Greek Island Holiday: Beach (9/2-5/1983)

Friday, September 2, 1983

Rhodos holiday package invoice

Rhodos holiday package receipt (for two!)

Marsha C and I left work at 11:00 today, I put my suitcase in her car, and we went to McDonald’s for an early lunch. I treated since Marsha was my chauffeur! We drove to the Zürich airport and parked in Parkhaus F on the 5th floor for Terminal A. We found a cart for our luggage and walked over to the terminal to check in for flight BB422 to Rhodos/Rhodes on Balair, the charter company of SwissAir.

Zürich to Rhodos air ticket cover

Zürich to Rhodos air ticket receipt

Baggage check

Baggage tag

Zürich to Rhodos boarding pass

It was about 13:30, so we wandered over to window shop at Terminal B and the train station. We bought some Sprüngli Truffes du Jour with vanilla cream in dark chocolate, and a few mandel/almond flavored white chocolate truffles. Back in Terminal A, we sat in the waiting area. Watched a doofy man hand out postcards to his Japanese clients. Then he handed out cigarette lighters. We saw a couple macho cantonal police in jumpsuits, combat boots and berets, who were peeking into garbage cans.

At 14:30 we boarded a bus that took us to our plane, a brand new DC-9. The guy in the window seat said a few words in Swiss German to us. I was in the middle seat and Marsha had the aisle seat. We took off at 15:00 and rose above the clouds. We were served a snack of mineral water, a roll, a couple slices of liver bologna, two slices of roast beef, and two thin slices of Bündnerfleisch/air-dried beef. Also a tomato wedge, a pickle, half a boiled egg, and a lump of celery string salad. There was a plastic box with four tiny cookies.

It was clear enough to see the farmlands of Yugoslavia before we flew out over the Aegean Sea. Some of the islands were very mountainous and we landed on one where we could see dry dusty hills to our left and the sea to our right. We arrived in Rhodos about 17:55, 18:55 local time. A bus took us from the plane to the new terminal where we had to get in line (A-K or L-Z) for the passport check. They checked the passports very thoroughly. We waited for our luggage, with mine and one of Marsha’s being one of the first to come out, but Marsha’s second bag lagged behind. We exited past the lounging customs officials to see a lady holding a cardboard sign for Parianos Tours. She checked our papers and had a man take us to a taxi. Most of the passengers were headed towards three buses marked Imholz Tours. A German couple joined us in the taxi and we were driven off. The driver spoke German well, and English passably, although he seemed to prefer the latter. He named the towns we drove through and noted the west coast of the island is windier than the east coast where our hotel was located. We saw many windmills, but only one of the traditional ones with canvas. We had to go up and over a ridge to reach the east coast. Lots of colorful flowers, plaster houses, new apartments, and little dusty cars. The driver pointed out a good restaurant as we turned into the hotel driveway, which followed the coast a bit before reaching Hotel Eden Roc. The German guy tipped the driver.

Brochure picture of Eden Roc Hotel

In the hotel reception we handed in our voucher and were given the key to room #208. The room had a full bath, two twin beds, and a balcony overlooking a cove behind some trees. A room with a view! A little later someone tried to enter our room, but noted it was occupied. We went out to deal with these Swiss ladies who belonged in room #228!

We went down to dinner. The dining room was below the discotheque, and already fairly full. Dinner time was 19:00-21:00, and we were there at 20:30. We found table #53 was available. Because of the late hour, we did not have a choice for the first course. The waiter spoke to us in German. We had juice, mine was a flat tomato and Marsha had orange Tang. We had cordon bleu/breaded and fried ham with potatoes Savoyarde/with egg and grated cheese, and overcooked green beans. Plus a salad of cucumbers and cabbage. For dessert we had ice cream of terribly sweet vanilla and strawberry. The waiter brought us a bill and we explained we had halbpension/half pension (breakfast plus one meal a day). It turns out we have to pay for the beverages of beer and mineral water, for 165 Greek Drachmas/GRD/$1.15.

