Bob and Anne went off on their tour at 8.30, and Greg and I caught a tender to Skala about 10ish. We intended to go to Hora, the capital, by local bus but the next one wasn't till 11.30 so once again we caught a taxi (E10).
Patmos has a number of religious sites including a Monastery of St John where he wrote his gospel and a grotto where he wrote the Book of Revelations. We walked up to the monastery at Hora but didn't go in - have seen enough monasteries for now (a few people on the cruise are referring to it as the ABC syndrome - "another bloody church??".
Instead we wandered through (C)Hora (not quite sure of the correct spelling - sometimes displayed with a C) trying to make our way to the iconic three windmills. It is a lovely little town. Apparently lots of holiday homes/flats/apartments belonging to Greeks from the mainland. From what we could see there were a lot of renovations happening. As we walked we caught glimpses of little courtyard gardens and porches. The narrow streets can accommodate motor scooters but not cars. As usual, there were lots of cats. But today we actually saw some food and water left out for them.
We found the windmills and noticed some workmen nearby. Then we really got a surprise - we passed a lady with a whipper snipper and gum boots walking towards the area around the windmills. For the last 10 days we have been wishing someone would get out there with a whipper snipper and tidy up around some of the wonderful places we have visited. Looks like it's going to happen on Patmos!
We enjoyed a cool drink in a cafe with a small balcony overlooking the beautiful bay below. The temperature wasn't too high but Greg was noticing the reflected heat from all the white painted houses, and marble and limestone paths and walls.
We started to walk down the main road to the grotto but then Greg spotted a small sign with the number 1 on it and an arrow head pointing off to cobble-stoned walking track. He checked the GPS app map on his phone and yes, it was an official walking track, much better than walking down the winding road. Off the road, it was very much like a bush walk. There was a little breeze from time to time and some shade so very pleasant walking conditions.
We decided to invest the E2 each to enter the holy grotto. Down lots of steps there was a sort of church in a cave.
The walking track turned out to be 2.2 kms from the top (Hora) to the bottom at Skala (the road signs indicated by road it was 4.5 kms). Also, the GPS app indicated a drop of 200m altitude over that 2.2 kms walk down.
Back in town we had another cafe stop for refreshments and to use their toilets (best way to get access to facilities in Greece). Greg went back to the ship and I checked out some shops, running into Anne along the way.
Back on board it was spa time at the rear on Deck 5. And they were handing out Margaritas and Piña Coladas - very nice. Dinner at the Colonnade, sitting inside this time as the weather was looking very threatening. Lightning show before bed, then wind and pouring rain overnight.