Kalitheas

Last night we decided to get up and out of the apartment by 9:30-9:45am so that we can go to the Butterfly Valley (a natural valley where the butterflies congregate) and then to a beach mid-morning. This is where Maria and Georgia both laughed when I said "No Stairs?" And said "its gradual". Not. Gradual. 

I took a screen shot just after finishing the whole loop. 

I thought it was kinda creepy they sold preserved butterflies there. 

After about 20 minutes of walking I said to Maria "I should have just worn my swim suit"(under my clothes instead of a bra and underwear). Maria said "I was just thinking the same thing..." I looked at her funny, and she looked at me funny, then she said " Oh, I did!"  Yup. Pretty much how her week has been going. 

The walk was beautiful. We didn't see more than a thousand butterflies. Lol.  🦋 But they were mostly still on the trees and closed and therefore camouflaged. They were bright orange when fluttering and brown when still. 

At where we thought it COULD be the near the end Mom turned to me and said "I wonder if at the end there is something special?"  Like a bar? No. But a snack bar, so that was good. 

I asked the guy at the top "How do you get back to Parking One?"  Same way you came. "Same way we came, ok" I muttered. I was ahead of Mom after the final 100m climb to the snack bar. I said to her when I saw her "same way we came". She muttered something not as polite..I believe it went something like "Are you fucking kidding me?!"  I bought 2 waters and an apple pomegranate juice at the top and Mom and I sat in the shade at a table and waited for Maria and Georgia. Maria came up shortly after and Georgia had stayed below opting not to climb the stairs at the last 100m.  Maria tried my drink and ordered one too, then went and asked the lady about the little train on the sign that takes you back to Parking Two a little more than half way down (because we sat and looked back at the map I had taken a photo of at the start and there is a picture of a train!). The train isn't running. 

After a quick rest Mom and I went to the restroom while Maria went down to meet her Mom and then we took off together. 

I said to Mom as started down on the reverse of the trail "We're not going to take pictures right? We're just going to motor through?"  Yeah, I put my picture taker away, she said. 😆 Me too. 

Only about 15 steps down from the top a little girl, about 6 years old, threw herself down onto the ground with a frustrated sigh, totally done with the stairs. It's exactly how I felt. 😂 Mom and I told her, you're almost there, look, only 12 more steps. Finally she looked up, perked up and stood up. (We didn't tell her she had to walk the whole way back, I'm pretty sure there's a meltdown in her future). 

We walked all the way back, it was in the shade but it was hot. Down was much better than up for the most part but the big, rocky stairs are hard on your knees. 

Maria and I walked down together and waited a few times for "The Moms". 

From here we went to Kalitheas, it's a public beach on one side and the other a resort beach. 

You pay 3€ per person to get in, are expected to purchase at least something, even a coffee, and can stay all day enjoying the chairs, and in our case, a cabana which happened to be available as we arrived and which became our camp for the afternoon. 

We ordered lunch, Mom and I shared a burger and grilled veggies with halloumi and Maria and Georgia ended up ordering the same. 

As soon as we ordered I went to the washroom to change into my swimsuit and really hoped I don't have to change back into those clothes. 

When I got back to the table Maria was in the water so I went and joined her before the food arrived to cool off. The water is exceptionally bouyant. I could stand straight up and float with absolutely no effort, even with my hands out of the water. This also somehow made swimming seem like you weren't getting anywhere. 

After lunch and another dip I decided I would go over to the other side to see if I could find a lounger to read my book. I did, so I spent about an hour reading before seeing Maria and Georgia in the water again so I gathered my stuff and went back over to the table and went in the water again. 

We were chatting about tonight and dinner when I suggested maybe we take a taxi to dinner, so I don't have to drive because the plan is to go to Old Town in Rhodes and then to dinner at a restaurant outside Old Town on the water. 

On the way home we stopped for a few groceries, mostly bottles of water since it's easier for Georgia with the car. Mom wasn't going to buy a bottle of prosecco but Georgia was insisting, and that she buy it, so Mom finally said ok but she would buy it and Mom said "I'm a Mother too, I can be just as stubborn as you". I said yes, but you're not a Greek mother. Georgia thought that was funny and said "good point". But Mom bought the prosecco. 

We went back to Georgia's and had showers to rinse and cool off, then enjoyed a drink on the patio. Mom has a little cough and a runny nose so she took a Benadryl from Maria's pharmacy. 

Probably not the best idea after a beer because then the combination didn't make her feel well. We didn't really know how bad she felt until we were in Old Town and she looked really tired.  The taxi was 13€ and took us right to one of the gates. We walked through Old Town as Georgia explained to us what each shop was when she was growing up. 

We passed one shop and I backtracked and said to Maria "are those dicks?"  

Yes, apparently they're everywhere but this is the first I saw them. 

This was Georgia's childhood home, the only home attached to the wall. 

After our tour through Old Town Georgia took us to this great little restaurant and there was a gorgeous breeze coming off the water. We walked there along the outside of the Old Town wall, which is incredibly well maintained. 

We had a great last dinner. 

(Not a great photo sorry Maria but the other one I took to get a sense of the restaurant was worse!)

(Everything is up close because we ate half before I remembered to take photos!)

Afterwards I wanted something a little sweet. I asked if there are Greek desserts because we never have dessert. Then Maria got her head wrapped around Loukoumades but they don't make them, she said "Isn't there a YaYa in the back that can make me Loukoumades?" Lol. 

We took a taxi back to the apartment and Georgia got in the cab and said to the driver "sorry, we all had garlic spread for dinner, but we don't plan on kissing anyone tonight so it's ok". He said "You all came on vacation and left your husbands at home?"  Georgia explained we were from Canada and Maria was her daughter. So he said "Oh, I guess you shouldn't kiss me then because your daughter will tell your husband!". He was funny. I said to Georgia "it's the sexy jeans Georgia!"  Lol. 

When we got back Mom went straight to bed, I packed up my bag and went to bed not long afterwards and set my alarm for 7:30am. Our flight is at 10:20 but we're only 15 mins from the airport and we don't need to be there before 9am Georgia said. 

Tomorrow we fly. I won't bother blogging so this is the last of Greece.