Athens Day 1

The boat docked at 12.30 right on schedule and, as usual, there was a courtesy bus waiting to whisk away those passengers who didn’t have a car waiting. After being dropped at the main gates, it’s a quick walk across the road and around the back to the metro station. It’s the end of the line, and there was a green line train waiting. They go regularly, and there are boards announcing waiting times and destinations, in English and Greek, plus maps, so it’s easy to see where you need to get to. In my case, it was seven stops to Monastiraki, followed by a short walk to the hotel.

I checked into my 3-star accommodation and headed down the road for a coffee and a bite to eat as I had two hours to kill before heading to the airport to meet Mother. I’d chosen a hotel not far from Syntagma Square, a short walk to Plaka and Monastiraki, and very handy for the best of both worlds; sight-seeing and shopping. It was on a quiet street (until the roadworks started in the morning), and was decent enough and clean, though nothing glamorous. The main benefits of it were its location and price. There are other, posher hotels around the corner for twice the price, but out of budget.

I took the underground to the airport, though there is a regular bus service as well. Here’s a tip: If you’re making a short trip in Athens, you can buy a €1.40 ticket which is valid for 45 minutes no matter how many times you change or how far you go, except when the airport is involved. Then, it’s €10.00, as it is to leave the airport and come into town. There are other tickets too, multi trips and daily passes etc., and it’s easy to get them from the machines which are in a variety of languages and come with a charming voice to talk you through the process. The metro is also prompt and clean.

I’d booked a taxi in advance from the airport back to the hotel by using a site called Welcome Pickups. I’ve used them before and will use them again. You swap details and photos with your driver, so he/she knows who to expect, and you know who to look out for – very safe and reassuring, and Vasilis was there five minutes early. Flight landed, Mother collected, into the car and a sensible, comfortable drive followed with sweets and free water included, plus a Welcome to Athens bag and some tips and ideas from our driver for thing to do.

Into hotel, out for a walk, dinner, and a walk back and finally, a night’s sleep where I wasn’t sliding up and down a bunk to the tune of the announcements in the corridor. More to follow.

Share on Facebook

All Aboard

The next few days will probably be taken up with photos of and chat about my recent trip to Athens, but if I hear of any interesting Symi news, I’ll pass that along too. I know the film festival is still running, but as I’ve only been back a day, haven’t had a chance to get to it. We went to Scena on Wednesday night for some mezethes, and very nice they were too, and well priced. Mother is safely housed at the Village Hotel who were kind enough to meet us from the ferry at five in the morning, saving a long, slow trek up a long slow hill in the ark. But, before all that…

Last Friday I went to have my teeth thoroughly cleaned and checked by Vasilis the dentist, or one of our dentists, and then, after a light lunch, came home to pack and be ready for my boat at 20.30. As this was the Friday ferry, it went via Tilos and Nisiros, the other Dodecanese islands and Fourni, which is next to Samos. On this trip, going either way, the boat calls into the ports during the night, making it sometimes a bit noisy, what with the vibrations and the announcements and people getting on and off. It’s always fun to watch the organised mayhem from the stern deck.

I woke around five to find the boat hammering through a swell. There had been a storm, and the sea had been left high and choppy. Lurching from cabin to the deck was a little like being drunk but without the expense, and I spent a good couple of hours out the back watching the waves and spray. I have to say, the Blue Star Patmos is very stable, and there wasn’t too much rocking, only the occasional fling across the passageway and sudden slam of bow into water, though some people were finding it tricky to move around the boat, bouncing from breakfast to barf time, you might say.

Another good thing about this route and ferry company is the free bus that is waiting for you at Piraeus. It saves a long walk to the main gates and the metro, which is where I was heading next. More about that next time.

Share on Facebook

Symi Film Festival 16^th to 20^th September

The Symi Film Festival starts on Monday with a selection of short and feature films from around the world, Greece, South Korea, France, USA, Italy, Jordan, Spain, Germany, Chile and Iran are included, making it truly international.

Films will be presented at the open-air cinema at the sports centre in Horio, all showings start at 20:00 (8 pm), and entrance is free. The sports centre is just up the main road from the bus stop in Horio, you can’t miss it, but there are programmes available in various outlets that also contain a map.

As for me, I’m going to be off for a while from today. Tomorrow night I’m going up to Athens for a few days, arriving back early next Wednesday morning. I have a few things to do before then, so won’t be online tomorrow, but all being well, will be with you again towards the end of next week. Before I go, though, I thought you might like to know that the island is buzzing, everywhere seems lively and full, busy and doing well, as September is a popular month for visitors. It was very busy in the square last night and in the tavernas, which sounds to me like good news for everyone. I’m off now, back soon.

Share on Facebook

Late night or early morning

I managed to get back to my usual routine yesterday, but it’s already gone out of the window. Yesterday: up early, a couple of hours of work before sunrise, out at 6.15 for a walk up the hill (favourite image, a goat in a tree), back down again and full of energy, chopped down some new growth of fig tree at the front of the house. We had the thing poisoned last year as it broke our sterna with its roots, but some new parts are coming back. As I was doing it, a neighbour came out and said he’d just poisoned the leaves, so no need to cut the branches. I’d just done it all, intending to do a proper job after the summer where you drill holes in the branches and put the poison in that way, but he does it by spraying the leaves. Turns out it had also damaged his sterna and the one under the house in front of us, so he will see to the rest of its demise. Good news for us.

After that, I was able to get back to this book I am trying to write. It’s not been an easy one and has been very off-and-on what with heat, visitors, the summer generally and not having a clear idea what the thing is about. I am now three chapters from the end of a very dodgy first draft and need to get it out of my head so I can leave it alone and see it in a clear light, starting again in October. That done, lunch done, piano playing for an hour, some socialising and an early night.

Today: awake at 1.00 a.m. and I didn’t want to be. Mosquitoes, mainly. Sat on balcony to enjoy the hits from the 70s and 80s from the harbour and read the news which becomes every more disturbing day by day, before hitting the keyboard for as long as I can before I go back to sleep on the sofa – if I can, and if the cicada right outside the house will let me. Unlikely I will feel up to my walk later, so there goes my routine, but you never know. So, I’ll be off to start the day now, or finish the night, whichever it is.

Share on Facebook

The weekend continued

The weekend continued, so Monday was a quiet day at home. Say no more.

Share on Facebook