Bodrum, Turkey is only about 20 miles from Kos, Greece. There are frequent ferries running both ways. The trip is about 45 minutes. It is fascinating to be able to quickly go from one country to another and hear a different language, use different currency, see different customs and eat different food. Kos is one of the Dodecanese islands, the largest of which is Rhodes. Dodecanese comes from the Greek meaning 12 islands, even though there are 15 of them. The port of Kos is small but lively, with many beahfront cafes, bars and restaurants and gets really busy in the summer with tourists from England and Germany. There are beautiful beaches. Some of the sites to see are the ancient Greek burial grounds, the Castle of the Knights of St. John (built by the crusaders) and the tree under which Hippocrates taught his students medicine. I walked around the port a bit, went into a small, cozy restaurant and had a delicious Greek souvlaki. After lunch, I strolled back to the port and had a frappe (iced coffee drink) at a place called G-Cafe. I then walked around the town, took pictures of the castle and other sites, and then took the ferry back to Bodrum, Turkey. Entering the port of Bodrum, perfectly straight rows of gulets (traditional, Turkish wooden sailing boats) lined the harbor. Guarding the harbor was the Castle of St. Peter, another impressive feat of building by the Knights of St. John. And don’t miss the tomb of Mausolus, a Persian ruler. It is near the port of Bodrum and it from where we get the term “mausoleum”.
