Tamara in Switzerland: Day 13: Patmos

I had to get up way early again while it was still dark out and took the bus to Pythagoria and then the ferry for 2 hours to Patmos. It is a very pretty island in the shape of a seahorse. I joined the English tour and first we went to the cave where it is supposed Revelation was written. You're not allowed to take pictures, but essentially it has been turned into an orthodox church. There were several spots you can see such as where John is supposed to have laid his head, or supported himself, or the incline where the book was transcribed (all of which are surrounded by gold like they're holy or something, which is a bit ridiculous). But there was one cool spot where the rock is split in three places where, assuming this is the same cave, God spoke to John. I thought that was kinda neat. The tour guide was pointing out all these places and then gave the most politically correct explanation of the book of Revelation I have ever heard. I forget exactly but she was saying something to the effect that John was writing about all these things that were happening to the planet and that God had said there would be a new kingdom, and that in order for us to join this kingdom we needed to realize what we were doing to the planet, or something like that. It basically sounded like an advocacy for being environmentally friendly. But anyway, after that we went to the Monastery of St. John which looks like this big medieval castle. Again it was basically a greek orthodox church. The tour lady was getting to be kinda boring so I started tuning her out, but the sites were interesting. Then I joined an optional tour and we walked through the medieval town, which was like a labyrinth, and ended at a restaurant were we had greek salad and pork souflakis (basically a kebab). The waiters were dressed in traditional costume and did some traditional dances for us. Then we got back on the bus and did a short 10 minutes driving tour of the southern part of the island. We were dropped off next to the port and I bought some souvenirs and then headed back on the ferry. I found a cool and shady spot inside next to the bar. The bartender started talking to me, making small talk mostly. He apparantly had found this necklace (just a touristy item I recognized) and let me have it. So I thought he was just being nice or whatever, but then when we got back to Samos he asked me out for drinks. I was like, um....I can't (you're like 20 years older than me!). So yeah, that turned out to be a little creepy (but luckily that was the only instance). So after the bus back I finally made it and the family was waiting for me so we could go eat a late dinner. We went basically just next door to a place called Loukoulos. It was very good, and the chef was funny. It was so unconventional (here, I'll give you this, see if you like it). But yeah, we had tsatsiki and this other dip, then a starter of beans and some sort of rice thing, and then patitsio (which is kinda like a greek lasagna) and then finally some chocolate mousse. I was stuffed. Then the owner gave us the last apple streudel of the season, which I saved for the next day and was very tasty.