Rhodos

Rhodos is enchanting. It has been declared a World Heritage Site and is considered the jewel in the Dodecanese island chain. The Old Town is still entirely enclosed by its medieval fortifications. Several impressive gateways and much of the double moat are still there as well, along with many buildings in the inner city. These include the houses of the Knights of St John, several mosques and Byzantine churches. Throughout its long history the island has endured a variety of conquerors: Alexander the Great, the Romans, The Byzantines, the Knights of St John (in 1309), the Venetians, the Ottomans and the Italians. During their 35 years of occupation the Italians, led by the rabidly nationalistic Mussolini, were particularly nasty. They outlawed the Orthodox Church, attempted to make Italian the official language, and randomly razed buildings. They had the idea that since the original Knights were Italian the Greek islands should be theirs. They were kicked out in 1947 and the island was returned to Greece. I have reported before on Italian misbehavior in my blog on South Tyrol.
Rhodos is one of the bigger islands and one of the farthest east. It is famed for its natural beauty and historical treasures. Since we docked quite early I was out and about by 8 AM. The town was practically deserted, the shops were still closed and it was deliciously cool. I reveled in the peace and walked for hours through the winding ancient streets and lanes. By 10:30 hordes of tourists arrived. I returned to the ship for lunch (scrummy!) but went back in the afternoon to enjoy this unique place some more. Among the highlights were the ramparts, the elegant Suleyman Mosque and adjoining library, a fifteenth century Byzantine church, and ancient medieval streets with façades of honey-colored stone. There were three cruise ships in port. Once again we were in the shadow of the gi-normous Equinox. In the late afternoon we set sail for Crete where the Palace of Knossos awaits.