Lindos and Rhodes

Today was spent on the island of Rhodes. 

First the acropolis of Lindos. The acropolis was started around in the 10th century BC and in final form by the 3rd century BC. It is 300 steps up. By the time I reached the lowest level, Erica was on the way back down. So mostly I saw the view. What Erica finds most interesting is that Lindos was first dedicated to Athena, then to the Virgin Mary. Whoever conquered just changed the statues. When the Turks held it, they allowed the Danish to take away the Greek statues.

A view from the acropolis at Lindos down to the village. You see the tower of the church in the middle. All of the houses are white to keep them cool. And people live in houses that are hundreds of years old.

The city of Skala - the major port on Rhodes. This was so interesting because the Medieval fortress  was started around 1100AD and has been continuously inhabited. So you see the outside of really old buildings but the insides are still in use. Now 80% of the industry is tourism. So on the square all of the bottom floors are restaurants or stores; nothing to be toured. This is a picture up the street of the Knights. Knights from each country owned their houses. All have become Greek except the French house which is their consulate today. They are trying to preserve the history. If you own any land and want to build, the archeologists have to check the site first. Our tour guide now has three ancient graves in his yard. If too much good stuff is found then you are stuck until the government can get together the money to buy your land.

Tomorrow no tours. We are on our own. Uh-oh.