

Arrival into Rhodes did not come easily. Between missing our direct flight from London, enjoying a five hour (10 pm – 3 am) layover in a hotel across from the Athens Airport, then checking into our 5 am flight, and just barely missing the scheduled strike by air traffic controllers in Greece, we finally made it to beautiful, sunny Rhodes. We landed just as the sun was rising over the crystal clear Aegean Sea and made our way to Ixia where we checked into the fabulously posh Ixian Grand.

Having decided against sleeping at the Athens hotel, I was literally about to pass out from exhaustion. Travelling with young ones is hard work and we were all in need of a generous nap. After catching up on some zzz’s, I was given several hours off. Now, I was still tired and the room was still spinning from lack of sleep, but I preserved as all adventurous travelers should and walked through the sleepy town of Ixia, stopped in an internet café (the Hotel WiFi was out of commission), and experienced a mild earthquake all before taking a taxi to Kalithea Thermi. And by the way, yes, I am positive it was an earthquake and not just my sleep deprived brain because everyone else in the room felt it too. During my first journey to Greece last summer, we experienced a much larger earthquake that actually caused some minor damage to structures. Greece is notorious for their earthquakes and literally thousands have been recorded over the last several decades.

Kalithea Thermi was not where I had originally intended to go. Driving up from the airport I saw this magnificent white church that I wanted to visit. I tried explaining it to the driver and he took me to several churches, but without any luck. With the driver’s recommendation we headed to Kalithea Thermi, an Italian designed spa which hosts a protected beach, beautiful buildings, and small outdoor café. For only a couple of Euros it was definitely worth the money. The taxi ride there alone was worth the trip as we zigzagged through thumbprint sized villages complete with olive groves and slinky cats balancing along the garden walls. Children played in the fields as mom and grandma hung laundry to dry. This is the true side of Greece that makes me appreciate the Mediterranean lifestyle and wish I could just escape behind their village walls and truly live like they do.

Over the next couple days I visited Old Rhodes Town on two separate occasions. Once at midday at the height of the tourist pack, and again in the evening once the streets had cooled down and the cruise ships had left port. The vibe was completely different and the quieter evening was definitely preferred. It is in the evening that locals stroll in the alleyways and children play chase in the square. The mood is festive and intimate and the atmosphere encourages long dinners and great conversations.

On the last evening in Rhodes we rented a van and went to Lindos on the East side of the island. The drive was spectacular as we climbed high into the hills making frequent stops to allow for families of goats to move out of the road. Due to the location, Lindos is best visited at night as temperatures are often 10 degrees hotter than elsewhere on the island. As we wound through the narrow, pedestrian only paths we could peak up into the skyline where the Lindos Acropolis stands tall and mighty. We enjoyed an amazing roof top dinner where once again we ate late into the night and enjoyed great food and company. Man, the Greeks really know how to do things right! Between afternoon naps, enormous, long dinners, and some of the friendliest people in the world, I could easily make Greece my home.

The highlight of my stay in Rhodes was visiting Ialysos which sits high atop the hills in Northern Rhodes. Here I took in almost 360 degree views of the island and climbed the narrow spindly stairs inside a giant cross to get to an even higher vantage point. Ialysos is also home to Doric, Byzantine, and medieval ruins. Walking down the many pathways, families of peacocks strutted around displaying their magnificent feathers while others sat perched among the tree limbs.

Rhodes is an amazing island with just enough to keep you busy, but not so much that you feel obligated to spend your entire time on foot. Rhodes promotes relaxation and I leave with a renewed sense of a calm that London stole away. Next we will enjoy three nights in Elounda, Crete at the Blue Palace Resort, and I am eager to see how Crete differs from Rhodes. More to come soon!