Lunch at Lindos

Greek Trip, Day 16, Sunday 3 October 2010, Rhodes

Continuing the story of our Greek trip from Moni Tsambikas: a very steep hill!, after a drink we headed south to our final destination, Lindos.

Attracting 500,000 visitors annually, Lindos is one of the most popular tourist places on Rhodes.

This photo will give you a feeling why.

On the left is the harbour with its pretty beach, forming one tourist mecca. In the centre is the pretty white painted village with it seventeenth century houses, a second tourist mecca. Then on the top of the hill the acropolis looms over the town, adding a particular historical perspective for those with strong enough legs.

I fear that our party had not come for the history but the beach! We parked the car and walked down the steep road to the harbour.

It was very pretty.

Clare and Denise went off for a swim, while I wandered off along the beach to try to find a place where I could find some stuff for a picnic lunch. There were lots of places to eat, but we didn't want to spend a lot of money.

It actually took me some time, but finally I came back carrying cheese, salami, some fruit and a bottle of cheap red wine.

By then, the two girls had had their swim, if with one adventure.

Clare went swimming with her sun-glasses on, I suppose that one must do this in Greece, and lost them in two metres of water. So her mother went back in and actually managed to find them in the very clear water!  

We had positioned ourselves at the top of the beach in the shade. While Clare and Dee went for another swim, I jotted down a description to try to capture the scene.

"The beach stretches round in a small semi-circle, then there is a small headline and the main Lindos town beach.

From on high, each beach is marked by rows of sun umbrellas beneath which perch sun lounges. The tourists cluster round their lounges; some are stretched out sun-baking; others have towels draped over their heads, exposing the rest of their bodies.

Just to the left of me is the official control desk: a sun-shade, a water container, a book of tickets. There are two controllers.

From time to time, one collects his tickets and goes out on patrol in case someone is occupying a sun lounge without paying. The first controller leaves, then a mobile rings. The second controller springs to his feet. Perhaps there is a breach, a tourist has not paid.

We are picnicking in the shade, attracting strange glances. In the cafe behind us, the sound system seems stuck on a Caribean version of the Sound of Music. Repetition six of Get Me to the Church on Time has just started. Initially attractive, the beat version has now become unbearable.

It must be the end of the official day. The remaining beach controller has just picked up his water, his tickets and strolled away. We leave too."