My Road To Happiness

Yeah. Not really sure what happened here. This appears to be the day I “lost” while in Lindos. Here’s what I do know:

1. I spent the previous night in the apartment on Mt. Everest.
2. I met Vanessa’s father (Spa Lindos) and committed to staying 2 nights in one of the Tsambika’s Studio Apartments he owns just below the Acropolis (and across the alley from the Melenos Lindos Hotel).
3. I twisted my ankle when I failed to see that the extensive private balcony in my new apartment has a step down right in the middle. Typical.
4. I tried to ignore that I twisted my ankle and walked around on it all day. Ouch.
5. I went back to Rhodes, packing everything I owned and checked out hastily, with my heart beating double time from excitement, like I was going on the lam. I think that’s because it was so spontaneous and I was going “off plan” with no idea how it would all turn out. Cool.
6. I nearly tipped over the Toyota Yaris (twice!) as I attempted to get down to and back from the parking lot at the the main beach in Lindos. Totally scary.
7. I hauled not only my belongings from the car (1 rolling duffle, one large duffle strapped on top) but the items still waiting in Mt. Everest (big satchel and many plastic bags) from one end of the village to the other where the new apartment was.
8. I had another unremarkable dinner at another large, empty restaurant called Symposio. At least the waiter was a cutie.
9. I collapsed in a heap at the end of the night in my new apartment. Read the rest of this entry »

Tuesday morning I get myself up early and back to Lindos in time to meet Becca at the beach. I pack a bag that contains what I need for the beach and for a possible overnight stay. Once I saw how easy it was to find a room just by walking into a shop with a “room to let” sign over the door, I began toying with the idea of abandoning my “craptastic” apartment in Rhodes for the rest of my stay on the island.

Craptastic Apt in Rhodes town

There are 2 beaches. The “main beach” that you see on your drive in and the one that is just over the hill, behind the Acropolis. The beach at St. Paul’s Bay is nearly deserted and Becca tells me that she and Nathan have had this spot all to themselves for weeks.

Today there are a few people coming down with their kids so we make our way to the other end of the beach nearer the small restaurant. It’s wonderfully warm (though the water’s still cold) and I lay down and let the sun do it’s work on my frame. You know how you feel the sun start on the outer layer of your skin? Slowly it seeps into your muscles and they start to lengthen and let go of any residual tension. You feel a sleepy and it’s hard to keep your eyes open. If you let yourself go, the last thing you’ll feel is the warmth make it’s way all the way to your interior, down into your bones and you feel “well”. Read the rest of this entry »

Just a quick note that I updated many of my previous posts on my trip to Greece with new photographs.

Check it out here: http://myroadtohappieness.com/blog/?tag=greece

I’m still working on writing about the other days I spent in Greece, but just to be helpful and to keep the content coming, here’s some things I learned on my trip that might help you.

DO – pack only 1 carry-on bag and a back pack or large (but manageable) tote. If you’re traveling alone, and not checking into the Four Seasons, you need to remember that it’s all up to you. You will be hauling all that luggage to hell and back.

I knew this. I’m not a novice to traveling efficiently or alone. In fact I spend about 3 days a month on the road for work. Yet somehow, I convinced myself that I had to travel like Mariah Carey on this trip. I paid the price.

Yeah, this was basically me.

I went to Greece with a large rolling duffle packed to the gills and a large, unwieldy (albeit good looking) tote bag.

I thought I’d be using my apartment in Rhodes as “base camp” and driving all over the Island on day trips. I’d even brought my trusty expandable duffle for the trip home when I would need more space. It’s about the size of a hardback book when folded up and expands to an enormous size when unzipped.

If you’ve read about the trip you’d know I bugged out of the duggout about 3 days in.

Anyway, let’s just say that all the moving around I did and hauling through airports and schlepping up the cobble stone streets of Lindos has to be the reason I lost all that weight. So, technically there’s a up side. However it was NOT comfortable and I needed a massage to undo the damage.

Here’s all you need to bring for a 1 week trip to the Greek islands: I have linked to the items I brought that worked and I recommend for you – or to give you a better idea of what I mean Read the rest of this entry »

Whew! I’m writing this from Day 7 and although I wouldn’t characterize my days as hectic or my writing about them difficult, I sure seem to be falling behind!

Let’s see, I guess we’re at Monday morning by now and I’m driving back to Lindos. The previous night was rough. Somehow I managed to get a migrane that put an ice pick in my right eye that no amount of Tylenol could touch. All I could do for relief was keep the lights off and an ice pack on.
Fortunately, the pain subsided early in the morning and I grabbed a couple hours rest before getting back in the car.

It’s another sparkling morning and luckily there isn’t much traffic. I pull into the parking lot above the town square and make my way to the restaurant where Becca works. She’s not there yet so I tell Alex’s son, Costa, to let her know I’ll be nearby. Just around the corner is Gelo Blue. This was the first gelato shop in the village. The fresh cream and fruit used to be flown in from main land. Now they also serve coffee, simple sandwiches and dessert.

Double Greek with Sugar, please

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve arrived late in the day so it’s easy to find parking in the lot closest to the entrance of the village. From there it’s a short walk down a steep drive leading into Lindos.

Entrance to Lindos Village

The narrow cobble stone streets are shaded by awnings that meet from opposing sides of the street. Grapevine leaves are cultivated to grow over the walk on a series of wires strung between the buildings in a makeshift trellis.

This makes a hot day bearable and it’s easy to wander slowly, taking pictures every few feet. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Sunday and I sleep ’till noon. It’s partly that I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I left Cleveland and partly the Cuttysark and Coke I drank at the Bouzouki the night before.

I had the foresight to buy eggs so I poach myself a pair and match them up with a slice of brown bread toasted under the broiler in the easy-bake oven they’ve provided at my “condo-minimum”.

