Off season on the Greek islands

Spring visit to Rhodes

A visit to Rhodes at the start of the season offers a cool climate alternative to the normal summer Heat. Check the Greek Easter public holidays before you make your plans, if you are here over Easter it helps to be in the know as most tourist facilities haven't opened or are closed for the public holidays all seems to to be low key.

Small blue and white churches abound the coast line, theres one in every boat harbour, picture postcard perfect, nobody sends postcards anymore, postcards sent from Greece always seem to arrive after your return.

An iconic seaman's church

Avoid Easter if you are a tourist

Easter signals an important Greek feast

The Easter lamb looks like he's been on the spit for a week. Even though he's an integral part of the Greek Easter feast and was eaten with gusto. Many Rhodians move out to the tourist resorts during the easter to celebrate a last family gathering before the coming tourist season, everything a tourist maybe interested in is closed at this time of the year.

Easter lamb on the spit, he doesn't look much but locals cued up for a taste

Offal soup

A traditional fast breaker.

Magriska, lamb veloute soup with offal and dill.
Traditionally prepared from the holy Saturdays grilled Lamb "see above" it's served straight after the midnight church service.
An important cultural and religious festival for Greek family's as they gather and wish each other good fortune for the coming year & partake in the egg cracking game of tsougrisma together.

Magriska, Greek easter lamb offal soup

Cool climate greek islands

All closed

Cooler weather means that theres lots of room at the beach. A great place for a lone walk enjoy the scenery and solitude. First impressions between off season and high season are many, makes you wonder from what & how everybody live during the winter.

Abandoned beaches during the Easter break, too cold to swim.

The off season is green

Winter work means olives.

Theres lots of Olive trees and rocks on Rhodes, this early in the season the olive groves are nice and green, further on in the season when everything is dry the olive groves are brown just like the rocks.

Green olive groves

City life

Coffee & cigarettes in the city,

Ronda on the beach in Rhodes city is a pimped mosque in the muslim area near the Casino, the existing interesting architecture and remodelling have created a trendy and cool bar, nightclub & beach club full of both locals and tourists. Not all the restaurants are open so early in the season, but theres still plenty of dining possibilities.

Ronda, cool bar Rhodes city harbour

Greek Tavern food

Dolmar

Traditional Greek food tastes great, and its even better when its eaten in a traditional Greek taverna: The golden rule is to look around and try and find a a restaurant full of locals, the modern rule is to check out restaurant reviews on internet.

Local traditional, dolmar cabbage & vine leaves

Modern Greek

Greek Chefs are as inspirational as others

Modern greek food can be almost anything, octopus carpaccio with yuzu dressing and beetroot sorbet, Arn't we lucky that every cuisine can be fused with Japanese. Its there what ever you fancy look around for it.

Greek Japanese fusion

Best practices

Simple and functional, keep your eyes open.

Here's a great little best practice idea for the daily pasta special, functional, easy & practical. and if you can't spell well just rub it out and try again.

Simple & practical on the pasta buffet

First recruit of the year

Maybe he stayed on during the winer closure

I've seen them before in Greek kitchens, Icons protecting the kitchen, I've no evidence if they work but I suppose they can't hurt, us chefs generally need all the help we can get.

Good to see someone is watching over the kitchen team