Sunday 1st March 2026

I woke at half five when the rooster next door informed the world that his cocked had been a doodled. So I woke, and lay in bed as dawn crept round the edge of unfamiliar curtains.

Birds still sang, but these were different birds, singing different songs. More like summer than spring, and yet it were chilly. So I used my phone to check online, find out the news, and to read about and watch Norwich’s victory yesterday.

Jools woke at half seven, so after exchanged greetings, we both went for showers, got dressed before trying to find the restaurant for breakfast.

It wasn’t where we picked up the key last night, but in a large greenhouse-like building nearby, so we wandered over. Poured a coffee, had some bran, and did some people watching.

On the next table there were four people and a guide, on a birdwatching tour I guess, judging by their cameras and lenses. They discussed the news before leaving to get into a mini bus.

We ate on.

From the bedroom window, I had noticed some rough ground, so I suggested after breakfast going for a short walk to explore and look for plants.

And so we did. Crossing near the small shrine, onto the rough ground admiring the banks of Cyclamen, as well as various peas, Groundsels, and some Henbit deadnettle.

We walked along the road, over a bridge, and I saw a roungh farm track leading up the hill.

We’ll go that way, I told Jools.

Because, on Rhodes, a lot of orchid species were found in olive groves, or former olive groves, so thought this looked a good idea.

We saw plenty of interest, and then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot an ophrys. Now, I’m sure you’re hoping for a better ID than that, but for now, that’s as good as I can do.

We both take shots.

Further up we find another ophrys, then another. I find a Tongue orchid, and then Jools spots something yellow. Orchis punctulata is one of Europe’s rarest orchids, and we find one just like that! It is one of the key species of the tour, the tour which starts tomorrow. And we find one.

Two.

Three.

And another ophrys.

And an Anacamptis, probably colina. Most had gone over, but one was still showing, although faded.

One species I did recognise was Ophrys mamosa, AKA the “Breasted” orchid. And then another species similar, but different.

We reach the top of the hill, but the track kept on going, so we looked in more areas of grass, and find more and more orchids. They were everywhere.

Bees buzzed, butterflies fluttered by, birds sang, and away behind us on both sides, the land fell away to the rugged coast with headlands in the distance, and sea a wonderful shade of deep blue.

Walking back down I see a Yellow Star of Bethlehem, just growing between the wheel tracks of a tractor long since passed. We took a fork down a steeper path and find more orchids, including more punctulata, one of a fairly large size.

We go further down, more ophrys seen, until we come to an abandoned store of bathroom fittings, benches and tiles. We walk through that, then past a helipad (!) and onto the road, turning towards the hotel.

On the other side, a way lead down, should we go down?

Yes.

We go down and find half a dozen Giant orchids, no really giant, but robust.

It was getting warm, so we walk back to the road, hugging the edge, we walk back to the junction and the hotel, avoided by cars flying by.

We thought we needed supplies, so drove to the village to the market. Jools went in and bought beer, cider, crisps, filled rolls, peanuts, Pringles, and Ritz crackers. Its three minutes to dive back, so once inside we crack open a cold can of beer/cider, then sit on the rooftop patio to drink and soak up more rays.

The car said it was 22 degrees, it didn’t feel that warm with the breeze, but nice enough.

Nice enough for Jools to try the hot tub, which wasn’t so hot after all.

We fritter away the afternoon as the sky clouded over, and the sinking sun caused the chairs outside to be covered in shadow. We went inside to try to keep warm.

I kept up with the football on the BBC website, so with the two hour time difference, when those games finished at four in the UK, it was six here. I had looked online, and the best place nearby to eat at a beach bar place.

Another three minute to drive into the village, parking beside the beach where the waves laped against the narrow sandy beach.

We go in and order grilled halumi with fig jam, also some garlic bread. Followed by king prawns in a white wine and garlic sauce. This also came with a platter of frites, which we also made disappear.

While we were eating, darkness fell, revealing the nearly full moon hanging high above us. We drove back to the hotel, for more of the same.