with Maeve Binchy & Mister No over a Mythos Beer
On July 2012 summer I was sitting on Büyükcakil Beach, Ada Restraurant in Kaş really bored since I’m not a summer person at all, allergic to sun and sweat.
I was playing Sims on my iPad and suddenly I wanted to travel.
I knew that there was an international airport on Kastellorizo island, which is the eastern island of Dodecanese Island group of Greece so close to Kaş.
I dreamed of flying to Athens. You may know I’m in love with Acropolis. Please check for my post about my trips to Acropolis later.
Kastellorizo, officially Megisti, lies roughly 2 kilometres (1 mile) off the south coast of Turkey, about 570 km (354 mi) southeast of Athens and 125 km (78 mi) east of Rhodes, almost halfway between Rhodes and Antalya. Kastellorizo is part of the Rhodes regional unit.
The flight from Kastellorizo to Athens is 4.5 hours by Olympic Airlines. Quiet long. So, I changed my mind and found Rhodes as my destination.
There are ferries from Kaş to Kastellorizo, it takes only 30 min. On 13th July 2012 I was on board of the ferry saying goodbye to my summer house for the weekend.
After passport control, as expected travelers rushed to Duty Free, a small cabinet which is full of alcohol and chocolate.
I was feeling so cool and excited as I will fly to Rhodes and see Kastellorizo airport for the first time. From our house terrace I was watching the planes landing though.
I love Mythos Greek Beer and seafood served on island. I sat on a small wooden table for two on the coast with blue napkins. My journey started.
Just a table ahead, which means 20 cm at most, there was a couple speaking in English with Hiberno– English (Irish English Accent). I was in Bournemouth for learning English and I’m familiar with different accents.
Nice weather, nice food, nice beer I was over the moon. Suddenly, I asked the couple
I’m a big fan of Maeve Binchy is she also a popular writer in Ireland?
Answer was shocking.
She passed away recently.
Life is strange.
I checked my passport, I should be there between 13th to 16th of July, but Maeve Binchy passed away officially on 30th of July. So, the couple gave me wrong information, I think. Maybe the writer was so sick at that time.
I was right, see the official announce of her death:
Binchy died on 30 July 2012. She was 73 and had suffered from various maladies, including painful osteoarthritis. As a result of the arthritis, she had a hip operation. A month before her death she suffered a severe spinal infection (acute discitis), and finally succumbed to a heart attack.
After couple of beers, I checked my watch and saw that I was late for the plane almost.
Airport is on the top of the hill and has a rather short runaway. The planes start to descend over the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and land in seconds. It is like landing to an aircraft carrier, secured with a net. Yes, there is a net also on Kastellorizo Airport (KZS)
I recommend you watching Mediterraneo published in 1991 as a war/romance movie. The movie has an exact scene when Italian soldiers are playing football on airport runway and a propeller plane landing. Italian soldiers playing football and plane landing & Mediterraneo Trailer
A group of Italian soldiers wash up on a deserted Greek island. Soon, they begin to forget about the war and pursue art, dance, and the lovely women of the idyllic island.
Do you remember where you see a propeller plane last time. I do.
Mister No is one of my favorite Italian comic books first published in Italy in 1975 by Sergio Bonelli and artist Gallieno Ferri.
Mister No's real name is Jerome Drake Junior, his father being Jerome Senior, and he was born in 1922. He works as an aeroplane pilot and tour guide, flying his Piper. Although many of Mister No's adventures take place in Brazil, some are set in other Latin American countries, North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
This is scene from Mediterraneo is exactly showing what I’m trying to describe with hundreds of words.
This post is Part 1 since my journey to Rhodes will proceed with my funny flight experience and Rhodes in nutshell.
Theme Song of Post: The Godfather
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