Cyclades & Dodecanese Travel Guide

We stayed in Ialyssos a small town next to Rhodos. The hotel was a 4*, but in reality only 3* and the food only 2*. Who is complaining? First day we rented a car and made a quick tour of the island. They have some castles in ruins and of course the acropolis which is impressive. The villages are beautiful and the food in taverns good. It was an entire day drive to see the entire coast. Not more then 250 km but with a lot of places to stop. They have a small city for partying. It was interesting to see the perspective that the Greeks have on tourists. For most tourists the people from any shop take out a bottle of ouzo and start smiling. The next 2 days I was only lying in the sun, watching the windsurfers. I think I will try that sport too sometime. The rest of the group who where travel agents in info-trip had an infernal hotels visitation while I was sitting next to the pool with Louis Armstrong’s “Sittin` in the sun” in my mind. Then there were 3 days of organized trips. First was by boat to Lindos, a city on the coast. A city starting with a on the top of the hill and ending through many narrow streets, filled with souvenirs shops and taverns, in the sea. Hot days. Almost 37-38 Celsius. Second was in Butterfly Valley where in the summer thousands of butterflies gather. Very beautiful view. And all the churches are small and decent, like real praying places. The last was in the city of Rhodos We had a good guide, a very funny old man. The old town is a regular castle built by the Saint John Knights. It is quite a view. The poor people from Rhodos still live in one half of the castle in houses that are 300 years old or more. In the last day we rented a car again and went directly south. At the lowest point of the island there is a beach that in the evening is covered by the waters of both Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Sea. In the day is full of people that practice windsurfing and parasailing. The view of one sea meeting another with two different colors of water it is spectacular.

On the beach as you get to the shops you will find Pedro, the pelican. He is real and he is alive. If you bother him too much he will attempt to peck at you. The men sit at sunset on blue benches and talk amongst themselves as tourists litter by. there are lots of cats if you like them and lots of tourists.

Santorini is beautiful.  I recommend renting a scooter to see the entire island- they are usually no more than 20 dollars a day and give you a real feel of the place.  Also the Santos winery has a wine tasting terrace that overlooks the caldera. Sunsets and wine what a pairing!