Rhodes, Greek Islands

This is the entrance to the walled portion of the city of Rhodes built during the Christian Crusades (1470s). We really liked the other Greek Isles (especially Mykonos) but Rhodes was absolutely beautiful.

Some of the narrow streets were barely wide enough for a guy riding a scooter, while the doorways lead right out onto the street. Some of the streets were paved with the original rounded cobblestones that after a couple hours of wandering around were very uncomfortable to walk on.

The people of Rhodes have perfected fitting rectangular doors into the old arched doorways. Notice where stone has been added to narrow this doorway.

A heavy iron gate with windows for allowing the breeze in and for seeing who is outside without having to open the door.

Shady and outlined with ivy, this doorway was one of the more inviting we found.

A scene typical of Rhodes, this woman sits in the shade selling her wares.

Sitting in her stone doorway while there is an empty chair?

Mykonos, Greek Islands, Aegean Sea

The tour guides told us Mykonos has over 600 churches. Most are very small and were built by local sailors hoping they would bring them protection from their dangerous life on the seas.

Everything on Mykonos seemed freshly painted for a photo opportunity including this door and shutters. According to our guide, Kodak used to sell more film on Mykonos than any other place making it the "most photogenic" place on earth.

What can I tell you about this photo? We stopped to watch the sunset on a balcony overlooking the water and have a cool drink after our long and very windy trek around the seashore. As we left, I asked our waitress if she could close the door for just a moment so I could get a photo. She misunderstood me and I didn't have the heart to explain so this is what I got. After all, Mykonos IS the most photogenic place on earth. That is my story and I am sticking to it!

Our seaside window view.

I highly recommend you visit Mykonos if you ever have the opportunity. My photos do not show its true beauty.

Blue Star Ferry Door

Hotel doors have ways to get out of the building if they are on fire. So it makes good sense when you travel via a ferry or cruise ship you get instructions on how to don a floatation device. We found this poster on the door to our berth when we took a car ferry from Bari, Italy across the Ionian Sea to Petra, Greece.

Bronze Door - Rome, Italy

Erin standing in front of this door gives you more perspective on what I term a "massive" door.

Yet another impressive and massive door. This building and the one with Erin above are both just a couple hundred yards from the amphitheater and very near the site where Julius Caeser was cremated.

Flavian Ampitheater - Rome, Italy

ADozens of extremely high-arched entryways led Rome's citizens to the seating area of the Coliseum. Completed around 80 A.D., it is one of the grandest of all Roman structures and seated up to 80,000 spectators. I have never been to a place where the thought, "...if these walls could talk..." spoke to my conscious more loudly than this amphitheater.

Vatican Museum Entryway

This very impressive entrance to the Vatican Museum is no longer used. I don't believe it could handle the crowds of the modern era waiting in line to pass through Vatican City. When we arrived the line in front of the high wall stretched a long city block and was growing by the minute. The tour guide told us Rome's population doubles in the summer months.

The Green Door - Rome, Italy

Another grand villa entrance in Rome.

Villa Doorway - Rome, Italy

The entrances to inner-city Roman family villas are very ornate and grand in every sense of the word. In the old days, the first floor of the villas had the family business, kitchens and servant quarters. The families resided above where it was generally a bit breezier, cooler and somewhat quieter. Most doorways have a balcony where the house owner could survey the city street from above. Note the perfume shop on one side and the laundrymat on the other.

A closer view of this beautiful doorway.

Unaizah Antique Gate

This antique gate in Unaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia, has an Amish flavor in its paint.

UnBelizeable

Stowage locker door to Eric & Clifford's fishing boat down in Belize. Their sticker may say "Original Bad Boy" but those two guys are first rate guides who have always shown us everything we asked to see and more.

Unaizah - Bayt Al-Hamdam

A photo of the local sheik is posted to the men's guest room door in the home of Ibrahim Al-Hamdam located in Unaizah, Qassim Region, north-central Saudi Arabia.

Inside the guest room are thick walls lined with cushioned seating and artfully decorated window shutters.

Doggy Door - San Pedro, Belize

I saw a really nice coffee table book in a bookstore in Riyadh that focused on doors & gates in Saudi Arabia. Borrowing the idea, I thought it would be interesting to include some of the photos from our travels this summer.

Canines are usually fierce defenders of their territory. We noticed they mostly leave humans out of their territory disputes on the islands in Belize. However, I've read accounts recommending humans take the Teddy Roosevelt approach of "tread softly and carry a big stick" in some places due to agressive dogs. Maybe it is the laid-back Ambergris Caye island attitude? While strolling down the beach we didn't see this little guy but he saw us. Wisely choosing his battles, he didn't even mumble a bark until well after we had passed. I bet if the gate was closed he would've given us heck.