I tried an omelette for breakfast this morning—a nice change of pace! There were noticeably fewer people in the dining hall, so few that the staffer at the entrance (the same bartender who already knows my room number) told me I could sit wherever I liked.
However, despite the quieter breakfast, most of the sunbeds were already taken when I headed out to the pool area at just past ten. Quite a few loungers were “reserved” with just a towel or a bag dumped on them, clearly left behind for later use. Now I fully understand the whole stereotype about people hogging sunbeds early in the morning—even though the pool area doesn’t even open until ten!
I managed to grab one on the shady side, but still “better than Friday.” After an hour, I spotted a bed in a much better position that showed no signs of ownership. I asked the woman next to it if it was free, and when she confirmed it was, I made my move. It even came with a small table—more sun for Jens!
Down in the corner of the pool area, there’s a flag indicating whether a lifeguard is on duty: red means no, orange means yes. It took me a couple of days to even notice it. I wonder if it’s a legal requirement, though it honestly felt easier to spot the lifeguard in her red uniform over by the bar than to look for a small orange flag tucked away in a far corner.
I spent the day in my usual rhythm, rotating between the pool and my sunbed while reading. I grabbed a simple ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. The couple next to me lit up a cigarette every now and then, but thankfully the breezy weather blew the smoke away.
Once I finished my book, I headed back up to the room. After a quick nap and a shower, I set out to continue exploring Rhodes City. I walked straight south, but eventually ran into the Old Town moat and the same entrance I’d used on previous days. This time, I walked past it, following the moat through a park until I found another gate that seemed to be used mostly by locals rather than tourists.
I ended up in a quiet square in the southwestern corner of the Old Town. It had a few restaurants but very few people around. Since lunch had only been a light sandwich, my stomach was already calling for dinner, so I settled in at Restaurant Oasi Medieval Old Town. I ordered Kleftiko and a virgin mango daiquiri.
Several cats roamed between the tables, patiently waiting for scraps or handouts—which they successfully scored from a few guests. The staff didn’t seem entirely thrilled, as I saw them chase the cats away at least once. I suppose not everyone appreciates stray animals hanging around while they eat!
The food was absolutely delicious, even if eating directly out of the clay pot was a bit tricky. The atmosphere was delightful, with few crowds, pleasant background music, and large trees providing a natural roof. After finishing my meal, I ducked into an alley, only to realise it was leading me in the completely wrong direction—it really is remarkably easy to lose your bearings here! Eventually, I found a shop selling local sweets to bring home as another gift (once again consulting Claude for recommendations).
On my way through, I let myself get reeled in by a tout at Jewish Martyrs Square and ordered a large, sweet mocktail. The size certainly didn’t disappoint! It came with a side of extremely salty popcorn—I wonder why! 😉 The drink itself tasted surprisingly like a thinner version of Swedish raspberry dessert soup (hallonkräm). It took me a full 35 minutes to finish, which says a lot given my usual drinking speed. When I asked for the bill, the waiter asked, “Card or cash?” followed quickly by “Cash gets a better price.” I paid in cash, though I never actually found out what the price difference was!
Afterward, I walked back to the hotel and asked the bartender if he could put on the Sweden match. He wasn’t sure since someone had already requested the Belgium game, so he suggested I check back when it started. I went up to my room to start writing this post, and headed back down to the bar a few minutes before kick-off. There are three TVs in the bar, and at least one of them didn’t seem to have anyone watching. However, he told me he couldn’t put the Sweden game on (I didn’t argue), so I headed back up to my room to watch it there instead.
However, a small keycard saga ensued! After today’s housekeeping, there had been a spare keycard left in the wall slot inside the door (which activates the electricity). Since I was in a rush heading down to the bar earlier, I had grabbed that one instead of the card in my wallet, which was locked in the safe. When I returned to watch the match in my room, this “extra” keycard didn’t work. I walked down to the front desk to explain, and the receptionist reprogrammed the card for my room. Problem solved!
While I was at it, I also asked if they sold sunscreen, as I ran out today, but they didn’t. So I grabbed my wallet and headed out to a nearby shop to buy a new bottle—better to sort it tonight than tomorrow morning when the battle for the sunbeds begins! But when I returned to my room once again, my old keycard no longer worked, forcing me to make another slightly embarrassed trip to the front desk. The receptionist assured me both cards were now programmed correctly and suggested I test them, which I did, and thankfully both worked fine.
With all the card drama resolved, I spent the rest of the evening relaxing in my room, watching the Nations League match between Sweden and Poland.
