Rhodes - October 1994
On 17/9/94 Ian and I booked our holiday to Rhodes. We booked it at Going Places, Bury, and it was to be from 19/10/94 to 26/10/94, Wednesday to Wednesday. We took some Drachmas and some traveller's cheques. We flew from Manchester Airport on an Airtours plane, boarding at 9.30 am, departure time 10.00 am. Return flight was 17.00 on 26th.
Our accomodation at the Sandy Coast Hotel was self-catering so one of the days I cooked Risotto. Another day we ate at Goody's burger bar.
Our room had a small balcony. I took thyme and lemon essential oils and some citronella tea lights to repel the mosquitoes. Whenever I smell thyme to this day, I am reminded of this holiday!
Thursday 20/10/94, we went to Kallithea Spa. It was raining. We should have known there was going to be rain when our first visit to Rhodes Town the previous day there were many umbrella shops! I bought a lovely turquoise floral umbrella...but I didn't expect to be using it!!
The ruins of the spa gave us some cover from the rain as we explored the mosaic floors in the various rooms. [I see on the internet now these buildings have all been restored.]
The remaining days during the weekend were spent exploring Rhodes Town although we didn't really go on the beach. The post office was near Mandraki Harbour, we sent post cards back to family. I have a picture of Ian outside.
On the fourth day of rain the roads actually flooded and the Greek government declared a National Distaster! The week we had decided to go! This was after a taxi driver on the first day, said it only rains once and then the rest of the week (of one week's holiday) will be fine.
I cracked my tooth on a bread roll. It was quite chewy! I had to have that tooth out when I got home! One evening Ian bought a tin of cat food and fed the stray cats.
Monday 24/10/94, we went to Lindos for the day, by bus. Unfortunately we had picked the day the Castle was closed, but we still had a lovely day walking around the village, eating tiropitakia (cheese pies) and taking photos of the picturesque white houses and scenery. We walked all the way to the acropolis.
Tuesday 25/10/94, we went on a day trip to Marmaris (Turkey) on KOMETA 2, a hydrofoil. [I am intrigued to find photographs of this boat on the internet, 26 years later!]
We got up very early on the day of our visit to Marmaris. We took beautiful photos of the three windmills in the harbour as we went to board the boat.
We changed our last GBP50 traveller's cheque and got 2 million Turkish Lira! We were so amused we were millionaires for the day! We had dinner out, 2 lamb kebabs, and we had enough to buy 5 large (and heavy) packs of mixed flavours of Turkish Delight and 2 Turkish rugs/hangings for the wall (not for the floor). The shopkeepers kept trying to get us to go in their stores in the Bazaar. Ian used a Turkish yellow phone kiosk to call home. He also had his shoes shined! And then it was back to the boat for the return journey.
Our last day before leaving later in the day, we walked back along the sea front around the walls of the Old Town and into the Old Town once again.
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