Hand Luggage.

Panormitis monastery

While touring around Symi you will see many churches devoted to the Archangel Michael.

The decorative Greek Orthodox Monastery of Taxiarchis Mihail Panormitis is the most important on the island.

The monastery is a large 18th-century Venetian styled building with the highest baroque bell tower in the world.

It’s covered in ornate red, yellow and blue detailing, like an edible cake tower! Once inside the detailing just carries on.

A shaded courtyard offers welcome relief from the heat outside. Lush greenery soothes the eyes. The courtyard has ornate black and white flooring known as Hokhlakia – a detailed type of geometric pattern

Intricate mosaic work also adorns the walls, featuring various Biblical scenes.

Heavenly details can be found even if you cast your eyes upward.

Huge prayer candles flicker in the corner of the courtyard while floral wreaths adorn the doors to the cells where pilgrims can stay and contemplate in quiet solitude.

More washed out colour offers a pleasing picture in every corner.

A very pleasant trip and a bulging camera memory card once again!!!

Sweet little Symi

During our brief jaunt to Rhodes town we took a ferry over to the glorious little island of Symi. Here’s the first views of the colourful little houses clinging to the hillside.

As the ferry pulls into Yialos (the main harbour) we get a closer look at the tiers of housing. Mostly in pastel shades but with the odd rebels with bright shades of red and yellow.

Here’s another view of Yialos the main harbour with a few glamorous sail boats.

Beyond the harbour is a distant view of hills while a girly pink scooter contrasts nicely with the yellow fishing nets. Meanwhile this gorgeous colour combo on a local house catches my eyes too

Symi’s recorded history goes back as far as the Trojan Wars (1120 BC)

At its height Symi was a thriving island with a population of more than 22,000. It was renowned for its boat-building, sponge-fishing, wine-making, its wood-carvers and icon-painters.

The tranquail harbour has a plethora of little boats bobbing on the azure waters.

You can still buy traditional sponges from lots of different shops along the harbour front.

So many colourful houses and shops jostle for position and demand photographing!

I love the delicate circular details at the top of lots of the roof lines.

So many permutations of candy colours to enjoy.

Moving up from the harbour we set off to explore Chorio, the village area.

Naturally I find lots of lovely paint based things to point my camera at. Including this amazing blue set of steps.

There’s unusual artwork, colourful shops and icecream around every corner.

Neil gets his fix of the creamy goodness and we actually get someone to take a picture of the two of us for once!

Symi is a compact, colourful and delightful place for a day trip or for a longer, laid back break.

Next up we’re off to visit the pretty little monastry at Panormitis with its ornate floor and decoration.

Rhodes town

Now dear readers, you all know that we don’t usually do package holidays and yet that is what we found ourselves on in Rhodes.

However, never fear, we still managed to break away and do our own thing for a few days. Although we were based in Pefkos we decided to spend a few days in Rhodes town itself.

So we booked into the lovely little October Down Town Rooms just a few minutes walks from the harbour and beach and about ten minutes from the fantastic old town.

The old town is surrounded by impressive battlements and that just adds to the Disneyesque feel to the whole place.

The Old Town of Rhodes is the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe. Inside it feels like a stage set, complete with cobbled streets, detailed tiling and FANTASTIC pom pom slippers!!

Here’s a few more of the stalls tempting tourists with a variety of religious artifacts, replica Greecian temples and other wooden do dars.

One of my favourite ever things is these super cute ice cream animals!!!

Lemon ducks, chocolate orange mice and strawberry fishes!!

Once inside the walls you are met with a bewildering array of possible wandering options. There are roughly 200 streets or lanes that simply have no name and you WILL get lost!

Here’s a view of the fantastic Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. It is one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece. The site was previously a citadel of the Knights Hospitaller that functioned as a palace, headquarters and fortress.

The palace was built in the early 14th century by the Knights of Rhodes, who controlled Rhodes and some other Greek islands from 1309 to 1522, to house the Grand Master of the Order.

And here’s the rosy exterior of the Suleiman Mosque.

Here’s a few more colourful sights from the maze of back streets in the old town. I am loving the yellow and blue combo.Wonder if I can persuade the other half to have it at home . . .

So many delightful peely paint photo opps here! So I’ll dedicate a few obsessive posts purely to paint piccies later on . . . (I do spoil you all!)

One of the other main sights of the old town is the Street of the Knights – one of the best preserved medieval relics in the world.

