Lindos, Somewhere Between Blue and Turquoise
Story by Burhan Kılıçak
From his novel Wink Adası (Wink Island), translated into English for Red Jungle.
After almost four hours of sailing in strong winds, I finally reached Lindos, on the eastern side of the island.
The bay was like a natural harbour, protected by land extending into the sea on both sides. I sailed inside and dropped anchor on the left side of the bay.
As one of the island’s popular destinations, the centre of the bay was full of the usual crowds, sandy beaches and umbrellas.
I checked the small dinghy attached to my boat and started rowing towards a restaurant on the rocks, just to the left of where I was anchored. By the time I reached the shore, I was so hungry that I sat down at a table almost immediately.
If we think of Lindos as a bay, the old town rises on its right side. Narrow streets, old low-rise houses and a castle at the top make it one of the places visitors come to see. Between the streets, there are many small shops selling jewellery, clothes and souvenirs. In some ways, it reminded me of Positano, although without the steep stairways.
I had visited the town before, making the mistake of walking around in the midday heat, so I felt no need to explore it again. This time, the charming restaurant on the left side of the bay had caught my attention.
The restaurant was run by an Italian couple in their fifties. The man rarely left the kitchen, while the woman was incredibly sweet. She took care of every table personally, spreading happiness with her broken English and warm smile.
Most of the customers, like the waiters, were Italian, so Italian was practically the main language of the place.
Sitting under a pergola covered with reeds and climbing plants was a pleasure in the afternoon heat. The sea here changed from light blue to green and turquoise.
The taste of the lobster spaghetti and mussels cooked in tomato sauce had already become a memory I knew I would keep.
With a full stomach and feeling completely relaxed, I went for another swim. Later, perhaps helped by the retsina I had been drinking, I found a quiet corner and fell asleep.
I had no idea which route I would take from there, how many hours it would take to reach smaller islands such as Tilos or Halki, or what would happen if darkness arrived before I reached them.
Without any clear plan, I simply continued to rest.
When I woke up, it was already afternoon. I gathered my things and returned to the sailing boat in the dinghy.
With one last look behind me, I pulled up the anchor and began raising the sails, heading once again into the unknown.
The Lindos Soundtrack
A personal music selection inspired by the journey.
Selected by Burhan Kılıçak × Red Jungle