I take my time getting ready and try to manage my expectations. Rhodes City was a disappointment and I’m starting to worry I’ve come all this way for a place that looks like the scrub covered hills of southern California and acts like a NJ nightclub full of Persian gigolos. Read the rest of this entry »

Skipping ahead a bit…it’s Saturday night and I sit in the Plaka (plaza) of Old Rhodes Town. This part of the city is famous for many reasons not the least of which is the fact that it’s encased in the original medieval walls built by the Knight of St John.

Plaka at Rhodes Old Towne

Like Italy, the biggest crowds gather in the outdoor cafes that surround the town square. I went looking for people and I know this is the best place to find some. There are even kids hanging out on the steps up to the old tower just like I’ve seen in every town I’ve visited in Europe.

As I sit, waiting to see what will happen, I’m struck by 2 simultaneous thoughts. European children are up much too late and I wish I’d been raised as a child in Europe.

The tow headed girls at the table to my right can’t be more than 5 or 6. They color on the tiny cafe tables while their parents (men on one side, women on the other) chat with each other, passing the evening enjoying the fine weather and each other’s company. This is living.

The Yang of this pleasant Yingful scene is the MIME in the Plaka. That’s right people, there exists a Greek Marcel Marceau. People are actually gathering around him to watch him pretend he’s in a box. Shit.

Also, in every cafe, there are enormous flat screen TV’s blaring some kind of singing competition. The restaurant hawkers call out to potential patrons: “Television! See! Hear!” I blame Seacrest for this. Not because he’s truly at fault but because I enjoying blaming him for things that are wrong with broadcasting. The waiter tells me this “Eurovision Song Contest” is the MOST popular TV show in all of Europe. So much for imported culture.

You decide what's going on here

Holy crap! A group just entered the cafe next to me that are either a bunch of Norwegian sailors on shore leave or a gay cruise group out on theme night. There’s more than a dozen of them and half the group are wearing tighty-whitey shorts with their sailor shirts and little round caps. Could those shorts possibly be standard issue?

They have been given mugs of beer and are singing what I presume to be either patriotic Norwegian drinking songs or something from their Glee Club set list. It’s hard to tell and I’m distracted by all that visible man leg.

Things are starting to really hop at the old Plaka. You know because the person selling individual long-stemmed roses has appeared. Some things are universal. Where’s the polaroid camera guy offering to over charge me to preserve this memory?
Then right on cue, acoustic guitar man enters, stage right. “Serenade for the pretty lady?”

Still among all the hubbub, I’m wondering, where is the famous Greek hospitality? I’ve been sitting here for 2 hours waiting to be befriended by someone Greek or otherwise. So far, that’s a bust. I think I look pretty cute tonight. I may have to go to Lindos for that tomorrow. It’s smaller and may lend itself to more intimacy.

In fact, I have to say I’m not impressed by Rhodes town (new or old) at all. Although the Medieval architecture is attractive, one look at the shops makes me feel like I’m at the Jersey Shore.

The best thing about Old Towne

It’s just a lot of CRAP and that lamp store was the prettiest thing I could find to photograph. Every stall is choked with bad designer knock off bags and clothes. Most of the people I pass, clearly dressed to go out for the night, are wearing some kind of T-shirt with the name of an American city emblazoned across it in gold lame. Weird.

I long for Italy where everyone and everything is more graceful. Not that it would be any friendlier, just more attractive. OK the waiter just bought me a glass of wine and wants me to meet him for coffee tomorrow.. I shutta my face.

Still this being here on my own thing is kinda weird. It’s just that I lack a certain sense of purpose. After I am done with the cafe, then what? What will I do with myself tomorrow?

Well, I’m finishing my glass of free wine and then the only challenge that remains is to find the gate I came in at so I can get my car!

As I pack up my things to leave, the wine-giving waiter asks his boss if he can end his shift now so he can ask me out. It’s clear this is not a strange request and again I admire the Greek value system that places living at equal importance with working.

Tasos is probably my age or a little older and I convince him to take me to a local Bouzouki. That’s a Greek nightclub that revolves around 5 or 6 singers belting out medley’s of traditional Greek folk songs and trashy Euro club hits. To get into the club you buy the bottle on the table. In this case, Cuttysark. Already I know this trouble. The second level of participation requires the purchase of trays of flowers you’re supposed to fling one by one at the singer you approve of most.

Greek Idol?

It was loud, smokey trashy good fun. I dance on stage while men kneel at my feet-because that’s what they do. Say what you want about the Greek man vs woman thing. This night was definitely a celebration of the female form.

We parted outside the club. He asked me to come back to the restaurant the next morning but I had no intention of doing that. I knew I would be heading out town the next day to find the “Greece” I flew halfway around the world to see. White houses, water clear and calm as glass, warmth, laughter and glasses of wine at sunset.

Lindos, here I come.

I wake once during the night when the ferry shudders during a turn. I open the curtains and peer out over an ink blue, moonlight sky. We seem to be coming to a stop. I’m not sure if it’s designed to let some passenger’s disembark or if we need to refuel. I decide I don’t care. I slip back under the covers and am instantly asleep again.

1st View of Rhodes from the Ferry

When I wake it’s about 8:30 am. At this point I’m under the impression we will dock in Rhodes around 10:30 so I wander down to the first class lounge for a greek coffee and a sticky bun. The boat’s half empty at this point and I’m starting to think my timetable may be off a bit. A stop by reception confirms we’re docking in 20 minutes. Shit. Late again.

I get back upstairs and rush past a series of empty cabins already being cleaned by housekeeping. It takes me a bit to put all my bags back together but it certainly isn’t past the 20 minute mark when I make my way, alone, through the deserted ship.

Read the rest of this entry »