Beverage bill

We took a walk and found a swimming pool with only a foot of water in the deep end. It overlooked the sea. We passed the wading pool and came to the pebbly beach. Some, but not much sand, and the pebbles got larger the closer to the water you went. But still small smooth pebbles. We dipped our toes in the water, which was cold. We walked over to the classier Paradise Hotel next door, past its full pool, and inside past a ping pong and video game room and the Safari Disco, then upstairs past a bar and up to the lobby with cushioned chairs and fountains with multi-colored lights. And many shops. We returned to our hotel and continued on a path past rows of bungalows. We saw several cats. We went to the Eden Roc lobby to watch some of the Love Boat and Dukes of Hazzard on the TV with Greek subtitles. There were bulletin boards for all the tour groups, except ours! There were several shops including a fur shop. The shopkeeper asked if Marsha was German, or American. “Beides/both,” she answered! We passed the green felt card tables to look in the disco that had a live band. To bed at 23:00.

Saturday, September 3, 1983

Awoke at 7:00, hot and sticky after a night completely covered by a sheet, to keep away the mosquitoes. As warned by a sign at the reception desk, there was no electricity or water early in the morning. By 7:30 they seemed to be running. After we readied for the day, we went out to the beach to claim a couple folding lounge chairs. Then we went in for breakfast in the breakfast hall. Marsha C got coffee (with milk) and I got tea (no milk). It was self-service, and we went to get a slice of what looked like pound cake but tasted awful, a sweet brown roll (also yucky), and a plain dry roll with butter and orange marmalade, along with orange Tang. If you wanted meats, cheese, or an egg, you had to pay extra.

We were out on the beach at 8:30! The sun was reflecting off the water and the temperature was pleasant. Slowly more people arrived, but it never got crowded with only a few people more than the number of thatched umbrellas that were set up. The amazing thing were the topless women; not so much the fact or the number, but the age! Gray-haired grandmother types, pensioners, etc. During the day we saw more and more senior citizens doffing their tops! Marsha claimed it was peer pressure!

I had a transistor radio/cassette player that happened to have to outlets for two sets of earphones, so that the two of us could listen at the same time. We found Voice of America to hear the newest music and the latest news. Then along came a beach bum, a long-haired bearded wild-eyed man, who said something that was Greek to us! Turns out we have to rent the chairs for 65 GRD/45 cents per day.

Beach chair rental ticket

The sun got hotter, the sky was clear, and the water was refreshingly cool and salty. Marsha and I each laid across an air mattress and paddles along the beach to see the sights. At the far end of the beach we saw the instructors of the Peter Stuyvesant Water Sports School. The sailing instructor got rated a ‘9’! At about 12:30 we went to check the menu to decide whether we would have lunch or dinner on our half pension. We decided on lunch today, but first went to shower and put on shorts. We had ravioli Bolognese, but the meat sauce had the same spice, nutmeg, that dominates in moussaka. Marsha had the pork chop and I had Hungarian goulash, both with boiled potatoes and a white bean salad. For dessert Marsha had vanilla and chocolate ice cream and I had a peach. We had a nicer waiter today.

After lunch we went for a walk, going around the Paradise Hotel and out a little peninsula of rocks, very porous and carved by the sea.

Eden Roc Hotel

Eden Roc Hotel cove

Rocky shore

We climbed over to some salt flats and sat on the rocks to look down on another cove of multi-green colored water.

Another cove

Salt flat

Clear water

We hiked up on a cliff, full or prickly pear bushes, for a nice view in all directions. We returned through some construction and saw a goat nibbling on some brush. We came around a fence to startle and be startled by a lizard. Back at the hotel we changed into bathing suits and went to lie on the beach.

View from hotel room

Marsha way out on the air mattress

There she is!

