When thinking of travelling to Greece, one immediately conjures up romantic images of pristine waters, smooth pebble beaches, deck chairs by the Aegean Sea and fresh fish and calamari served at a beach taverna under the setting sun.
This is the lifestyle of old; when things weren't so hectic and you would often see a little ninja, the little elderly Greek lady dressed all in black, sitting on a cane chair in the street in front of her stone house crocheting a delicate tablecloth for her granddaughter's dowry.
To experience some of the great Greek traditions of the oldest Western culture, there are places that still exude the charm of yesteryear, much like the country towns in Australia that are the keepers of good ol' Aussie charm and hospitality. It's not that the city folk aren't so hospitable, it's just they are a little busier these days.
The outer Dodecanese islands are a series of twelve islands that flank the south-west Turkish coast, yet are a part of Greece. The largest island is Rhodes, which in summer hosts a variety of Italian, English, Dutch and German tourists flaunting their pale white bodies in the warm Greek sun in an attempt to produce the coveted tan as a holiday trophy to take back home. However, many fail and end up like the lobster that they will be enjoying for dinner in the many waterfront tavernas.
Rhodes Island
The town of Rhodes is at the northernmost tip of the island, with plenty of old world charm and a fascinating history — being the only European medieval city built by the Knights of St John still intact. Traces of the 400-year occupation of the Ottoman Empire still exist in the construction of mosques that are now used as tourist shops selling all manner of things, from fashion jewellery to traditional food. It's a great place to spend the evenings and your hard-earned cash if you have a penchant for shopping.
The walk along Ipiton Street on the original cobblestones transports you back four centuries ago when the knights and their horses travelled to the Grand Master's palace to report their news of conquest. Dating even further back to 1900BC are archaeological artefacts of Greek settlement. Exploring the city of Rhodes and further abroad, you become witness to a long, magnificent history.
The City of Lindos
Fifty-five kilometres south of Rhodes on the east coast is the city of Lindos, located on a mountain cliff top with spectacular views of the Aegean Sea. Lindos is a smaller city than that of Rhodes and many tourists choose to take the journey from Rhodes either by boat or car. While most of the younger generation on the island speak Greek and English, I discovered that many tourists taking the boat to Lindos actually thought they were travelling to the adjoining Greek Islands. The boat captains tend to be a bit older and when sober are great sailors; however, a younger local is probably a better option when seeking directions and transport information.
At Lindos, I recommend taking a Lindos taxi, which in my case was a donkey named George, up to the castle. George knew his way pretty well and didn't really put up with mingling tourists mulling over paying 10 euros for the return trip. It was well worth the experience and at least alleviated any potential seizing of muscles in my legs.
There are plenty of local eateries for lunch, including souvlaki and local seafood, and also plenty of buses and boats back to the main town of Rhodes before sunset. One of the quaint boarding houses can be rented fairly cheaply, though a day trip to Lindos will have your camera full of wonderful and happy memories.
Rhodes's Beaches
Between Lindos and Rhodes are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, including the infamous Anthony Quinn beach where the movie Guns of Navarone was filmed. The actor fell so in love with the place that he purchased it off the Government with the promise to develop it into a world-class resort. The promise was never kept and ownership was retrieved by the authorities. However the beach still keeps its namesake and its unique protected inlet remains an exclusive retreat available to the public.
Icaria Island
Moving between the islands in the months of April to September is relatively easy, with many ferry services leaving daily to nearby islands where you can enjoy day trips or island hop to the furthest of the islands, Icaria. Legend has is that this is the island where the mythical Icarus fell from the sky after flying too high with his waxed wings to escape from the island of Crete. He and his father had been imprisoned by the King because his father was such a good architect and the King such a jealous soul that he did not want other kings to have palaces as grand as his.
Icaria is one of those places that can really take you back in time. In fact, the locals seem to have their own time there and it is not unusual to find the town square full of children and families at 3.00am . Shops don't really close and are open until 1.00am. The locals are completely trusting and don't lock their shops; they simply go home to sleep whenever they get tired. So if you need a bottle of water from an unattended shop, simply leave the money on the counter and take what you need.
Although this is no tourist island, you can find reasonable accommodation. From a visitor's perspective, the unpredictability of the lifestyle and surrounds make me feel like a detective in a mystery film — it's as if you can never really be sure when something is supposed to take place or what will happen next.
Kos Island
The island of Kos lies a few hours boat trip to the north-east and is a pleasant metropolitan town with many restaurants surrounding the beautiful port. Kos is famous as the birthplace of Hippocrates, said to be the father of modern medicine. Doctors today still take the Hippocratic Oath.
Patmos Island
Another fascinating island is that of Patmos, which is said to be the holy island of the Aegean. On the hillside adjacent the port of Skala lies the cave of the apocalypse, where the disciple of Christ, John the Baptist, was exiled during the Domitian's persecution of the Jews and Christians from 81–96AD. It is here that St John is said to have had divine visions that inspired him to write the Book of Revelations. As you would expect, the island folk are devout Christians and both moral and modest in their dress and demeanour.
Getting to Rhodes is a short flight from Athens airport. From Rhodes, the door is open to venture and island hop the Dodecanese — the historical birthplace of Western culture and a connection back to the divine ages where gods were the reality of living and living was the root for an inspired existence.
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