My Rhodes by Eleni Psyhouli

My Rhodes by Eleni Psyhouli

Rhodes was for me the black and white photo in the idyllic Valley of the Butterflies in the 50's family albums and the memory of Scandinavian groups of tourists in the restaurants taking photos of moussaka. It was also a place with an aura of a cosmopolitan island with bouzouki with Aristotle Onassis visited with his private plane. Of course, none of them was a lie. But on that first visit, when the airplane door opened leaving the warm and humid tropical local wind to circulate in my blood, I felt there was something else that I had not figured out. On the way from the airport to the city of Rhodes, you already find that the island, besides the common sun and the sea, does not show immediately any of the characteristics of classic Greek mythology. The tropical air that sticks to the skin, the palm trees of the coastal, the true myth of the huge luxury hotels - tourism began from the era of Italian era - the aroma of sunscreen in the atmosphere, the sculptures of the surfers, the beaches with the blue whites three-story lounges, expensive cars, all of Miami's frescoes or any exotic seaside resort of high standards, from those far away, that make us dream of the tourist office posters. Half an hour's flight from Athens, you land in a carefree world that lives twelve months a year on the beach. My first stop was the classic Faliraki, who does not sleep and never stops drinking. The very first night I landed in the illuminated Las Vegas amusement park, in a rain of lamps accompanied the adrenaline junkies in the extreme park, the slink shot, the sky diving, the giant trampoline, the catapult and virtual games . On the next morning, the day started with beans, bacon and fried eggs, English breakfast,  while listening direct broadcast, of a radio station speaking English. Thank god later I found my self relaxing, listening the sound of silence on the beach of nudists. In the afternoon that tourists prefer to do wtaer sports on the beaches, i chose to stroll around and  buy souvenirs entering the sweet melancholy of the Medieval city of Rhodes. Next day I have explored the subtle merits of boutique hotels and resorts in Lindos. However, what you will mostly get away with from Rhodes is the feeling that this place belongs to itself only to itself, so far from the rest of Greece  in every meaning of the word. Rhodians are a special breed, living serenely isolated in on their own universe, turning her back on the sirens of the capital of Athens something that you can also find in their melodic accent that swims comfortably between its own customs and old tradition combined with a completely American way of lifestyle. Rhodian youth, sunbathing all day, doing water sports and driving fast cars and living 365 days a year in the rhythm of the beach. Logically, therefore, what you will also take away with you is a great vibe as if you are going through in one of a movie set that have nothing in common with any oter place int he world. An amazing summer destination, a kids dream with a Waterpark and traveller's must with deserted beaches in the south, souma in the mountain Siana and delicious Greek food like goat in the wood oven slowly cooked overnight. Even with the swimsuit, you are able to have a coffee in the Alpine-type landscape of Eleousa in  Prophitis Ilias, you go through life in another century of the Archangleos, or you can see the absolute silence of the world and God from the top of the castle of Kritinia. You will soon drink the first martini in the nightlife of the Old Town of Rhodes or you will eat lobsters in the serene harbor of Kamiros SKala opposite Halki. From the pine forest and deers, you will be able to escape into the Mediterranean vegetation of the northern coast and from there to the Hawaiian palm trees on the beach of Prasonis to spend an hour, if you feel you want to surf. Among all these what you discover is that you find yourself falling in love with this island again and again and again!