By Patricia Arrigoni

I am standing on the deck of the ferry boat Patmos Star, watching the fabled holy island of Patmos come into view. We are on the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey. This was the island where St. John the Theologian wrote the Book of Revelations, also known as "the Apocalypse."

We land in the small port of Skala and grab our carry-on luggage to disembark. I had been invited by a longtime photographer/writer friend, Randa Bishop, who married a Greek man some 25 years ago.

In Patmos, the picturesque harbor town of Skala features all-white buildings with blue-and-white fluttering Greek flags and cobblestone streets. Boats in the harbor range from multimillion-dollar yachts to small fishing vessels. In town, we see several outdoor cafes, bars and jewelry stores. The streets are filled with small cars and scooters, all competing for room on the narrow two-lane roads.

High above the town is the massive 11th-century fortlike Monastery of St. John the Theologian. Founded in 1088 by St. Christodoulos, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Randa's husband, Michail, meets us in Skala with the small Jeep she drives, and we head to the medieval village of Chora high up a mountain just below the monastery. Chora, with its tiny streets and whitewashed rock buildings supplies patrons with regular groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables, fashion boutiques, galleries and bars.

We purchase food and water, then stop by Randa's house in Sikamia for fresh figs and other treats. Sikamia is said to be the place where St. John performed baptisms. It is located at the bottom of mountainous hills, making water plentiful in the area.

When we finally arrive at the guest house where we will spend eight days, I discover that it is located way up a hillside, WAY UP! My companion, a woman years younger, taller and a regular runner, trots right up, but I have to stop twice and rest. I later learn that these stone houses were built by using donkeys and strong men who carried up supplies as there were no roads.

Patmos, like the other islands we visit, is desertlike with both prickly pear cactus and pine trees. We also observed olive and fig trees, beehives, goats with their herders and donkeys.

We visit many beaches for daily swimming. Lunch and dinners are all at outdoor restaurants overlooking the sea. For our visit to the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, I hitch a ride with Randa's husband on his motor scooter while she hikes up. Little of this structure is open to the public, just a courtyard and two floors of museum items upstairs.

The museum consists of two floors of artifacts, many of which were given to the monastery as gifts from various emperors during the past centuries. There is also a library with a precious collection of manuscripts that can be visited with prior permission. Museum displays include jeweled amulets, crosses, daggers, copies of gospels with covers decorated in hammered silver, coins, jewelry and paintings.

After visiting the monastery, we decide to walk down to the cave where St. John wrote the Book of Revelations. The Monastery of the Apocalypse is very small. An old bearded monk is on guard, but he puts his head down on a desk and falls asleep. We look at hanging lamps, paintings and religious icons.

One day Randa and her husband take me for a boat ride to another island called Marathi. It is a beautiful day and we have a calm ride past other islands and a famous rock called Kalikatsou. We arrive in Marathi, take a swim just steps from restaurant Pirate and have a delicious lunch — eggplant salad, cheese, yogurt, shrimp and Greek salads, all typical dishes that I have also enjoyed all over Patmos.

Then our exploration of the island of Patmos must end. It has been an exciting, memorable and thought-provoking adventure on a captivating Greek island.

WHEN YOU GO

For more information: www.visitgreece/gr/en/greek_islands/patmos

Catamarans and ferries connect Patmos with many nearby islands, and there are also boat excursions around the island. Car rentals are available with an international driver's license.

I stayed at the Soultana House: www.patmosvilla.com. My tastefully decorated unit had a large living room, small kitchen, two bedrooms, two baths and a stone terrace with a wide, sweeping view.

The Patmos Star is a ferryboat that operates between Greek islands. Photo courtesy of Patricia Arrigoni.

These bells mark the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Patmos, Greece. Photo courtesy of Patricia Arrigoni.

The idyllic beaches on the Greek island of Patmos constantly beckon to travelers and locals alike. Photo courtesy of Patricia Arrigoni.

Patricia Arrigoni is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

These bells mark the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Patmos, Greece. Photo courtesy of Patricia Arrigoni.