Day to day life on a small Greek island

Typos, new Symi cafés and how to keep warm on Symi in the winter

January 3rd, 2009 Posted in Chorio

If you were wondering why there were more typos than usual in recent blogs it’s probably because it is so cold in the ‘fridge/study’ at the moment. Well, that’s my excuse anyway – it’s got nothing to do with the Christmas spirit! Wearing fingerless gloves and a hat, sitting here looking more daft than usual, I’m typing away and getting in and out of the fridge as quickly as possible.

Symi Greece

It’s always a question of knowing what is the best heater to use on Symi in the winter. We don’t have air conditioning so that’s out – I don’t like it much and apparently it’s expensive. Some people have oil filled radiators and these are quite good, they say. We have an ancient two bar fire for the sitting room which is surprisingly effective and strangely not too expensive to run. Then you have the tall halogen heaters that give off a lovely glow and very little else. I have one by the desk and one side of me is toasting (as I am a few inches away from it) and the other side of me is still frozen. Warm air heaters don’t cut the mustard and the other alternative is a real fire. We have one of these and it’s on occasionally but burns wood very fast as it doesn’t have a grate but a few bricks and a shelf from an old oven. Gathering and cutting wood is a seasonable pain in the proverbial, for me at any rate, so Neil does it, from time to time. So, keeping warm in Symi in the winter is possibly a chapter for the new book.

Symi Greece
The playground, Jan 1st

If you were wondering what that photo of chairs is about, it’s a quick shot of the seating outside the new café that has just opened in Horio. It is situated by the village car park, just below Zoi’s taverna. There is a great view down to Pedi and the children’s playground is right next door. I don’t know what the café is called yet as I haven’t seen a sign, but I’ll let you know when I find out. There will be another new business opening this year at what used to be the Mikro Café. Jenine is taking the building on, Ian is currently working on it and, when everything is up and running, it will be a café, cake shop/coffee shop that will sell things like homemade cakes, sandwiches and breakfasts, and it will provide picnics for walkers etc. With sofas, book shelves and a friendly crew in charge it promises to be a good pace to hang out and catch up on calories, caffeine and news. There are some great ideas coming your way so watch this space for more updates.

Ok, fingers slightly warmed by typing now it’s time to get on with the rest of the day.

Symi Greece
Horio, Jan 1st

  1. One Response to “Typos, new Symi cafés and how to keep warm on Symi in the winter”

  2. By Anthony on Jan 9, 2009

    Good to know that Jenine is opening a café - I wish her every success. Has she thought of providing wireless internet? That would certainly help to bring me in, and no doubt others too. The obvious weakness of the Mikró Café site is that (at least so far as I remember) it doesn’t have room for seating outside: rather important for attracting people during the summer - unless she plans to follow Jean’s example and rely on the after-dinner and all-night trade!!

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