I am in Rhodes with a longstanding friend who loves the island and visits regularly. More will follow on this beautiful place but I am prompted by Dverse poets to write a haibun about walking. A haibun is poetic prose followed by a haiku. My friend and I have been fortunate to do a lot of walking together.
In youth, we walked and walked, together. Teenage talks and teenage walks to Barnes pond, along the towpath of the river Thames, across Hammersmith Bridge. We walked our children too into Manchester’s many parks and out to the moors of Derbyshire. We’ve walked in friendship for more than 40 years. And now I finally walk with her in her beloved Rhodes. And we walk and walk.
Walking the past. In the present. Future thoughts.
Feet walk over cobbled stones in narrow streets. Above, the eyes take in medieval arches. Thoughts of knights and maybe horses along the wider streets leading to the Grand Palace of the Masters. Castle turrets protected the Order of St John. Stones in piles from pillars fallen. Many battles fought, won, lost. Bright bougainvillea flowers adorn walled gardens within ancient fortress walls. Scents of jasmine waft with sounds of many voices from many places. Scooters dodge the wandering tourists. Greek homes still within the sturdy old town walls from where the deep blue of the sea separates the isle from the mainland mountains of the Turkish coast. So near. So far. Empires have come, empires have gone. This small island a jewel to hold.
We walk along the ancient stadium of ancient Greeks. As women we wonder on the nakedness of men running fast, in the past! No women allowed then. Except for one. The mother of a hero. The broken Acropolis with scaffolding speaks of the need to respect the past but greatness goes. We walk around the ruins of men and there lies the small dragon lizard, still and basking in the warmth of ancient stones. We walk through the streets of modern Greece, the new town, coloured by blooms. Concrete sore we reach a deep valley park. Rodini. A jewel from the Italian rule. Now forgotten, neglected but it’s streams flow with life. Small turtles, egrets, giant carp and butterflies. We cross broken bridges, pass by young lovers. Here the world of green enjoys the lack of human tramping unlike the famous butterfly valley walked through by the multitudes who yearn for green and to see some wild thing ; the beleaguered tiger moth.
We walk over more pebbled mosaic floors into holy places. Two headed eagles symbols for the Eastern Church. The frankincense and gold of icon painting fill the spaces with a silent sacredness. Behind a city wall a gate opens up into the Jewish synagogue. We walk through this with silent acknowledgement of a persecuted past. Spanish sounds sing songs of their Sephardic roots from Andalucia; my home now. We walk to connect. So few returned to their island home. Down by the harbour in an old Islamic building we walk past the hopes of new refugees from not so far but far enough across the gleaming blue and treacherous depths. Later, we walk high up a hill, along a path with stations of the cross. From the giant cross, we walk no more but watch Apollo’s sun being guided down to rest beyond the horizon of the west. How long have we got left?
Broken bridges show
The eternal flow below
Walk the heart to know
this is beautiful – your prose and the haibun.
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I love that Georgina! I’ve never been to Rhodes. You’ve made it very appealing.
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It is an interesting place and there are the less touristy places and times of year.
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This is wonderful, so much history when it feels like every meter, every stone has its own story to tell… love the timespan you have covered in your walk. I feel like I want to visit Rhodes.
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Thank you, Bjorn. The haibun gave me a sharper focus!
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This writing means a lot to me. Georgi has not only captured Rhodes in her words but also our friendship. It has been a wonderful week sharing my love of Rhodes and exploring with her the variety of the late spring flowers that have survived the dry (normally wet) winter here. A memorable week for our journey through life.
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Thanks Madeleine and here’s to trying to keep on walking!
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Hope you’re going to add your picture of the amazing dragon lily!
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That’s for the flora and fauna blog and better ones are on my camera.
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Still pouring in Andalucia!
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These posts seem to be time-stamped GMT, not BST, CET or Rhodes time which must now be 1pm?
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Hi 🙂 I felt like I was walking along with you. 🙂 Your words have created a little movie in my mind of the past and the present of you and your friend and the island. Beautiful! Looking forward to seeing more photos! 🙂
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Thank you. It is very beautiful here and interesting.
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Armchair walker I am….enjoyed this walk into history with you. So nice to meet you this morning over my morning cups of coffee…hoping to see you again! We do walk a lot with our words at dVerse! 🙂
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That’s good walking into the past or in the present and keep on for as long as we can!
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Touching haiku after the prose.
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Thank you.
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what a beautiful stroll into the glorious past…a wonderful tour indeed…
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I loved this long and beautiful stroll.
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Beautiful! I have wanted to visit Rhodes since a friend from school went there for a holiday and sung its praises. So long ago… over forty years! I have never read a haibun before – very effective – thank-you.
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I’ve been meaning to visit my friend here for the last 12 years when she bought a flat here! Work got in the way!
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It often does!
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Wonderful little visit to Rhodes and walking together is such a good way to build friendships.
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Love all the walking with a dear friend ~ You are so lucky to share your journey with someone so close ~ Thanks for sharing ~
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It has been so good to be together again.
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You were up early! Still pouring here in Sierra de Aracena.
Trev
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A bit overcast today but warm and sunny enough to go for a swim in the sea. It’s not tidal. No waves?
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So true… you make us want to visit Rhodes with your post. Great haibun! 😀
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Thanks, it has been a very interesting visit.
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This is wonderful. A journey through time!
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Thank you for a poetic visit to an Island I have not yet seen and my never get to.
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I am surprises it took me so long seeing as my friend has a flat there! We are all deciding to get ourselves out and about and spending quality time together while we can!
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Lovely!
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It sounds like a fascinating place! I am glad to have walked it with you, as it seems unlikely I’ll do it in person. 🙂
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Good to hear that you enjoyed my walking with a friend on the island.
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Many years ago we had a beautiful stay at Pefkos, in the south of the island. A lovely place to be with Your friend. 🙂
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Thanks, I will post some more soon but it seems to take ages to sort photos. I might have a walk for you for next Monday. And it’s not too far from the Algarve when you are out again. About 2 and a half hours to the Sierra Aracena. Some friends from Cabanas have just stayed.
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That would be wonderful. 🙂 No hurry with the walk. I’m here most Mondays 🙂
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