Medieval Rhodes

I first learned about the medieval town of Rhodes in my History of Architecture class, 40 years ago. But the textbook photos didn't do it justice. A World Heritage listed site, the old town is the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe. It is in remarkably good condition, given its age.

Our boat docked right outside the old city, and the juxtaposition of the modern ships and the historic wall was most impressive. As is becoming our habit, we arrived without any hotel reservations since we didn't know where to stay. But as soon as we saw the medieval streets of the old town, now lined with shops and restaurants, we knew this was where we wanted to be. So while Sally had a coffee and watched the tourists go by, Claire and I set off and quickly found what she described as a very ‘funky’ place for the night.

We then set off to explore. The history of Rhodes has been both fascinating and tumultuous. It has gone through many regimes and rulers. In 1100 BC, it first began to exert influence and power, and at one point joined forces with the Persians against Alexander the Great. But when it became apparent he couldn’t be defeated, it joined with him. After a subsequent victory, the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World was constructed. However, according to some historians, it was tragically destroyed by an earthquake only 60 years after it was completed.

Rhodes was part of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and then enjoyed independence. In the middle ages, it was ruled by the Knights of St John, until taken over by the Ottomans, who were then defeated by the Italians. In 1947, after four decades of Italian occupation, it became part of Greece. However, the Italian connection is reflected in the local language and the number of pizzerias!

At one time it was home to a sizable Jewish community and the 'Jewish Quarter' exists to this day. A monument to the Jews who were killed during the Holocaust occupies a prominent location in a major town square. Although there aren't very many Jews living here today, there is a synagogue that was originally built in the 16^th century. It is still operating, and on Saturday I dropped by, along with a small group of Americans who had just come off a cruise ship. In one respect, it reminded me of a very old synagogue I had visited in the Virgin Islands. The floor. The former had a sand floor; this one had a pebble floor. However, like many other floors and pavement surfaces in Rhodes, the pebbles had been arranged in an intricate and quite beautiful pattern set in concrete.

One of the reasons the walls of the old town walls have survived so well is their construction. They are generally 12m thick! Many of the medieval buildings are also in good condition, although the Palace of the Grand Masters was destroyed in a gunpowder explosion in the mid 19^th Century, and had to be rebuilt by the Italians. As we walked along the main street constructed by the Knights, I couldn’t help but overhear two of the Americans off the cruise ship. “Touch these walls, Agnes” said one to the other. “They’re history!”

We visited Rhodes to use it as a stepping stone to Turkey and see the old town. However, many areas around the island have become very popular tourist destinations, especially for Brits on package tours. While we avoided them, we did visit Lindos, which is famous for its hilltop archeological site, and the white painted hillside village that surrounds it. Most of the streets are too narrow and treacherous for vehicles, but they are just fine for the donkeys that regularly transport goods and tourists up and down.

As a result of our recent harrowing experience with animals, (the camels in Rajasthan!), and our need for some exercise, we walked. But in a couple of places, we would have preferred the sure-footed donkeys, especially given the steep incline and sudden drop to the valley below. (I find that as I get older, I seem to be developing a fear of falling off narrow winding walkways onto the rocks below.)

At three in the afternoon, we again packed our bags and walked back to the port where we had arrived only 30 hours earlier. It was amazing how much we had seen and learned in such a relatively short period of time. We had arrived not knowing what to expect, where to stay, and what to do. We were leaving with the feeling that we really knew the place, and were so pleased that we had come. Now we were heading off to Turkey on a fast ferry, not knowing what to expect, where to stay, and what to do.

It’s a pattern that will likely repeat itself many times over the next three months before our return to Vancouver.

Kefalonia: Week Two

I write this post from the lounge area of a cruise ship. Well, it’s actually the ferry from Athens to Rhodes, but it sure feels like a cruise ship. This is definitely not BC Ferries!

Our second week on Kefalonia was as good as the first. We learned how to find our way around the island; which restaurants to return to, and where to use the internet in comfort. We discovered the best places to buy fish, but didn’t find a good place to buy lamb since we were repeatedly told we were in the wrong season.

After eating in many different restaurants, Sally maintains that the food along West Broadway is as good as, or tastier than what she found here. I agree that we get better lamb, beef, and chickens in Vancouver; however the grilled fish is much better here. Especially the fresh sardines.

