Saturday 06.10.2001 - Calm ride

	Route: Theologos - Psinthos - Kremasti - Rhodos Distance: 55,8 km Total: 396,0 km	ROUTE

The wash we did yesterday has not yet dried. We improvise a drier by hanging the clothesline above a wafer iron that we find here. In no time everything is dry.
After breakfast it immediately starts climbing, we wouldn't have expected anything else. Flat roads like in Belgium are nearly non-existent here, that's for sure.

We stop at the valley of butterflies in Petaloudes, but between all the plants, trees and small waterfalls we see exactly one butterfly. According to our travelling guide the butterfly season ends in September, most of the butterflies can be found here during July and August.

Petaloudes

We ride on to Psintos and it doesn't take long before we're faced with another hefty climb. The heat makes the sweat running off our bodies. The small beverage shop at the top is just what the doctor ordered!
The last part to Psintos is downhill all the way. It's the second time this week that we pass here and the village square still looks cosy. We take a break before starting the climb heading for Maritsa. From here on it's a long descent in the direction of the coast. In Kremasti we take a long 'relax-at-the-beach'-stop.

Kremasti

Normally we had another climb scheduled to Filerimos, but the strength to make another big effort is a bit lost. We decide to take it easy and to enjoy it as much as we can.
The rest of the route is a calm ride in the direction of Rhodes-City while the sun is slowly setting. By coincidence the lighting is perfect to take a picture when we arrive at temple of Apollo at the boundaries of Rhodes-City. These are going to be some fantastic pictures.

Acropolis	Sunset

We ride along the harbour towards the busy city centre. It's great to ride in the medieval town with the characteristic little streets and alleys paved with little cobbles. It's like we find ourselves in another world and time.

Medieval town - Rhodos town

It's a miracle that we can locate hotel Andreas in this maze of twisting alleys. The hotel is a very pleasant residence in the middle of the medieval town. We are lucky since there is only one double available, but the Irish receptionist finds us another mattress and turns it into a triple room. Hotel Andreas is very popular amongst the backpackers and it has some very original rooms, it's a real must to stay here.

Hotel Andreas

We use our last bottle of wine from Embonas as an appetizer. On an empty stomach this is always cause for a lot of ambiance...
In the evening we have dinner in the medieval town. Regrettably we choose a much too large restaurant: the food quality is a bit less than what we've grown accustomed to during the last couple of days. But nevertheless the medieval town is a very pleasant place to be in and we enjoy our last night here in Rhodes.

On our way back to the hotel two French beauties walk in front of us all the way. Obviously they feel uncomfortable about that, who wouldn't if there were three sinister bikers following you in these narrow alleys... They think they've lost us when we turn into the alley of our hotel, but a few minutes later we meet them again because they're staying here too. They even come knocking on our door as they are searching for the receptionist.
Piet tries to speak to them in French, but at the same time he still has his toothbrush in his mouth. A hilarious situation!