It’s good to be back on Symi again
July 3rd, 2009 Posted in Day to day | Post Comments »Not that I didn’t enjoy being away of course, but it’s always good to get back to Symi and be so warmly greeted by friends. Actually the greetings started as soon as I landed at Rhodes airport and walked out to bump into George the soldier, then later to meet other Symi friends at the hotel… I was only away for a week, my first time off the island in a year and the first time out of Greece in nearly two. Where does the time go?
But the trip also started well with a pod of dolphins following the Symi II as we made our way across to Rhodes. My snappy cam doesn’t really capture the full effect but at least there’s proof that the dolphins are still with us. If you want to get really close and personal then you can move to Nimborio where friends who live there see them regularly in the bay – I’m also told that there have been some a Nanou and other places around the island recently.
It’s nice to see that not much has changed here. There’s a bit of controversy going on after an editor of the municipal newspaper put down non-Greek run businesses and referred to Symi ex-pats as ‘dysfunctional.’ That apparently didn’t please the German, French, Albanian, Brits, American, Dutch, Danish, Afghan, South African, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Cypriot and all other nationalities of non-Greek residents. The tax inspectors have been here, as have the IKA folk and the music licence man, so no change there. The gallery has been doing well and continues to be popular. Neil has family staying for a few days so we ate at Georgio’s last night and there’s a meal a Haritomeni planned for tonight; a nice way to round off my holiday.
Visited the Museum in Rhodes - at last!
I did notice, when back in England, that shopping centres are still carpeted by Wrigley. The TV hasn’t changed I’m pleased to say, plenty of channels to watch and loads of nonsense to divert attention away from the doom and gloom. Hot weather too. We followed a fantastic thunderstorm from Paris to the coast, which missed where I was staying, and then had five days of sun – lots of sitting in a green garden reading and simply looking at the grass and watching the squirrels in the trees. That was when I wasn’t in town looking at book shops. After even a short walk in the humid heat I had to call in to Waterstones to dry off with a hefty Proust, though Balzac was more absorbent, being so dry.
Kent coast - Dover to Dungeness (?) and beyond
So, back to Symi and work. Shop to guard, a piece for the Symi Visitor to write, the family history book to catch up on, the new Symi 85600 to finish (50% there now, for those who have been asking about it – an editor lined up this time too so fewer typos for your (oops! for you) to giggle and wonder over), and a beach or two to visit. It’s good to be back on Symi and home.
.jpg "It’s Good To Be Back On Symi Again")
Welcoming committee
Oh, and a quick note from Neil (who is putting together a gallery of photos for you –will post them in a couple of days). Following the impromptu performance by Astrid on her violin, if anyone is bringing a musical instrument to Symi feel free to come to the shop to play it; it’s all part of our ongoing Symi Art exhibition.