As planned, we did make it up to Fiskardo. While someone had described it to us as a lady with too much make-up, we didn’t agree. We thought it was delightful and very picturesque, and I couldn’t stop taking photos of the old buildings framed by the fish boats. We met up with some people who we had met on the day cruise to Ithaki, (former bikers nowliving in Cornwall), who had only just recovered from an ouzo and beer drinking binge that started just after our cruise. (Hey, that’s what life is all about for some of the Brits on a Greek Island!) I was disappointed that we didn’t meet up with Steven Spielberg!

We also explored the island of Zakynthos. After driving around, it was a family decision that Kefalonia was much nicer, so we didn’t stay over night There seemed to be more garbage along the streets; too much ‘highway commercial’ development outside the main city; and not quite the same atmosphere.

(Although I did like the small gas stations in main street mixed use buildings, which I think might be a good idea for Vancouver, since we have lost most of our corner gas station sites.) But it was a most worthwhile day trip, and we would recommend it. Next time, I would stay over and take the boat cruise which circles the island.

We did get to see some of the archeological sites around Kefalonia. While the tombs near the villa were interesting, they were more so after seeing photos of their original discovery in the local museum. There one could also find some of the artifacts that had been removed from them. We also got to go bowling!

Two weeks after our arrival, we reluctantly packed our bags since it was time to move on. We took the bus/ferry back to Athens to spend one more night together as a family before Georgia set off for a summer in Nova Scotia. In true Greek style, we enjoyed a late night dinner in Psiri, a most lively and happening area, and successfully negotiated a taxi ride back to the hotel. I say ‘successfully’ since getting a cab in Athens can be an adventure. If the driver doesn’t want to go where you are going, he’ll refuse to pick you up. If he doesn’t feel like turning on the meter, he won’t. Sometimes he’ll insist that he be allowed to pick up other passengers on the way. And often, he smokes a cigarette en route!

Despite its wonderful history, impressive sights, and lively places to spend an evening, Athens is not one of my favourite cities. Many areas are much too dirty, and sadly the city is literally covered in graffiti. It is tragic to see historic buildings and walls covered with ‘tagging’ and other messages. This is what can happen when a society and its municipal authorities appear to simply give up. I do hope this will never happen in Vancouver.

Athens is also a difficult place to be a tourist. I decided to check out the ‘hop-on-hop-off tour bus’ which usually is a great way to see any city’s main sites. But only in Athens are the stops concealed by garbage and parked vehicles, while the bus arrives an hour and ten minutes late! (The reasons I waited so long were that I suspected it would eventually arrive, and wanted to see if it was worthwhile for our next day’s outing.) At first, there were only two other people on the bus. Robert and Monique were travel agents from England and France who had been attending a travel industry conference hosted by the Greek government. They too had persevered for the same reasons as I did. We all agreed that most cities treat their visitors much better! Monique thought that even the Parisians, who generally hate tourists, are more accommodating!

But now we are saying goodbye to Athens from the Blue Star vessel ‘Diagoras’. As you can see, not everyone chose to eat in the dining room! At nine in the morning we will arrive on the island of Rhodes to see what has been described as the best and oldest inhabited medieval city in Europe. Then we'll head off to Turkey. So, after wonderful two weeks on Kefalonia, it's back to ‘adventure travel’. No more relaxing.

Kefalonia: Week One

It’s hard to believe we have been here for a week, and we don’t want to leave. So we have arranged with Jan and John to stay on until June 13^th when their next guests arrive. From then until the end of August, the place is rented. But if any of you want to experience what we are enjoying on Kefalonia, the villa is available for the month of September. You just fly to London, and get on a direct flight to the small airport down the road. Or fly to Athens and take the short plane trip or ferry. Something to think about!

On June 3, we celebrated Sally’s birthday. The girls brought over from Vancouver her favourite coffee and granola for breakfast, and made her a travel journal with some old photographs. We had a picnic at the beach, (where I’m sure we were the very first people to ever eat sushi) Champagne at the villa, and dinner at a Greek taverna overlooking the ocean. It was a special day.

The following day, Makis and Hettie came over for dinner. Hettie made a family favourite traditional Kefalonian meat pie; we prepared some of our traditional Vancouver favourites…sushi, Susan Mendelson’s caviar pie, and Caesar salad!

After a couple of days of too much relaxing, yesterday we took a day cruise to Ithaca, home of Homer’s Odyssey. It was a most enjoyable outing. We visited the two main towns, and went swimming in the ocean. While the towns have a very authentic feel, when you look closely at the buildings, you quickly realize that most are very simple in their design, since they had to be built quickly and inexpensively after the earthquake. But the overall effect is very good. This reminded us of Napier in New Zealand, which was rebuilt in the Art Deco style following its 1930 earthquake.

