We're enjoying a relaxed few days on the island of Rhodes. This morning we drove up the coast to the ancient walled city of Rhodes Town. The wall was built in 1309 and it - along with the entire Old City - is amazingly picturesque and in terrific condition after eight hundred years. The city was founded long before the Crusaders took it over. Its current appearance dates from that era, however. It's easy to imagine knights on horseback charging through the arched, stone gates. We explored the Palace of the Grand Masters, a 1939 reconstruction of a previously destroyed castle. It contains numerous fifth century mosaics from a nearby island. Signs demand Do not walk on the mosaics!" yet they cover most of the hallway surfaces. We ended up taking great leaps over them to avoid breaking the rules. 
Rhodes Town is mostly a pedestrian city, with countless tourist shops lining the narrow streets. We climbed a clock tower to get a good view from above and see the cruise ships that release thousands of eager tourists into the city each day. Always watching our daily food budget, we split a small sausage roll for lunch so we could indulge in waffle cones topped with three scoops of gelatto! After trudging through the streets and taking in the sights for a few hours, we crossed back over the moat and drove to a beautiful beach between Rhodes Town and our house in Afandou.
Stephen cooked dinner tonight, and we feasted on roasted chicken and local vegetables outdoors in our poolside garden surrounded by olive trees. Tomorrow we venture west to sites associated with the Apostle Paul's visits to Rhodes.