However through it all, Rhodes town maintained its magnificence. It was once a fortified citadel under the Knights Hospitallers, and was at one point the most fortified city in Christendom.
Once off the main walkway and into the narrow streets between walls, it reminded me slightly of the ruins of Pompeii for some reason, which I found interesting. (It was after all, under Roman rule for many years).
We had no set plan and simply wandered at will, taking in the sights. We lunched at random in a shaded courtyard, the food was somewhat mediocre unfortunately, aside from fried hummus balls which were quite interesting and apparently a speciality of Rhodes. My entertainment for the day was watching our restaurant and its rival restaurant next door engage. The waiters were placed strategically around the square waiting to nab passing tourists, and at our restaurants every success, the waiter of the restaurant next door was clearly getting more and more frustrated, angrily gesticulating at our waiter and swearing at an increasingly volume.
All too soon it was time to board our ferry back to the mainland, where Yannick and Necia would be leaving us. I had to say my overall image of Rhodes (compared to the other Greek islands) was disappointing, as the entire island felt more like a tourist trap and had lost most of its charm. Of the Rhodes I had always dreamed of, framed by the giant colossus spanning across the harbour, there was no sign.
Although we were taking an overnight ferry and therefore usually nightmarish, we had decided to get a cabin this time, and although it costs more, I cannot recommend it enough. Instead of sleeping on the concrete deck and waking up damp with seaspray, we passed a cosy night snugly sleeping in bunk beds. We arrived very early in the morning at about 6am, and sadly said our goodbyes - how fast the two weeks had gone! Yannick and Necia had a day ahead of them in Athens before heading back to London, whereas we had further adventures ahead of us, including a little of mainland Greece, too much driving in Italy, and further exploring in France.
First however, after saying our goodbyes dad and I headed for the acropolis as we decided it would be a shame to miss a glimpse of it, quiet at dawn.
We made our way around the back by mistake only to run into familiar faces soon after; there were Yannick and Necia trekking their way to the acropolis!
We gave them a ride to the front of the ancient monument as we were all headed in that direction. Although the site wasn't yet open, it was beautiful from afar. I noticed that we weren't the only ones there either, as a few backpackers were fast asleep on nearby benches - whether to get there before the crowds or simply travelling Greece really cheaply, I couldn't say. After admiring the Acropolis through a sea of olive trees, we bid our second farewell to Yannick and Necia, before heading off again.
We quickly realised we had driven down a dead-end however, and had to turn around again, cheerily waving to Yannick and Necia as we passed them by! Giggling to ourselves, we headed off in the direction of Delphi (although we did have a quick stop in the backstreets of the acropolis when we followed our noses to a delicious bakery full of fresh bread. Yum!)
By driving non-stop we managed to get to Delphi before midday and were soon sweating our way across the site, the full noon-day sun beating down on us.
I was surprised by the marked difference in tourist numbers since my last visit here in 2014, when it had been bustling. Now only a few people wandered the ruins, and most of them were speaking French unlike the hordes of english speakers I remembered from the time before.
Delphi was of course as impressive as ever, and even more enjoyable without the many tourists spoiling the views. The rugged landscape made an incredible backdrop for the ampitheatre, and just helped remind me how incredibly wild and beautiful Greece really is.
It was also interesting to see Delphi with my dad, as he had been about forty years before, and pointed out the many differences between then and now.
Feeling ready for lunch, we headed for the nearby harbour town of Galaxidi. And what a lunch it was!! Right on the waterfront with a super friendly owner, Zygos restaurant was one of my best dining experiences in Greece. We started with the best tzatziki we have ever had (I wish I could put my finger on why) and lovely fresh sesame-seed bread, washed down with Kaiser tap beer! We followed that up by sharing a drunken ham hock which was slow cooked so the meat was falling apart and drowning in a mustard peppercorn sauce that was to die for, and a delicious kebab in a soft saffron flavoured pita bread. Fit to burst, we nibbled on the free dessert which was a strange sort of chia seed texture, with orange rind and cinnamon and some kind of orange liquor - delicious!
Feeling so full we might die, we checked into a little hotel back from the waterfront and relaxed for the afternoon, only venturing out for a swim at a little bay across from the harbour. It was an excellent last day in Greece.
