We spent a week and a half on the Greek islands of Crete and Rhodes. This was the first of two visits to Greece during our trip. We'll be back again in October with stops in mainland Greece (Athens and Olympia) and more islands (Corfu, Mykonos and Santorini).
Our trip to Crete and Rhodes had two main activites - visits to ancient ruins and visits to beaches. Here's a little info on both.
The most significant ancient ruins on Crete are palaces built by the Minoans 3,500 years ago. The Minoans were the first civilization in Europe. They were 'make money not war' folks who focused on trade and commerce. They built five sprawling multi-story palaces that served as centres for commerce, government and arts.
Below are photos from two of the five palaces. Sections of the palaces have been restored - look for stuff that has a smooth surface or bright colors or anything that's light brown as it's made of wood.
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| Palace of Knossos - a maze of passageways and rooms |
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| Monument to the bull - bulls were sacred to Minoans |
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| Amphitheatre - people watched performances from the steps |
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| Throne room - most is restored but the throne on the right is original |
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| Storage pots - almost six feet tall; bottom (darker) half is original |
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| Palace of Phaistos - a maze like Knossos |
On Rhodes, the most significant ancient ruin is the Acropolis of Lindos. It's a spectacular sight high above the sea and the surrounding area. At the center of the Acropolis is a temple for the Greek goddess Athena that was built 2,300 years ago. The perimeter walls and other "fortress" looking pieces on the site were added later by Romans and folks from areas that are now part of Turkey.
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| The Acropolis high above the town of Lindos |
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| A steep climb |
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| Still climbing and it's real hot |
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| Temple of Athena (note - the columns are restored) |
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| Celebrating at the top of the climb |
We didn't count how many beaches there are on Crete and Rhodes but there are lots. They are all spectacular. Here are photos from the ones we visited.
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| Matala Beach on Crete - great restaurants right on the beach |
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| Falasarna Beach on Crete - the beach goes forever |
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| Agathi Beach on Rhodes - perfect warm water and soft sand |
Another thing to mention about Crete and Rhodes are the cats. They're everywhere and Vanessa tried to feed and get photos of every one. Here are just a few examples. Vanessa would love to show you the whole collection of cat photos when we get home.
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| Joining us for dinner |
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| Guarding the Acropolis of Lindos |
A few other photos.
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| You drive fast in Crete - good thing we rented a sportscar! |
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| Lots of agriculture on Crete - grapes, olives, oranges, lemons |
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| "How about feeding us while you're feeding the cats?" |
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| Old town part of Rhodes Town on Rhodes |
We'll finish again with a sunset photo.
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| Sunset on Falasarna Beach on Crete |
We're really looking forward to October when we pass through Greece again.
Vanessa and Blake
