Patmos State of Mind...& Emergency

Lightning, thunder, floods, landslides..plan accordingly

Patmos in the archipelago of the Dodecanese is sometimes called the "Jerusalem of the Aegean" because it is the island where John the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament. This makes it a magnet for the Christian faithful and usually the well-heeled place is pretty calm. No airport. Nice beaches. Pricey properties. But for the next six months, a state of emergency.

Winter storms pummeled the island, Greek newspaper Protothema reported, causing widespread flooding and landslides. A state of emergency is in effect for six months as regional authorities assess the damages. If you're planning on visiting this part of Greece my recommendation is to move your timeline to the beginning of July, maybe the latter half of June.

Fun fact: According to the myth Artemis, goddess of the hunt, found Patmos submerged under the waves and asked Selene, goddess of the moon, to illuminate and raise it. With Zeus and Apollo joining the effort, they hoisted the island up from the sea. Perhaps coincidentally Patmos is shaped like a seahorse, its two main portions joined by a narrow isthmus at Skala, the main harbor and commercial center. Just five kilometers south of Skala is Chora, the island capital crowned with the impressive Monastery of St. John the Theologian (photo up top).