The 600m long, cobble – paved street was constructed over an ancient pathway that led in a straight line from the Acropolis of Rhodes to the port.

All in all Rhodes Old Town is a fantabulous place to while away a few hours just getting lost in back allies, sampling icecreams and enjoying a chilled beer!!!

Lindos

Next up on the Greecian odyssey is the adorable little sugar cube village of Lindos.

The village is a sprawl of traditional white houses, many of which have rooftop terraces complete with bars and restaurants. Here’s the man pausing as we head up to the Acropolis.

The acropolis is a natural citadel which was fortified successively by the Greeks, the Romans, the Ottomans and the Byzantines.

The imposing facade of the structure seems carved almost from the rock itself. Some scenes from the famous film The Guns of Navarone, were filmed here.

Below is the Doric temple of Athena Lindia. Before it’s off for a trawl of some of the narrow back streets and the colourful stalls. A particular favourite is the local olive oil soap in pretty packaging.

Piles of artwork and teeny tiny kitchen scenes and front doors attract my gaze.

Not to mention the multitude of magnets, swathes of scarfs and more miniature views.

Then it’s off for a well earned dip in the very pretty St Paul’s Bay.

It is reported that the apostle landed here during a storm.

The turquoise water offers a well needed refresh from the steamingly hot day.

We have to tear ourselves away from the tempting scene for a little more exploration.

As we potter around Lindos I can’t help noticing all the ornate door knockers. A particular favourite seems to be hands!

Enjoy this little selection of the knobs and knockers that adorn the village doors.

Bee boxes and honey in Siana

Once we’ve settled into our accommodation and located the cheapest food sources we plan the rest of the week.

We decide to take a day trip that combines a visit to a wonderful painted church at Asklipios and also the pretty town of Siana.

The village’s name – Asklipio comes from the scholar of medicine Asklipios. Here’s some of the staggeringly detailed frescos in the little Byzantine church ‘Dormition of the Virgin’ that was built in 1060.

Next up on the trip is Siana, a tiny picturesque little town. It’s built amphitheatrically on the slopes of Mount Acramitis, the second highest mountain of the island, offering a breathtaking view of the surrounded areas.

Blue bee boxes delight my snappy photo fingers and the town has the feel of an alpine ski village. The village of Siana is famous for its excellent honey and its local wine. You can also sample the infamous ‘souma’, the fiery local grape spirit.

So many shades of blue, so many boxes . . so little time or memory card space . .

There’s also a plethora of my other favourite photographic subjects . . peeling paint on doors and windows!!

Next up we visit the sugar cube village of Lindos, take in the acropolis and have a swim in the glorious St Paul’s bay.

Greecian memories

While I plan the next jaunt I’ve discovered a whole horde of photos from a trip I had completely forgotten to document (I know – how on earth did that escape me!)

It’s from back in 2012 and was a week of sunny bliss spent on the Greek island of Rhodes.

Now I’ve done a few Greek islands, Corfu, Lipsi, Lindos and Zante, and always enjoy the simple, almost spartan, Greek way of life.

This time we broke with recent tradition and took part in … a package holiday!

We stayed in the Matina Hotel apartments in the small town of Pefkos, about an hour’s drive from Rhodes town.

Here’s one of the local’s pressing his own tipple, while Neil channels Miami Vice in the hotel pool!

The town is quite compact with a couple of small beaches and plenty of restaurants, bars and even a nightclub or two if that’s your thing. Plus the usual tacky tourist shops, including this t shirt stall – Neil blends in with the dummies . . .

We went in October so it was pleasantly quiet as it was nearly the end of the season. Plus this meant we didn’t have to endure any “entertainment” at the hotel complex!!

Here’s a few random shots of Pefkos beach, the pro tanner at rest and a knackered old window . . .

Here’s me posing at the resort pool.

Next up we take a day trip to the pretty town of Siana before heading to the lovely nearby resort of Lindos.

Last Croatian memories

The time has come to wave a very fond goodbye to glorious Croatia (for now at least…) so here’s a few last shots of Dubrovnik.

With its plethora of enchanting buildings, stunning countryside and budget friendly accommodation, Croatia was a revelation.

Here’s the Stradun and Onofrio’s large fountain again all bathed in lovely lovely Croatian sunshine *wistful sigh*

Here’s us trying to defeat the mythical gargoyle or Maskeron.

