Tuesday 1 March 2011

By Popular Request...

This may well be termed one of our favourite spots on the island from now on. Why? It's the first (that we are aware of) actual recycling centre on Rhodes. Finally the possibility of recycling plastic bottles, tin cans and glass bottles has come to Rhodes. Not before time. They've chosen an odd place to put it mind you, right outside the Old Town Wall on the Old Harbour. Above you see the beloved getting to grips with her first black bagful of plastic bottles.
...& here's yours truly with a huge sackful of cans which we'd been saving up for our next visit to town. The machine is quite clever actually. You're not supposed to crush the plastic bottles or tin cans first, which I thought was stupid until I realized that the machine does it for you. Plus it records each piece you feed it and spews out a modest credit note at the end which you can use in your local branch of Carrefour when you go shopping. You can also select to donate the cash to the public good if you so wish. It seems a good way of creating a bit on incentive among a people who by and large haven't up until now been very interested in environmental issues like recycling.
Above is the "view" from the recycling centre. Not a bad backdrop in which to be doing your bit for the environment is it? Yes, that's our baby, the white Suzuki Swift!
Above shows the outer terrace of one of the swish new cafes which grace the area right beside the new marina that's taking shape quite quickly now at the north end of the new by-pass on the East coast of town. We had to visit the bank you see to the left, so I snapped this on the way in.
The Old Town on February 28th 2011. I went and parked the car on the edge of town and wandered through the Old Town whilst making my way to meet the missus for that all-important frappe. Yes, it was a frappe day today! See below (not the next one, but further down)
What gives these photos away as taken during winter time is the greenery (oh all right then, weeds!), apart from the lack of people that is! After a wet night, it was a truly glorious day.
Note the Almond blossom on the tree to the left, just beyond the tiny cafeneon. It's quite late this year [see ch. 20 "Gilma's Tears" in the book "A Plethora of Posts"]

Above: Socrates Street, very different from the tourist season eh?
We've decided that our fave cafe is the one right next to the court house on Mandraki, which is where I took this one. It was actually almost too hot in the sun!
The one above should be a lot bigger when you click on it to view in another window. It's two photos fused together, which accounts for the change of hue half-way across. I wanted to show not only the poppies and red anemones growing in the moat area, but how beautiful it is when it's green. In fact I just noticed that it's difficult to make out the flowers, which are in evidence right in front of the wall on the right hand section of the photo. The limitations of my camera I'm afraid folks.


These photographs are posted in response to the many requests I've received for some photos of Rhodes Town during winter. We knew that we'd be in town for most of the day yesterday, Monday 28th February, so I took the camera along and the results are above for you to peruse. As usual, clicking on any of these pics should open them in another window at a larger size.

Hope you like 'em!

13 comments:

  1. Dear John
    Many thanks for the photos and info. (from one of the requesters!).
    They are very interesting.
    Heres hoping you can make your way down the East Coast doing the same!! LOL.
    Seriously though, thanks again.
    Kind regards
    Steve

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  2. I'll second that, thanks very much, nice pics. What new bypass tho'? Sounds intriguing but not entirely believable! I base that on knowledge of the long-standing road 'improvements' from Rhodes to Lindos!!
    Vicki

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  3. If you know where the "lower Lidl" is, opposite the huge Spar where you find the cheapest petrol on the island & on the coast road into town from Kallithea & Koskinou, just a couple of yards up from that there is a new dual carriageway which runs past the tax office and finishes just by the new marina that's under construction. It's going to raise the tone of a previously run-down looking suburb.

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  4. Very nice photos. I like how there's a plastic cup of frappe coffe on the sidewalk outside the bank lol. frappe's everywhere :)

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  5. You know, I hadn't noticed that!! I could have airbrushed it out. No seriously, as you say, it makes the place instantly recognizable a Greece!

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  6. John,

    Is the bypass you describe the new road that runs to/through Zephiros? If it is I accidentally drove on that road a couple of years ago and it was only the strange looks I got, tooting of horns and flashing of lights that made me realise it wasn't yet open!

    Also, where is the new marina - I'm guessing that is in Zephiros as well??

    Cheers,

    Dave.

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  7. You've got it Dave. Runs behind the sports complex and the market, right on the coast. See if this works: http://www.greekhotel.com/gmap/?region3id=1988&zoom=14

    Not even sure if every part of it is open yet!
    John

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  8. Just checked that link above (need to copy and paste it though) and it works, you can then zoom in if you like.

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  9. John,

    Thanks for the confirmation. I hadn't spotted the marina before - it looks a good size. I know that when the larger aircraft carriers are in town they sometimes drop anchor off of Zephiros and then tender personnel into one of the Old Town docks - I guess this new marina, whilst not big enough for the big ships to dock, will give them other options?

    For info, when we called into Kamiros Skala last July there was a big ugly ramp built up on the end of the dock being used for lorries to load a big cargo ship with stone- apparently this was for ferrying stone round to Rhodes Town for a big project - I assumed it to be connected with the ongoing roadworks but looking at the stone in the new marina guess that is where it was/is all going.

    Cheers,

    Dave.

    PS. When is Tzatziki going onto Kindle??

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  10. I really must get on with that. It's just that there is a deal of work involved and I dunno where the time goes! I still think that maybe the Kindle craze will fade a bit though!!! You just can't beat the feel of a real book, plus you can swop 'em with friends! But I will try and at least put "Tzatziki" on sale as a Kindle book when I can get round to it. It will be interesting to see how well it does against the trad books anyway. But don't hold your breath.

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  11. Great stuff John . Would love to be there myself with camera ...Think next year going to have to get to Rhodes earlier than June and stay longer ...Thanks for giving an insite into the island in Febuary .....Love it ..Best wishes to all ...Nige&Fay in the UK xx

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  12. Really enjoy your Blog John.

    Thanks

    Daz - Friends Of Pefkos

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  13. John,
    Really enjoyed your off season tour of Rhodes Town.
    Keep up the kala doulia.
    Nick from Lindos

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