Sunday 12 September 2010

Holiday memories..Rhodes Town

We have visited Rhodes Town on previously holidays so this time we decided to explore a part of the Old Town we had not seen before. As it was such a hot day we thought that somewhere inside would be a sensible option.We decided on The Palace of The Grand Masters of The Knights. The original building was constructed in the 14th century as a fortress by the Knights of Rhodes who occupied Rhodes at that time. Over the centuries it gradually fell into a state of disrepair. In 1912 it was re built by the Italians as a holiday residence for the likes of Mussolini.
It now stands as a museum and was a beautiful cool bolt hole to explore. One interesting fact we found out was that the Colossus of Rhodes, far from straddling the harbour, which was originally thought, is actually believed to have stood at the site of this castle. There are no remains of the statue, only small statues stand in the court yard now.
After lunch in the town square sitting under the shade of the trees we walked part of the city walls.





The fascinating thing about the Old Town is that it is still very much lived in and has 6,000 inhabitants. Past history exists quite happily with modern day life. In fact it is the largest inhabited medieval city in Europe. All the tiny streets criss cross one another and lead down to the several gates to the city. It is now a world heritage site and rightly so! It is like stepping back in time 500 years.









After our visit to the Old Town we drove to one of our favourite restaurants and started with their mixed dips platter  for 2...
Followed by the most scrumptious clam risotto...

Delicious.....a perfect meal to finish off a perfect day.

 I will return with another posting to tell you all about another visit.... to the Butterfly Valley.
Bye for now,
Jx

10 comments:

  1. Hi Jane
    Oh it all looks so lovely. One of the really nice things about visiting somewhere is finding out about it's history. Lovely too that things are still very much the same and not as is often the case modernised!
    Vivienne x

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  2. Hi Vivienne,
    It really is a lovely island and Rhodes Old Town is just so unique. The Greeks do also maintain all the old buildings even if that means rebuilding parts of them. I know purists would frown on that but it keeps the whole place alive and not just crumbling into ruins!
    Enjoy your Sunday, I'm just about to mow my micro lawn.
    Jane x

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  3. Hi Jane -
    Thank you for brightening my Sunday morning with your lovely visit and kind words. They mean a lot to me as I have just returned from having my portfolio reviewed by an Editor up at an SCBWI (society of children's book writers and illustrators) workshop, and was told that my work was over the top cute (which isn't that marketable nowadays...)...so thank you. I feel that I must stay true to my work and I am SOOOO very happy that the work brings you to your childhood. Being born in '66 (a simpler time) I hope to bring that to my work!

    Your blog is a delight..warm and inviting and full of great photos and history. Lovely holiday photos! And Billy! All the best to you - Shirley

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  4. Hi Shirley,

    Thanks so much for visiting me here and I am so glad to have brightened your day.Your illustrations are a joy, stay true to your work, they totally evoke childhood for me.

    I too am a 60s girl and still enjoy life's simple pleasures.

    Billy sends you a purr too,
    Jane x

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  5. How sweet ! A purr from Billy - please do send my best to your sweet cat. : ) Thank you, Jane..I really appreciate your words this morning. Boy, I tell you, it's been an interesting morning that's for sure! Turns out Mr. Saltzberg is quite a kind man and I'm glad he didn't think I was claiming he was a bad illustrator! Yikes, definitely not what I intended. But thank you for your kind words about my work - I hear you! I don't think I could add much more to my plate than being who I am, so I'm sticking to my "inner voice" (I like that term, coined from the event)..and going with it. I'm SO glad that the work brings back good memories...yay for the simpler times. I so hope my daughters grow up in a world where they value these things that I hope to bring forth (kindness, warmth, positive energy and a sense of "you can do it-ness")...so thank you Jane! I will continue to work hard (and enjoy at the same time)!
    Looking forward to seeing more of your posts! : ) Have a wonderful week ahead.

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  6. Oh, I am soooooo hungry, I could eat the entire dips platter and risotto right now, it looks delicious.

    You are definitely putting Rhodes high on my holiday 'wish' list.

    Bethx

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  7. I looks so great, beautiful, sunny and interesting at the same time: can it get any better? The pictures also make me want to go on holidays SO bad...Thank goddess I have the Spanish class tonight, it's something at least?

    Have a great week!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  8. Hi Beth,
    We know some great restuarants and that particular one is like a fairy garden. You enter through a huge door into the most beuautiful garden with a view to the sea. Tables are placed where grapes hang from vines and the food is as good as the location. If you ever do get to Rhodes I will give you the address.
    Jane x

    ******

    Hi Mia yes Rhodes really does have it all. Sun,sea,great food,lovely people...... bliss. We are already thinking it may be a return visit there next September! I have one more memory to share this week: the butterfly valley, quite extraordinary!
    Jane x

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  9. Hi Jane,
    Wow! missing the buildings of England looking at your photos. Indeed very lovely, thank you for sharing.

    Hugs, Dani

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  10. Hi Dani,
    Yes I can see the similarity...the Knight's Palace in Rhodes has a definite English feel to it and indeed the original palace there was built by a group of knights who took control of the island in the 14th century.
    The only missing thing here would be the heat and constant blue skies! ;0)
    Thanks for visiting.
    Jane x

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