If you enter the Old Town of Dubrovnik by the Pile Gate walk along the Stradun and you’ll see a strange stone head protruding from a stone wall.

The head stands some half a meter above the ground, sticking out barely fifteen centimeters. Its top surface is polished like marble.
Legend has it that if you manage to hop onto the head, keep your balance, and take off your shirt while still standing facing the wall, luck in love will follow you.

Neil has technique whereas I just repeatedly hurl myself at the wall in hope…

Then it’s off for a last mooch around the harbour and time to take a bracing dip with the locals! Check out the glorious azure sea water!

I’m a bit of a water baby and tend to end up in any large bodies of water that I come across. However I am also a huge wuss.

So I am gradually inching my way into the water, flabby bit by flabby bit . . .

Ho ho. It’s like watching a beached whale returning to the water.

Until finally I am submerged and at one with the lapping waves.

And there I stayed until I was good and wrinkled.

That’s it for Croatia folks. A hectic week of travelling hundreds of miles, getting hopelessly lost and falling head over heels in love with a breathtaking country.

Mount Srd cable car

If there’s a cable car in the vicinity then we tend to make an appearance on it sooner or later! Dubrovnik is no exception with Mount Srd boasting the town’s vertigo inducing attraction.

The original cable car was built in 1969 but was almost completely destroyed during the shelling in the 1990s.

At 405 metres above sea level, the views from the top are staggering. On a clear day you can see up to 60km.

Here you can see the old town walls that we’d recently been traipsing along. Also here’s a bird’s eye view of the harbour and St John’s fortress.

Here the distinctive shape of Dubrovnik old town is now apparent. You can see Minceta tower on the town wall in the foreground and Fort Bokar to the right in the distance.

Onwards the tiny cable car travels, pausing briefly for us to appreciate the views and to pass another of the little pods. Each one of which holds 30 passengers.

Of course we’ve shoved our way to the front of the car to ensure the best possible views of the town and mountain side.

It only takes a few minutes to whisk up the mountain and then you can have a potter around at the top.

With such a good view of potential invaders it’s unsurprising that there’s a fortress on top of Mount Srd. Fort Imperial was built in 1806-1816 during the Napoleonic Wars but now houses the Museum of the Homeland War.

There’s also an amphitheater, restaurant and shop.

It’s currently 100 kuna for an adult return ticket. You can book the cable car online and learn more here.

Dubrovnik town

After our jaunt around the walls we had another saunter into the charming old town. (This time it wasn’t pouring with rain!!)

Heading to the Stradun via Pile Gate

Lots of pictures of the harbour now . . .

St Johns fortress again in all its austre glory.

Finally I get to see the town bathed in sunshine, its gorgeous

The harbour is a picturesque setting for a very pricey drink and some food, or you can go cheap skatey, get a picnic like us and enjoy the same views

Makes me want to be back there right down, given the 3 degrees temperature outside and the grey drizzle!

Cable cars and sea swimming coming up next for your enjoyment!

Walking the walls – part two

Carrying on with our little pictorial wander around the walls of Dubrovnik with action man Neil taking the lead as usual.

Next up along the walls is a marvellous view over the town’s impressive main street – Stradun.

Here you can see some of the main sights including Onofrio’s big domed fountain and the Church of Holy Savior with its distinctive circular window.

Rambling on you come across views to Fort Bokar. Under Austrian rule in the 19th century, it was used as a prison. It’s one of the oldest buildings of its kind in Europe.

You can also see across the bay to Fortress Lovrijenac. It’s often called “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar” and is famous for its importance in resisting Venetian rule

Walking now above the tiny little back alleys you can peer into people’s back gardens to one side and down the huge drop to the sea on the other.

The sea is a glorious azure blue and it was super tempting to have a dip (which we did later on!)

Dubrovnik really is one of the prettiest towns I have visited for a long time and you can spend hours just marveling at it.

Each vantage point shows another viewpoint. Here you can see the cable car station at the top of Mount Srd. More of that later of course!

Finally you come to St John’s fort and the harbour where Neil finally gets banged up for a short time.

Here you can see the local’s favourite swimming spot off the harbour. Later on we joined them for a bracing dip in the sea.

Old salty relics can be found dotted around the harbour. Plus these giant anchors too!!! Ha ha

And finally here’s a view looking back towards St John’s fortress to conclude a very enjoyable couple of hours walking the walls. Definitely recommended to get an aerial view of the quaint old town.