Autumn Cruise 2021, Rhodes – 2

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The following morning of our Rhodes island explore we drove to the Kallithea Springs on the East coast. The reddish water springing from the rock formations in the bay attracted visitors as early as 800 BC. In 300 BC the curative properties of the water were discovered and “Spa tourism” was born.

The entrance of what is now a tourist attraction.

Numerous “patients” arrived with their families and stayed either in temporary accommodation or in the natural cavities of the surrounding rocks. The Italians who occupied the island after WWI saw the commercial possibilities of the site and built the dome over the spring we see today. However, when the Nazi’s took over the island in WWII they transformed the place into a prison surrounded by barbed wire and minefields. After reunification of the Dodecanese with Greece in 1948 the Government made a humble attempt to reopen the site, only to shut is down in 1967.

Neglected buildings after 1967.

Realisation grew that this beautiful place should not be left to rot and in 1999 restoration works started with a new entrance, than a car park, and later the “rotunda”. In 2007 the site was reopened to the public.

Beautifully restored dome over the spring.
With luck the springs will have water in March - April, the end of the wet season.
The car park, the entrance, the dome, the beach, the restaurants and down the circular "rotunda", a function hall, popular for weddings.
Inside the rotunda.

The romantic setting was a popular shooting location for several films, not limited to the two listed below.

To Doloma (The Decoy) 1964
The guns of Navarone 1961.
The small bay is a popular anchorage, although it gets crowded quickly.

Time to move on and a little bit further South we stop at “The Seven Springs”. It is a bit overdone to call is SEVEN springs. It is one spring area of a few m^2 were water springs from the rocks at 7 locations. If they were not signposted with a number you would not find 7.

Liza at one of the bigger springs with crystal clear water.
The water flows year round and disappears in a 186 meter long tunnel.
The tunnel is narrow and dark. Liza could walk upright, but Frits had to duck his head. Not suitable if you are claustrophobic.😱
But every tunnel has an end. The water flow fed a shallow man-made water reservoir.
The small lake, fed by spring water.
The tunnel and the dam that formed the lake, were built by the Italians in 1931 to supply nearby Kolympia with water.

We continue further South to have a look at the ruins of Feraklos Castle, which was together with Lindos and Rhodes one of three locations fortified by the Knights Hospital to defend the island.

After a long siege the fort was captured in 1523 by the Ottomans a few months after the fall of Rhodes. The Ottomans never used the castle and it has since been abandoned.
Except for the beautiful views, there is nothing left to see and we would not have visited the place if the seven springs were not near by.

We cross the interior of the island going to the North Coast. For those who are not familiar with Mediterranean vegetation……….

......Olive trees have been grown in the Mediterranean since 8000 BC and this is what a cultivated olive tree looks like and.........
This is how olives grow on the tree. Black olives are simply ripened green olives. Some varieties are consumed green, and others taste better when black. The three staple food plants in the Med are olives, wheat (for pasta, bread and couscous) and grapes.
We stopped at a street vendor who sold local produce. He himself was a bee-keeper, but he sold farm produce from nearby farms as well.
We bought small jars of orange honey - thyme honey and pine honey. The bee-hives are relocated to the area where the specified crop or herb is flowering. Although Türkiye is the worlds second largest honey producer and they offer similar types of honey it seems to us that the Greeks have the gathering process better under control since Greek Thyme honey tastes "Thymiër" and the pine honey more "piniër" etc. then the Türkisch honey. The Greek honey has a more distinct and stronger taste.
On the North coast we made a quick stop at Monolithos castle, built on top of a 100 meter high rock by the Knights in 1480.
The fort was never conquered but is still in ruins and beside a small church it is only the view that is left.
On the way back to Rhodes city we stopped in Siana, where we found this lovely Church of Saint Pantaleon

Pantaleon is the Patron of physicians and midwives, invoked for the protection of domestic animals, and invoked against cancer and tuberculosis. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers,  a group of saints venerated by Christians because their prayers are believed to be particularly effective, against various diseases. Devotion to the fourteen Holy Helpers began in the 14th century largely as a result of the plague or Black Death.

A large church for a sleepy hamlet. Opposite the church is an olive oil retailer.......
The shopkeeper used to process his olives at site and the equipment is still there but does not meet the present day hygienic standards anymore. Now they have their olives processed at an industrial plant near Rhodes city and the bottled product is returned to the shop. Olive oil is largely made from ripened black olives since oil from early harvest green olives is more bitter. Although early harvest oil is more expensive, both of us did not like the (extremely) bitter taste.
The next day we have to prepare for our upcoming sail to Kas in Türkiye. We enter the city via the Gate of Saint John also known as the Red Door. Legend has it that during the Ottoman siege of 1522 there where so many fallen men in front of the gate that the stones turned red.
First thing to do was a COVID swab test. Next was to shop for food items (like pork) that are not available in Türkiye or are extraordinary expensive.
Alcohol is very expensive in Türkiye and selection is limited. Under these stairs is a well stocked liquor store with a wide variety of Greek spirits and wines.
We clearly were no souvenir hunters and the shop owner was very happy after we paid our bill for the many bottles of Metaxa, Ouzo and Retzina.

This concludes our visit to fascinating Rhodes and it is easy to see why the island is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. Sun, sand, tons of history, beautiful scenery, good restaurants and friendly people will all make for a pleasant stay. We will be back, although not in the roly marina, but at anchor in Lindos!!

We leave for Kas the next day, but that will be a different post.

Thank you for reading our stories. Warm ragrds, Liza and Frits.