Over dinner, we discussed how Vancouver will rebuild after its earthquake. After all, it is coming. It’s just a matter of time! While we couldn’t agree on the style, we did agree that we should review our earthquake preparedness plans when we get home. Who do we call out of province; where do we keep emergency supplies, etc?

During the next week we plan to visit Zakinthos, another neighbouring island; some of this island’s archeological sites; the town of Fiskardo, (which was not damaged by the earthquake, and is frequented by Steven Spielberg and other celebrities on their yachts), and a few more beaches. Claire also insists that we go bowling. After that, we will drop Georgia off in Athens, and then the three of us will set off for Samos or Rhodes, and then Turkey. At least, that’s the plan.

While there will be no golf, we have managed to overcome this addiction. Instead, we're obsessed with reading guide books, surfing the internet, and competitive hands of gin rummy. I have also become addicted to ouzo! Sally and the girls prefer Greek wines, of which there is a great choice, at a fraction of the price in Vancouver. Another reason for staying another week!

Kephallenia, Cefalonia, Kefalonia

The names may be different, but it’s the same place; the largest of the Ionian Islands, and the most westerly point in Greece. The total population in 2001 was only 36,500, and while it may be a bit higher today, it is still considerably less than the 60,000 who lived here in the mid-seventeenth century. The island has had a fascinating history. During the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 B.C.) it ‘belonged to the realm of Ulysses’, and there are cemeteries and tombs dating back to that period. (The day before we arrived, 30 SFU Hellenic Studies students returned to Canada after three weeks exploring Kefalonia’s past.)

They would have learned about the island’s numerous periods and history of battles and wars; the Classical and Hellenistic period, when it was divided into four city-states, each with its own acropolis fortifications; the Roman Period, beginning in 189 B.C. after the Romans attacked from nearby Italy; the Byzantine period, from the fifth century onwards, during which it was attacked by vandals from Africa and Goths; the Frankish period, when the Normans took over; the Turkish period in the late fifteenth century when the Turks were in charge; the Venetian period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, which was a time of great prosperity; followed by the first French occupation, the Russo-Turkish intervention, the Septinsular Republic, the second French occupation, and the British period that ended in 1864. Since then, life on the island has been affected by the Balkan Wars, the two World Wars, and the 1953 earthquake that leveled the buildings throughout most of the island.

Today, life goes on in relative peace and harmony, although some might suggest the island is experiencing its second ‘British period’. Since it only a three hour flight away, it has become a very popular tourist destination for Brits. In July and August, it also attracts nearby Italians and Athenians who are happy to leave their hot cities for the island’s sleepy countryside villages and beaches.

However, despite the invading Brits and their passion for egg and chips, most of Kefalonia seems relatively unharmed by tourism, especially when compared with some other islands. Over the past few days, we have slowly adapted to the local way of life. We eat lunch late, and tend not to do much until the late afternoon. Dinner is often around 10 and Georgia thinks we are consuming a lot more wine than in Canada. We eat a lot of grilled fish; sea bream, bass, swordfish, sardines and anchovies, along with regular rations of olives, feta cheese and tomatoes, (although Sally is convinced that since Greece joined the EEC, the tomatoes are not as good as they used to be).

We have enjoyed exploring the island. On our second day, we decided to turn off the road and came upon a winery. While chatting with the owner, I mentioned that I had been working at a Canadian university. “Which one?” he asked. “Simon Fraser University near Vancouver” I replied. “I thought so, he said with a grin. “You must meet Makis and Hettie. They’re good friends of mine. Makis has been working with SFU and they go over there all the time.”

In fact, John and Jan Pierce had given us their phone numbers with the suggestion that we meet up. Makis was a former governor of the island, and a municipal mayor for the last 26 years. He had been helping SFU set up its Hellenic Studies program, and before I knew it, the winemaker had him on the phone. “You must come and visit us in Poros” he said.

Later that afternoon, we arrived in Poros, and I went to a payphone and called. Makis answered, but the reception was very poor. After a minute, I said I would hang up and call him back. As I was dialing, someone appeared outside the phone booth grinning at me. I immediately realized who it was! It’s a small island.

We sat in a nearby café and talked about our circuitous trip to Kefalonia, and life on the island. Claire mentioned that we needed the name of a good guide book, and Hettie left the table and returned a few minutes later with two copies of the definitive Kefalonia Guidebook….that she had edited. Makis told us that Poros was a planned community that had been built from scratch after the earthquake, to house people from interior communities around the island. But unlike Chandigarh or Dubai, it had been rebuilt with the forms of the past. I immediately sensed the storyline for my next Vancouver Sun article! We planned to get together in a few days for dinner.

