Rhodes - the Sunshine Island (except in April!)

Rhodes – with more than 300 days sunshine per year, then it is almost guaranteed, right?! Except it would seem, in April when I visited! Staying in a beautiful setting on the coast (The Kresten Royal), with views and pools to die for, I think this week was a lesson in slowing down and stopping, after a particularly busy period at work with almost non-stop rain for the 1^st part. Fortunately, the hotel had lots of spots to sit with a drink or a coffee, to admire the view and will those black clouds away!

View from the balcony

Mid way through the week, with a break in the rain, the exodus from the hotel began! It seemed though, that the local bus service hadn’t quite woken up from the season. Having checked times at reception, we waited …. and waited. Twenty mins later a taxi came past …. by the time he passed a second time, we decided that might be the quicker option! The old town of Rhodes (known locally as Rodos) is full of character, and worthy of its status as a world heritage site. The entrance is via one of several gates in the city walls. Narrow alleyways and winding cobbled streets, closed to traffic, are a total contrast from the commercial harbour on the other side. I can imagine that the heat and the crowds in the height of the summer might give a very different feel – but this time of year was perfect.

Rhodes Town Centre - without the crowds!

TripAdvisor ‘near me now’ delivered and recommended Mama Sofia’s – a family run restaurant away from the main square. Lovely food with a warm and welcoming atmosphere – and a waiter with a sense of humour. I ordered a small beer (having seen someone at coffee time being served in a glass the size and shape of a boot) – and it arrived in a tankard the size of a shot glass!

A second day of sunshine was an opportunity to walk 20 mins down the road to the Kallithea Springs – visitors to the springs can be tracked back to 700 BC. New facilities were opened in 1929 and welcomed visitors through to 1967. Restored in more recent years, in the height of the summer it has become one of the most popular attractions on the island – that said, in April it hadn’t fully opened for the season. On the plus side this meant a reduced entry fee – and no competition for a seat in the sun! Buildings ‘not quite’ open is a bit of a theme on the island at this time of year – its quite strange seeing huge hotel complexes with shutters down and no signs of life. 

Kallithea Springs

The week ended with a more successful adventure on the local bus to the town of Lindos. Very different from Rhodes town, it features white washed walls and a clifftop acropolis – they know how to charge when you get to the gates of the acropolis …. but having explored a maze of streets and alleys, and climbed the numerous steps to the entrance, it seemed worth exploring. There was evidence of lots of restoration activity (including a couple of abandoned cranes?!) – but enough original stone to wonder how on earth it got there in the first place. The acropolis gives a great vantage point over Lindos – and in the midst of the white washed buildings, numerous roof top restaurants could be spotted. With so many possibilities, our lunch spot was a restaurant called Dionysos – and we weren’t disappointed – the best moussaka I have ever tasted! 

Lindos

Chengdu to Chongqing

Chongqing by night

Travelling to different countries, and experiencing the sights, sounds and tastes of different cultures is a huge privilege. I first experienced China on a holiday over ten years ago – a fantastic trip but a fortnight in which I knew I was very much on the tourist trail with our guide planning and taking care our every move! Since then I have been back five or six times on business – which provides another fascinating window on the country, its’ people and the way things get done. In every city I have been to, one thing always holds true – the Chinese are perfect hosts, nothing is too much trouble, and I am very much treated as their guest. I value those opportunities to spend time with the locals – to have an insight into the way they ‘do life’ …. Except the times when they order food and forget that the British are perhaps not so keen on cow’s stomach (according to my host – its not as bad as it sound!) or intestines!

I am just back from my first visit to Chonqinq – a city in south west China on the banks of the Yantzee River, a couple of hours from Chengdu by high speed train. With a population of 29 million it is bigger than Shanghai. 

The view from the highest point in Chongqing

As a business trip, the location of the hotel was very much driven by meetings – and as such I had the unusual experience of not seeing any other Westerner during the four days I was in China. With every visit I learn more about the approach to ‘doing business’ in China – but away from those meetings (which were fully translated!) I was very struck by the language barrier. A few episodes stood out which still make me smile thinking about them.

First, the seemingly simple task of buying a coffee in the hotel lobby coffee shop. I thought I had it nailed when they understood ‘Café Latte’ – until I noticed that no one pays by cash, but instead ‘waves’ their mobile phone in front of the card reader because they pay through the Chinese version of Whattsapp (WeChat!). You can imagine the gesturing needed to try and persuade them to take cash when its not how they are set up! Encouraged by my coffee success I went to reception to order something from the room service menu for lunch (don’t even think about trying to phone room service – history in other Chinese cities tells me that wouldn’t go well!). Pointing to what I wanted on the menu with 4 different members of the team eventually resulted in success …. The normal reaction on seeing me was for them to laugh nervously and hide until one was brave enough to try their English! Talking of reactions to seeing me – at least 3 toddlers stopped and stared at me for the best part of ten mins (as their parents watched!). I like to think that I have contributed to their education and they now know the world isn’t all Chinese!

In an attempt to get some exercise I thought I would undertake the relatively simple task of going to the gym … as a reasonably regular gym user in the UK – how hard could it be? Well it seems – quite tricky! Six running machines and I totally failed in my efforts to get any of them to work – with no one around (and after the coffee and lunch challenges of the previous day) I decided that a conversation with reception was not going to get anywhere. When I relayed the experience to my Chinese host, it was quite straightforward …. Chinese people don’t go to the gym before lunch, so the running machines were probably not switched on?!

Short work trips understandably leave little time to see places – but I was grateful for the opportunity to get out for a couple of hours for a meal in a traditional restaurant and visit to a Tao temple – another fascinating insight into Chinese culture. 

Tao Temple, Chongqing

Admittedly I did have to politely decline the opportunity to pray to the Tao gods (including one known as the CFO!) , albeit that I may have said a quick prayer when I saw the state of the kitchen at the local ‘restaurant’ we had lunch. Food was lovely – and locals know where to go – but 24 hours later I am thankful for no side effects!