| Rhodes. One of Greece's many highlights,
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| | increases. In another direction, tiny
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| the island of Rhodes, has both incredible
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| | pieces of land form mini islands in the
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| beauty and interesting history to share
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| | turquoise water.The ruins on the
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| with its visitors. The largest of the
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| | Acropolis of Lindos easily rival that of
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| Dodecanese island group, Rhodes has
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| | Athens. Dating back to 2000 B.C., what
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| several beaches from which you can enjoy
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| | remains is a mix of Byzantine, Turkish
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| the sea. One is covered with small
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| | and Frankish ruins. The majority of the
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| pebbles in place of sand, but the
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| | summit's floor is a mix of rock and dry
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| magnificence of the royal blue water is
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| | grass. Stone stairs lead to one of the
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| obvious regardless of the composition of
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| | Acropolis' highest structures of which
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| the beach. Rhodes receives over 300 days
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| | only three tall columns still stand. The
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| of sunshine a year, which makes you
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| | front two columns support two stone
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| appreciate the crisp coldness of the
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| | blocks stacked on top of one
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| Aegean even more.After the fall and
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| | another.Farther along, the ground has
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| fragmentation of Alexander the Great's
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| | been paved and a concrete platform makes
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| Empire of Macedonia, the island of Rhodes
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| | for easier walking. Remains of another
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| fought for its freedom and after a long
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| | building stand here, the front and back
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| siege, triumphed in 305 BC. It was
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| | each consisting of four supported
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| during this period that the Colossus of
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| | pillars. Stacked stones compose what is
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| Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the
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| | left of the walls, although they are in
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| World, was constructed and straddled the
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| | the process of being restored. From here
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| harbour. This impressive giant statue
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| | you can see the Bay of Lindos and the
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| was demolished during an earthquake.
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| | water is so clear that you can easily
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| Because of its strategic position (on the
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| | make out the bottom of the sea.Patmos.
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| crossroads between East and West) Rhodes
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| | Another popular cruise ship stop is the
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| has been under constant attacks and
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| | Holy Island of Patmos. The northernmost
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| dominations from early times. This
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| | island of the Dodecanese group, Patmos is
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| continued even up to WWII when the
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| | a place of pilgrimage for many Christians
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| Germans took it over for a short period,
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| | due to its religious history.At the
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| followed by the English who maintained
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| | summit of the small island lies the
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| their rule until 1948. At that time the
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| | Monastery of St. John the Theologian.
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| island of Rhodes (and all the islands of
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| | If you have the time, climb up the steep
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| the Dodecanese) was united to the newly
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| | road that coils its way up to the
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| built Greek State.Today pottery is
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| | monastery. It's a fairly long hike, but
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| Rhodes' craft and tours of factories are
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| | worth the effort as you're rewarded with
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| available. You can see how the pieces
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| | a spectacular view of Patmos and its
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| are created from start to finish,
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| | numerous bays and coves. Buses and taxis
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| including the painting of the finished
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| | also make frequent runs to the top of the
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| product by talented artists. Pottery is
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| | hill.The monastery itself is built within
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| for sale all over the island, but the
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| | a fortress and its gray buttressed walls
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| factories have the best selection. Some
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| | retain their strength even today. From
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| of the most beautiful pieces have colored
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| | the outside, it looks more like a castle
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| porcelain baked onto the clay in flowery
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| | than a monastery. Built 900 years ago,
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| designs.The city of Lindos on Rhodes is
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| | the monastery is constructed mainly out
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| built around an Acropolis. Square white
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| | of gray stone. A cement pathway on the
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| houses set amidst abundant greenery line
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| | pebbled ground leads inside to an
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| the lower portion of the rock projection.
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| | open-air courtyard. The rusting stone is
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| Although the Acropolis of Lindos is not
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| | stacked into arches and the positioning
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| as high as Athens, its grandeur is
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| | of the monastery on the highest point of
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| enhanced by its extraordinary setting
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| | the island means that all you can see
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| above the Aegean Sea. At the bottom, a
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| | when you look up is the clear blue
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| white sandy bay greets the blue water
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| | sky.One of the covered archways is
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| with a spattering of umbrellas. There is
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| | decorated with scenes of a religious
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| seldom an empty space on the fine sand,
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| | nature. The frescoes of saints and
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| the tourists come early and stay late.
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| | churches are precise to the smallest
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| It's quite easy to walk to the top of the
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| | detail and their color endures. The
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| Acropolis, but there is also a more
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| | monastery's church is decorated with even
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| adventurous way to ascend to the island's
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| | more remarkable frescoes. Gold
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| highest point - by donkey. You might
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| | embellishment and exquisite wood carvings
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| assume that this would require a lot less
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| | throughout the church emphasize the
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| effort in the blazing sunshine, but you
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| | importance of this section of the
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| will expend more energy praying for your
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| | monastery.A small museum on the site
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| life and gripping the makeshift saddle.
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| | houses sacred treasures such as
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| Donkeys are not the most graceful walkers
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| | intricately decorated manuscripts. It is
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| and you will be constantly bumped from
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| | also possible to see aged embroidered
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| side to side. They also have a tendency
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| | religious garments, jewelry and
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| to walk wherever they like and this
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| | mosaics.Another notably sacred place on
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| includes walking awfully close to the
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| | Patmos is the Grotto of the Apocalypse.
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| precipitous edge where you will be sure
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| | Just down the hill from the monastery
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| you are going to go tumbling off the
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| | lies the cave where it is believed St.
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| Acropolis into the clear blue water at
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| | John experienced his divine revelation.
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| any moment. Fortunately they are not
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| | Watch your step here; the stairs are
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| suicidal, so don't make any sudden shifts
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| | steep and the rock is slippery. Inside
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| of your weight that would throw them off
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| | the cave, a worn stone ledge comprises
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| balance and all will be well.Whichever
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| | the desk where St. John wrote the Book
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| way you get to the top, you'll be
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| | of Revelations. A smaller ledge served
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| astounded by the view. The color of the
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| | as his pillow. Three fractures in the
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| water is mesmerizing. In one direction,
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| | stone roof mark the spot where God's
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| a long beach stretches on for miles. The
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| | voice reached through to St. John. The
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| water that meets the sand is almost white
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| | triple crack both symbolizes and honors
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| and then abruptly changes to a richer,
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| | the Holy Trinity.
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| dark blue as the depth of the sea
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