Rhodes, Bathing-Beauties

The walled Medieval City of Rhodes was so fascinating, rather than take the bus to visit other towns nearby, we just walked and walked through this captivating old city. The Upper Town is one of the most beautiful urban ensembles of the Gothic period. In the Lower Town, Gothic architecture coexists with public baths, mosques, a Moslem cemetery, and other buildings dating from the Ottoman period. Near some expensive hotels there were a dozen bathing-beauties, some so poor they could only afford half of a bathing suit, so they were barefoot from the waist up.

Several cruise ships, loaded with tourists, were docked in the harbor, as well as several large, expensive looking yachts. As our ship left the dock and headed along the northwest shoreline, we could see dozens of hotels, extending for mile after mile. We were told that Scandinavians and Germans love it here, anything for some sunshine.