Carrying on down the Kali Strata
Some shots today taken on the Kali Strata on my way down to do those bank and business things that need doing. I know a lot of day-trippers don’t have time to wander up the Kali Strata but, if you are reading this in advance of a day trip to Symi from Rhodes, or elsewhere, then maybe you might like to know what awaits you en route if you make the extra effort.
You can take a taxi or the bus up from Yialos and get off at the windmills or ask the taxi to stop at the Windmill restaurant or Taverna Zoi. Either place is good to start exploring the village from. You may not have time to see all of it, I’ve been here 14 years and still not seen all of it, but it will give you the chance to have a look at some of the views and places that are unique to ‘the village’, or Horio (Chorio) as it is also known.
Just walking down yesterday I snapped some quick pics of Maraquita, where Evangalitsa sells her own handmade sandals and other gifts, and The Olive Tree, a Trip Advisor favourite, with its terrace and views, homemade cakes, coffees, teas and other healthy things served by the famous Jenine and Tina. A little lower down is the Lemonia Herb Shop with its local and Greek products sold at much better prices than you will find abroad (or even on the steps on the way up, ahem!); and opposite is the new craft and gift shop, Nano, housed in what used to be part of Neil’s gallery empire, right beside the old Symi Dream shop, for those who knew it. A little further down you have the famous ‘Kali Strata Bar’ view. The bar is no longer there but the view remains.
If you are coming from the bottom up, as it were, you will pass the Kalodoukas office, Symi Tech, Frederique’s fashion boutique, Chrysalis, and another new craft and gift shop, plus Michaelis and his Pet Corner. Either way you go, you will find a goodly amount of stopping places, benches to sit on, views to stop at, old buildings to photograph and marvel over, and a good, steady, ten minutes should get you to the top. Remember to take hats and water. Water because it can be hot and tiring on the way up, but there is shade, and hats because we all like to see good millinery in the village; the wider the brim the better. (Why not? You’re on holiday right?)
Anyway, I am now moving on to get some other things done. Welcome to Tuesday and thank you to everyone who has recently stopped to say how much they enjoy the (almost) daily blog and its occasional nonsense, plus Neil’s good photos and my strange attempts, and to everyone who has shared the recent review of me and my books on Effrosyni Writes. Please continue to Tweet, Inst-thing, Facebook, Whatever, about the interview, share the info and a great writer’s resource blog. Thank you.