We returned to our room at 18:30 to write postcards and shower. At 20:30 we got dressed up for dinner and in the dark we walked past the bungalows, along the beach, and past the Paradise Hotel to the road. There we found the Romantza Taverna. We ordered tzatziki/cucumbers and garlic in yoghurt, a Greek salad (with cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, and creamy feta cheese) on which we put oil and vinegar, and Marsha had a plate of about a dozen stuffed grape leaves filled with tangy meat and rice. We both had souvlaki/lamb shish kebob, which came to us with the lamb pieces down the middle, orzo (a pasta a little larger than grains of rice) on one side, and French fries on the other! Marsha had a liter bottle of domestika wine and I had 7-Up. Our bill came to 850 GRD/$6. After dinner we walked to the Paradise Hotel and checked their “supermarket” for postcards. Then we went to the Safari Disco to see the demonstration of Greek folk dancing, but the place was empty. We went up to the lobby to write postcards until we heard music at 22:30 and returned to the discotheque to see dancing to taped music. It seemed like after only a few minutes, they went on break. We got drinks, and later the dancers returned to do the dance where shepherds with crooks flirt with girls who were spinning. Another dance, a snake/conga line dance, and then they asked the audience to join in the dancing. The Greek folk dancers left, and the disco music started. One couple got out on the dance floor and the girl could really move! Soon the floor was crowded. We could barely hear the waiter to pay for our drinks, which turned out to be 210 GRD/$1.50 each. The waiter couldn’t change a 100 GRD bill, so I paid 200 and Marsha paid 250. We returned to our hotel and turned in. We couldn’t get the key to work in the nightstand where we had locked our valuables.

Sunday, September 4, 1983

I heard my wristwatch alarm go off at 7:00, locked in the nightstand! Got up at 7:30 and we had electricity and water. I washed up, then went to try the key in the nightstand, and found I could slide the drawer open. Marsha C said she didn’t fiddle with it, so it was a mystery. We decided not to use the nightstand for valuables anymore!

Today at breakfast they had “chocolate” pound cake that tasted like regular pound cake with candied fruits in it. There were also slices of cheese. The tea was much darker than yesterday. We were out on the beach at 8:45. Took another tour along the beach floating on the air mattresses. At 12:30 we checked the menu and voted to have lunch at the hotel. Marsha had the cold plate special with two stuffed grape leaves, a slice of cucumber, a wedge of tomato, a sardine that I ate, Russian salad (peas, carrots, and kidney beans in a mayonnaise sauce), half a boiled egg, two cold cut slices, and a couple olives. I started with just tomato juice. Then we had a Greek salad with crumbly feta cheese, green tomatoes, and unripe cucumbers. Next Greek meatballs, two each, that were more like potatoes in size and shape! And ratatouille (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, peas and carrots, kidney beans, etc.). For dessert we tried the “lemon slush,” which was orange Tang with two scoops of banana ice cream with a straw. The combination never tasted like lemon. Our beverage bill came to 105 GRD/74 cents. The waiter wanted to know where we came from since we spoke English so well! He was very surprised we were Americans. After lunch Marsha and I went to the swimming pool at the Paradise Hotel, and I fell asleep. We returned to the beach and stayed until 18:30, watching people trying to waterski or windsurf. The beach bum who collected our 65 GRD beach chair rental liked to yodel across the water, to impress all the Swiss people who come here. There were also Germans, Brits, and Scandinavians.

It took me forever to shower, because the shampoo lathered up so well that it took me a long time to rinse my hair. Yesterday my skin just got a “black” tinge from the sun, but today there was some pink; but I could still use my scrub rock. At 20:30 we left from the front of the hotel to follow the cliff road to the main road. The fur shop man asked if we were “sleeping again” and we assumed he thought we were returning to the bungalows.

We checked menus at two other restaurants, and decided to return to the Romantz Taverna. Marsha had a Greek salad and a plate of fried eggplant which I ended up sharing. Yum, with a mashed tomato sauce on top. Then Marsha had broiled chicken with French fries. I had Giouvetsi, which according to the German menu was veal in a pasta. It seemed to be lamb in a rice-looking pasta with a goulash type sauce, and it came in a clay bowl. Very good! Our bill came to 544 GRD/$3.80.

Romantz Taverna dinner bill

The waiter said too much when we left six 100 GRD bills. Not at all, especially when we checked the menu outside, and Marsha was charged only 140 GRD instead of 400 for the chicken!

There were long tables set up in the restaurant and later a wedding party came in. The bride appeared to be about seven months pregnant under her white gown.

We have seen bats and toads during our night walks. There is a row of hibiscus bushes along one walkway that get pollinated by passersby who brush up against the large red blossoms.