That evening, we reflected on the coincidences that can alter your day, or life. If we hadn’t made a sudden turn down a narrow road, we wouldn’t have found the winery. Nor would we have gotten in touch with Makis so early on. Had I used a different payphone, Makis would not have seen me out of his window, and shown up right away. While these are small things, they are delightful, and that’s the best way to describe our first few days on Kefalonia.

What a Week! India, Dubai, and Kefalonia

Some weeks, you seem to be doing the same old thing every day. Not this week! During the past 7 days, we have slept on trains in India, enjoyed an extravagant seafood buffet in Dubai, toured the Acropolis, and settled into a villa on the Greek Island of Kefaloni with our daughters. Now it is time to slow down a little bit and relax.
While most of our trip until now has been somewhat unstructured, this part has been planned since day one. Sally always wanted to spend her 60th birthday in a villa on a Greek Island with her daughters. And now, thanks in part due to a chance encounter at Moira Glick’s SFU retirement party late last year, she is going to do so.

At the party, I was telling some people about our plans for the year when someone suggested I talk to John Pierce. “He’s building a villa on Kefalonia” they said. “Maybe it will be ready in time.” It didn’t take me long to track John down to find out about his plans. “It should be finished in May” he said. “Well if it’s ready by the first week of June, we would like to be your first guests” I replied, knowing that construction projects are rarely completed on time in Vancouver, let alone on a small Greek Island.

Six months later, we met up with our daughters at an Athens hotel. They had been traveling around Greece for 10 days and were delighted to stay in a place where they didn’t have to wear sandals in the shower! The next morning, we took an early bus and ferry, arriving in Kefalonia around 4 pm. Within minutes of our arrival, we were sitting next to the ocean, enjoying glasses of Retsina and Robola, the local white wine, along with calamari, salad, and various dips we usually have on West Broadway. An hour later, we were exploring a beautiful villa that we couldn't believe would be our home for the next week.Thanks to Jan and John’s extraordinary efforts, it had been finished a few hours before our arrival! (Well, there are a few plants still in the pots waiting to be planted!)

Just as Luang Prabang is the sort of authentic town every tourist hopes to discover, Kefalonia is the sort of Greek Island we are all seeking. It hasn’t been completely overrun by tourists, but has the beauty and charm of the better known islands. It is one of the Ionic Islands, to the west of mainland Greece. Ithaka and Zakynthos are short ferry rides away. One’s first impression is of a very verdant place, with old gnarled olive trees, vineyards, and tall cypresses that stick up in the air. While the buildings are not all white like Mykanos or Santorini, they seem to fit in with one another, and the island offers vistas of brilliant blue waters like those found on travel agency posters. As a result of a tragic earthquake in 1953, none of the buildings can be more than 3 stories in height. It’s quite different than Dubai.

Since we had been eating in hotels and restaurants since January 1, we decided to spend our first dinner together cooking ‘at home’. Neither of the girls eat meat, so Claire and I set off to buy some fresh fish. “You’re too late”, said the man in the fish store. “For fresh fish you have to come in the morning.” At that point, a colleague walked in with a large fish in a plastic bag. “Do you want some swordfish?” he asked. “I’m afraid it’s frozen.” Claire said yes, it was her favourite fish, and we both stood there in amazement as he put the large fish on his band-saw and cut off four steaks. “Don’t pay more than 20 euros”, whispered Claire who watches her money carefully. We were charged 7 euros for a kilo of fish.
It was a bit more of a challenge finding charcoal and a French-style folding grill that we use at home to grill fish, but eventually we succeeded. Thanks to our daughter’s culinary skills, later that evening we had the best meal of our trip. Ok, so it was enhanced a bit by a few more bottles of Retsina and Robola.
Now we are planning to change the pace a bit; to hang out around the pool, read some books, do some exploring, and seek out local olives, cheeses and wines. We have traded in the Indian trains and Emirates flight coupons for a cute little yellow Hyundai 4 door. If we become too relaxed in our beautiful new tranquil environment, we can always turn on the satellite TV and find out what’s happening in the world. But we’re not planning on doing that for a few days. After all, we’ve seen enough of the world during the past week!

