Monolithos

Christos Corner

Arriving at Monolithos we soon found very good accommodation at Christos Corner. Our double room with balcony cost only €30 for the two of us, including continental breakfast. We settled in and realised that although our room didn't have air conditioning we weren't going to need it. It's much breezier here than on the east coast and the temperature in the room was comfortable. Here's the view from our balcony:

As I wasn't intending to drive any more that day I ordered a Mythos in the restaurant downstairs and we spoke to our hosts. They suggested we walked up the road later to watch the sunset over Monolithos Castle, which we readily agreed was a good idea as it sounded like a good video/photo opportunity. First, though, we'd take them up on their offer of home-made beef sausages with salad and chips. Very good indeed. A wonderful family-run business. However, on 14 June 2012 we were the only guests.

Goat Bells

Our evening walk took an unexpected turn with the arrival of many goats on the road. I was happier filming these goats than filming the sunset. Their bells made a wonderful racket as you can hear in the video.

The Road to Monolithos

Prasonisi to Monolithos, 14 June 2012

We really enjoyed the drive from Prasonisi, particularly once we'd turned left off the dead-end Prasonisi road onto the road that follows the west coast. So much so that we forgot about our cameras most of the time as we enjoyed the westerly breeze through the open car windows and took in the breathtaking views, listening to a cheesy Greek tourist CD we'd bought in Pefkos along with our road map.

We were on the lookout for a restaurant or snack bar as the Prasonisi air had given us both a good appetite. Nothing for miles...

Lunch at a Seafood Restaurant near Apolakkia

Then we found a great seafood restaurant near Apolakkia, Restaurant Chrisama, offering plenty of shade, wonderful views, and friendly service. We were recommended a starter of deep-fried small fish, lightly battered, which were delicious. Marides, I think. It was such a generous starter that we couldn't possibly eat any more, given the bread and salad that came with it. A Russian party at the next table made more of a meal of it with a fantastic spread that made me even more determined to come back.

I shot some footage whilst waiting for our order. It's a very short movie (43 seconds) but will hopefully give you a feel of the place.

The Road to Prasonisi

Rental Car

We were planning on heading south from Pefkos down the east coast of Rhodes and then north along the west coast. Our first stop would be Prasonisi on the southernmost tip of Rhodes.

I made a fool of myself trying to manoeuvre our little rental car out of the forecourt of the car-hire firm. Well there's a first time for everything. Apparently I only needed to use one foot when driving an automatic.

When we finally got on the road the going was easy. It took me a while to get used to the automatic gear shifts as I negotiated sharp bends and steep inclines, and I was happy to be able to keep both hands on the steering wheel.

Prasonisi

At Katavia we took the road to our left which would bring us down to Prasonisi. We picked up a hitch-hiker on the way, a young Russian who told us he taught windsurfing here for three months (– the visa limit) every year. I mentioned we were planning on going up the west coast and he told us it's the most popular part of Rhodes amongst "rich Russians".

The road turned into a dirt track and then we could park the car on the sand near a couple of tavernas. Plenty of kites in the distance, I thought. Walking nearer to the beach it became apparent that the kites were attached to people on surfboards. I knew that with its predominant westerly wind Prasonisi was a paradise for windsurfers, but I'd never seen kitesurfing before. Here's a short movie I made that morning (14 June 2012) just to give you an idea. Wow!

Car Hire in Pefkos

First-time care hire

During our first few days in Rhodes I'd had an internal dialog that went a bit like this:

I've never driven a left-hand-drive car before – will I be able to manage the gears with my right hand if I do rent a car? On the other hand I'm used to cycling on the right-hand side of the road, and even rented a quad bike to explore Zakynthos less than two years ago.

Although I'm in my 50s I only learnt to drive about 10 years ago and had serious doubts about renting a left-hand-drive car in Rhodes. Then one day (13 June) it occurred to me that an automatic car might be the solution.

We checked out a few of the car-hire firms in Pefkos and either they didn't have an automatic, they had already rented out their only automatic, or they seemed too expensive and I'd have to think it over. Then on our way back to the Stella Hotel we realised there was another firm we hadn't tried which was right next door. Marathon Rent A Car had a lovely wee Renault 105 (see pic) which we could rent for three days for €110. Perfect! We arranged to pick it up early the next day and bought a road map.

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First Morning at Stella Hotel, Pefkos
7th of June in the afternoon, Pefkos, Rhodes
Pefkos Beaches

Street Performer in Rhodes Old Town

There were many young buskers in the streets of Rhodes Old Town (12 June 2012) but this young lady really captured our hearts. What she may lack in technical proficiency is more than made up for by her sheer enthusiasm.

I'd asked her to play something local and traditional but my Greek being what it is (Yiamas! Mythos!) she could have been singing anything. I even suspect she was making it up as she went along. I'd love to know what the song is called and what it's about, so if you have any idea, please let me know!

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Streets of Rhodes Old Town

Streets of Rhodes Old Town

Walkabout, 12 June 2012

The citadel of Rhodes is a maze of narrow streets and home to around 6000 people. If you are spending a lot of time looking through camera viewfinders it's easy to get lost, which we managed a couple of times despite the free map.

Lunch

The first couple of restaurants we checked out were rather expensive, but we soon found a great snack bar serving pittas and Mythos in a quiet side street. And who wants a three-course meal at this time of day?

To get a real feel for the place you really should wander down the many side streets and alleyways. You'll see a lot of mopeds. Many of these streets are too narrow for cars. You'll also see quite a few cats. They are well fed.

Photos

Here's a couple more of Genie's photos.

Video

I hope that the video below gives you a flavour of the streets of Rhodes Old Town. It's longer than other videos you'll find on this blog (5:30) but I had a lot of footage and there's so much to see. Enjoy!

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Street Performer in Rhodes Old Town

Rhodes City, 12 June 2012

Pefkos to Rhodes City

In the morning we take the local bus from Pefkos to Rhodes (€5.50 single). Plenty of seats, but not for long. On its circuitous route this coach is picking up many more people than are getting off. It seems that almost everyone's going to Rhodes today. When we think that there's no way the driver could admit any more standing passengers, we stop again to squeeze even more folk in. We're glad that the coach has air-conditioning.

An hour and a quarter after setting off we disembark opposite a park. The walls and towers of the "Old Town" are just beyond.

The Medieval City of Rhodes

This fortress town was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Its surrounding wall is 4km long and dates from the time of the rule of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem.

I borrowed these photos from Genie, although she still owns the copyright, of course. The video I made myself. Rhodes – Medieval City was edited with mainly the architecture in mind. Shortly I will be uploading a follow-up movie showing more of the street life. Cheers!



Yiamas!
γεια μας

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Streets of Rhodes Old Town
Street Performer in Rhodes Old Town