We stopped at the Supermarket at the Paradise Hotel for more postcards and a bottle of club soda. When we returned to our hotel, Marsha didn’t want to run into the fur man again, but we decided the shop must be closed by now. It was still open at 23:30, but it was crowded with customers. We checked the bulletin board and noticed the other tours went to the Valley of Butterflies and we wondered if we could join in. We saw an advertisement for Lindos Tours and went to the desk for information. The Butterflies are 35 km/22 miles away on the other side of the mountain ridge, so it is not feasible to go by bicycle! We were given a brochure. Back at the hotel we wrote postcards and read until nearly midnight.

Monday, September 5, 1983

At 8:00 we had breakfast of tea, “chocolate” pound cake, a roll, and a cookie! Marsha C bought some sunscreen, and then we went to book a tour to the Valley of the Butterflies for the next day. I changed 100 CHF/$50 and minus the 1600 GRD/$11 for both of us on the tour, I got 5430 or so GRD; lots of drachmas! We saw that something was in our mailbox; it was a note from our travel agent giving us our departure time on Friday. Today we got to the beach at 9:00, and there were thin clouds that occasionally covered the sun and made it cool. It wasn’t as windy, and when the sun was out it was very hot. We turned on the Voice of America in time to hear coverage of the landing of the Challenger spacecraft, its first night landing (it was midnight in California). We heard the sonic boom, the moan of the plane coming in, and heard Commander Truly say the lights were pretty. Pretty historic and we were “there.”

We came in at 13:00 and voted to eat lunch here again. We started out with tomato juice, needing lots of lemon, salt and pepper to give it some taste. We had lamb in a mustard sauce; the lamb was good but there was not much mustard sauce. Then stuffed potatoes, baked with feta cheese in a hole in the potato. Russian salad (peas ‘n’ carrots, kidney beans in mayonnaise). For dessert Marsha had a large slice of watermelon and I asked for a peach, but got two pears. I saved those for a snack later.

We were back on the beach with plenty to keep us amused. There was the especially well-endowed woman changed her trunks (she was topless) right on the beach, so that she was totally nude. So far the only nudists we have seen have been under five years of age. Big clouds blocked the sun, which delayed Marsha’s swim, since she wanted to go only when it was hot. A man with a motorboat came to sit near us as kids played in the kayak he was towing. Marsha claimed he was looking me over. He left, and we returned to our room at 17:30. We left at 19:30 to walk over to the Koskinou House Restaurant, a little farther down from the Romantz Taverna. The tables were in the open under a straw canopy. Today Marsha had Heineken beer (other days it has been Beck or Henninger) and I had 7-Up. Marsha got the tzatziki which had more cucumbers and was not as tangy as usual. I had fried eggplant, which was just that. Marsha had moussaka that came in a clay bowl; with a layer of ground meat covered by a layer of eggplant and topped with a sort of soufflé with that nutmeg taste. I had souvlaki with strange tasting French fries and cold rice. The meat was a little more chewy, but more flavorful with evidence of really having been grilled. Our bill came to 560 or so GRD/$4 and we left 630 GRD$4.40. There were cats and kittens roaming around, which we have seen everywhere. At night we hear crickets and locusts, and the water sprinkler when it turns on!

We returned to the hotel where I bought a book. We went to try to find the “Misswahl/pageant” that was to begin at 21:00. We didn’t see anything except that the swimming pool had been filled with water. We got a deck of cards and went to the card tables to play. We had a man smoking a cigar next to us; stinky! We heard an emcee in the discotheque and went to see what was going on. Four girls were participating in the contest. They first had to eat crème caramels without using their hands and take a drink. The next event required that Marsha and I leave the cards to go watch. The girls had to collect clothing from as many men as possible, and as many items as possible. Most men went shirtless but some were down to their underpants! The girls had to put on all the items they collected and were given points for the number of men and the number of items. Next they were given 15 minutes to make a two-piece outfit out of rolls of wide crêpe paper. Marsha and I continued playing cards, then went to see the outfits the girls had concocted. Wow! There were miniskirts and bikini-like tops. One contestant was the first dancer we had seen in the Safari Disco. Hers was the most decent outfit! The final contest was when a “sheik” walked in reading a newspaper. The girls had to belly dance. The first one did a fair imitation of a belly dance. The second and third girl just kind of walked around. The Safari dancer put on a show, dancing away, caressing the sheik, giving him a kiss, and falling into his lap. The points were added up and the winner was given flowers and all the contestants received a bottle of champagne.