Dubai: A Disneyland for Developers

It is difficult to convey the amount of development currently underway in Dubai, since most of us have never seen anything quite like it. I am so glad I came here after Singapore, Hong Kong and China. While I was awed by the scale of development in these places, it is modest compared to what is happening here. Most of us are now familiar with Dubai Marina, which was copied from Vancouver’s Pacific Placeon the north shore of False Creek. In Dubai, the developer dug the creek out of the desert, creating the world’s largest man-made marina, and surrounded it with more than a hundred towers. While some of the buildings are a bit strange by our standards, others are exceptionally well designed by architects from around the world. Elsewhere, dozens of new ‘cities’ are designed to accommodate tens of thousands of people each, often on a freehold basis, which allows purchasers to acquire a resident’s visa with their unit.

They include Festival City, Academic City (but no UniverCity), Health City, and Internet City, Media City and Sports City.
And it’s not just the amount of development; it’s the type of development. While some of Dubai’s projects have already achieved global fame and recognition: eg: the Jumeirah Palms, The World, and the Jumeira Burj, a 7 star hotel designed like a giant sail, there are others that are potentially even more fantastic.
Burj Dubai is currently under construction. Today it is 448 m high, and when finished at the end of 2008, it will be the tallest freestanding structure in the world, at a height of over 700 metres. (By comparison, the new tall buildings in Vancouver will be around 600 feet.) The precise height is somewhat of a secret, since the developer wants to ensure this will be the tallest structure for some time to come in the face of rumoured competition from potential structures in Kuwait and Bahrain.

There’s the Hydropolis Hotel. Currently being fabricated in Germany, this 220 suite hotel will open in 2009, twenty metres under the sea. Each suite will be a glass bubble, (you can sit on the toilet and watch the fish swimming by), and the hotel will include a ballroom, meeting rooms, restaurants, and other amenities reached by a tunnel and train. The starting room rate will be a reported $5,000 a night

The iPad is being planned as a high tech living environment targeted to young urban professionals. Each ‘intelligent’ apartment will feature a variety of electronic gadgets and gizmos, along with iRealty, a real time virtual projection from different locations around the world. So if you want to wake up in Paris, and go to sleep in New York, you’ll be able to do so.

International Chess City is a whole city dedicated to chess. There will be 32 buildings in the shape of a chess board, allowing residents to play 24/7 throughout the year. Chess lovers from around the world will be able to watch the ongoing championship tournaments via interactive electronic screens

Falcon City will include copies of the world’s great landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Grand Pyramid, Taj Mahal, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Of course there will also be accompanying shopping malls, hotels, apartments, and entertainment complexes

Rotating Residence will be just that, a rotating apartment building. It’s not a new idea, of course. The late Vancouver architect Gerald Hamilton was trying to get one built on a Georgia Street property about 20 years ago. He wanted each suite to rotate independently, but I could not figure out how to handle the plumbing! This development will realize Gerald’s dream, with each resident able to control the speed of rotation. I want to come back to see how they do handle the plumbing.

Finally there’s Dubailand, a $70 billion city-within-a-city, to be developed over a 3 billion square foot site. (The model in the presentation centre is over 3200 sq ft.) It is being designed to attract a population of 2.5 million and 15 million visitors a year. It combines hundreds of apartment and office buildings with hotels and the City of Arabia, which will include amongst other things, the largest shopping centre in the world. There will be phenomenal theme park attractions, including the SnowDome, the largest of its kind in the world; a new Universal City and a Tiger Woods Golf attraction. ‘Restless Planet’ will include over 100 animatronic dinosaurs that are currently being designed in Japan. A real Jurassic Park in the desert.

While there are some people who question whether this, and some of the other developments are just too fantastic to ever be completed, based on what I have seen during my brief stay here, I would take a wait and see attitude. In Dubai, everything seems possible. But I do have my own concerns. While gasoline may be cheaper than water, one cannot help but worry about the environmental impact of all these developments. Furthermore, while I’m told the Dubai Strategic Plan does address sustainability, there is little evidence that the local developers are giving this much attention. They certainly do not see the promotion of green features as a marketing advantage, as we do in Vancouver. Surprisingly, despite the amount of sunshine, I did not see any evidence of solar energy during my stay here. Nor did I see windmills or much evidence of water management, even though the supply of water is largely dependent on major desalination projects. Similarly, I saw little attention to recycling or Allah forbid, composting!
However, Metro, a major transit systemis now under construction, and the government intends to increase the number of hybrid taxis. This is certainly a start. As to where it leads, time will tell. The one thing I can say is that if the government and the private sector get behind sustainable development in the same way they have got behind some of the other developments to date, there will be a lot of impressive demonstrations for the rest of the world to watch. Until then, we’ll just have to hope that the pendulum will swing, and the amount of development will not continue at the same pace as it has over the last decade. While I am sure it will slow down, it will not stop. This place seems to have too much going for it!