Sat 22.Feb.2014
Rhodes, Greece
The longer I stay in one place, the more hassle it is to prepare to leave. After
a week in say, Spain or Croatia, leaving is just a matter of throwing everything
back in my pack, and heading for the bus station. After five months here in Rhodes,
I am facing almost as many chores as if I were leaving home for Europe in the
first place. Enumerating them would be tedious; take my word for it!
A week of delightful near-Spring weather has left me with a backlog of candidate
photos for posting. Should be enough for at least four or five pages after this one,
which is probably my last before I leave before dawn on Wednesday.
At least I should be able to keep the Rhodes photos coming while I am in
California for March. There are also a handful from various countries last Summer
to either post or remove from the queue.
The usual crop of market pictures.
Dang! Crows are really hard to get a good photo of. The moment they see you
paying attention to them, even at some distance, they skedaddle. This is as good as I
have managed the whole season.
Remember Winter?
Officially it is still here, and it does still show its face,
as in this view down the West side of the island. The airport is down the coast that way.
I am going to miss the wonderful Greek yogurt and local honey that have been my
regular fare for brunch.
Goodness knows what posessed me to save all of the yogurt tubs
and honey jars - probably indecision. Now I need to dispose of the whole mass of them.
My host can use the jars. The big ones will probably go back to the beekeeper
for re-use. I've been using one of the half-kilo tubs as a water bowl for the cat.
After the cold and rainy weeks from December through mid-February, it is a treat
to see sights like this outside my window the last week or so.
I expect to hear it from the folks in Switzerland for complaining about Rhodian
Winter. You know what I mean!
The city's number one set piece, the Grandmaster's Palace.
Atop one of the defensive "mesas" that run along the center of the moat in the
old posts of England and Spain. I don't get up here very often - it is off the beaten
path, and requires more caution than the mainstream parts of the city.
The little chapel of St John Prodromos gives the Red Gate it's official
medieval name, St John Gate. The maps mostly identify it that way even now,
especially the tourist maps. Don't actually call it that, though. Not if you want
to be sure of being understood.
So... into the countdown! I am already fretting about cleaning out my room,
packing most of my stuff and labelling the box, to leave with my ever-patient host
until my return in September; getting my pack ready to go when I still need to use
some of its contents between now and then ... actually departing, sleepless
before dawn, will be a relief.
May this nice preview of Spring make its way
north to Paris by Wednesday afternoon!
Yeah... right!