Upright photos today, from the old collection, so probably taken in the winter. The Kali Strata and one shot that was definitely taken last November, because I remember the walk we were on with the boys. Hopefully, these will set you up for the day. I have a day of editing ahead, interrupted later this morning by a quick ‘pop’ to Yialos to collect a couple of things from ACS. This afternoon, I think, if I can, I will continue editing, because I would like to have it all done before Monday, when I can start on something else.

Over the weekend, I plan to set up all of next week’s blog posts, so they are scheduled in advance. This will save my first thought of the day being, ‘What shall I put on the bleedin’ thing today?’ Actually, that’s usually my second after, what time is it? If I can only see street lighting, I know it’s before a certain time, but am not sure what that time is, if it’s daylight, I know I’ve slept in. I’m used to getting up in the dark, but recently, I’ve been up after the sun, which is a) unusual, and b) very unusual. Still, at least I’m waking up, and that’s always a good start.

Thanks for the nice comments about the new look of these pages, btw. The blog runs inside a template, but the old one ended up not being quite as compatible with the updates to WordPress, and there wasn’t a template update ready, and… Well, boring mildly techy stuff, so don’t worry. Just have a nice day.

So, onto the editing and final checks of the latest instalment of my series (which you can find here if you are interested).

Share on Facebook

It looks like I’m having a quiet week this week. Highlights might include collecting Sam’s name day present from the courier and having a final read of my next mystery, which should be back from checking today. Friday is the day the Virgin Mary’s body and soul were taken to heaven, so it’s a public holiday. I imagine everything will be open as norma,l apart from banks, town halls, and other similar places. Tourist shops, bars and cafes will be running as normal, and there will be plenty of celebrating taking place.

Looks like some people are early for the party…

This was the collection of local and rented mopeds all jockeying for a parking space near to where their owners work, live or are staying. I reckon that’s the largest number I’ve seen in one place at one time. They’re taking over the streets just as sunbeds are taking over the beaches. Apparently, if you want one of those luxuries down in Pedi (on the left) these days, you’d better get there early.

If, however, you live right up at the top of the village and think you’ve escaped the mopeds, think again. More and more alleyways are being made accessible by concrete ramps, or even wood and metal ones like we have next to us. That’s there (temporarily, I hope) for some building work, and it’s been there (temporarily) for about six months now. Not only does it look terrible, but it also rumbles and rattles when people use it to get an extra few yards closer to home, and it’s got metal bars across it, making it dodgy to walk on.

Anyway, here’s the view the other morning. Busying up, as you can see.

I’m off to do my other blog now, then to pay the water bill (joy), then to potter and mumble in that absentminded way people do when they know they should be doing something but can’t remember what. Ah, yes, writing my short story for next week’s blog posts. I’ll do that next.

Share on Facebook

Just some oddments today. I am working on something for next week, which is taking all of my attention today, so I am being brief. What I have in store will take me another day or so to get right, and over the weekend, I will schedule it all to happen while I am asleep, so when next week starts, I won’t have to do any thinking or typing first thing like this; it will all happen by its own magic. What am I talking about? You will have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, here is the menu from the Criterion in Piccadilly Circus from 1893. Why? I have no idea why it was in my Symi pics folder, but when I saw it, I thought it was time to give it an airing so it could be deleted.

More appropriate, perhaps, is this image of the main road out of the village.

Or this one, which I think Neil must have taken down in Pedi.

Now, on to the rest of the day. This will entail making a cup of tea, reading what I wrote yesterday, adding some more to next week’s great work (as you will eventually see), while waiting for my next book proof to come back from the proofreader, playing ‘Sherlock’ on my tablet at some point, making lunch, chilling, maybe some reading this afternoon and no doubt a film tonight. How thrillingly filled are my days?

Share on Facebook

Yes, this old chestnut again – and yes, we do do chestnuts in the winter, if you can get them. I know it’s August, and 35° out there, you’re keen to be at the beach, or on the patio with a G&T under the parasol, but it’s only 7.00 and it’s cloudy, so you’re making do with this.

What do you do in the winter is one of the most asked questions around these parts, and it’s mostly asked by first time visitors. After a couple of visits, people realise they’ve asked the clichés and start looking for something more intelligent and deeper to ask, for example: What’s the weather like in the winter? Some rephrase it to sound knowledgeable: I suppose it’s quite warm in the winter? You suppose wrong, Sir. Come in February when it’s 5° inside the house if you venture further than three feet from the heater, where many can’t afford to run the aircon on warm, or more than one two-bar fire, where not everyone has a wood burner, carpets or gas central heating, and where you might end up sitting on an electric blanket, under another one, with your gloves on, watching John Mills in ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ and thinking he had it easy. No, what we do in the winter is a variety of things, and here are a few:

These are all indoor things, obviously. There are outdoor winter sports to enjoy too, such as making your way home against the flooded lanes as the rain pours, and the lightning knocks out your router for a few days. There’s the game of ‘Hunt for Fresh’ in the supermarkets when the boats are delayed or not running, and there’s the constant round of Hunt the Bucket to play when the roof leaks. Oh, and we also kneel on sofas, taking photos of music stands for no discernible reason.

Share on Facebook

I started out putting together next year’s Symi Dream Calendar and ended up with a new-look website. Ah, well, that’s how Thursdays go, I suppose. This was all before nipping downtown, paying my insurance bill (which involved a walk around to the bank where the air conditioning is perfect for dying off after a walk around to the bank), then some shopping, then lunch at Trata followed by a swift one at Pavlis before being whisked home in a taxi. Luxurious. Still, the new-look site is challenging me to make it look better, which I will do bit by bit, what with the images not being the right size in the left column, which I really want on the right, but I don’t know how to do that as it’s not a plug-and-play feature, but needs coding, and onwards…

The reason I changed the template was because the old one wouldn’t allow me to put anything new in the widget area – that’s the column on the left in this case. I wanted to place the Symi Dream Calendar 2026 at the top, but was unable, and the only way was to use a more modern template. So, that’s what’s at the top now, only it’s a bit skewwhiff and I need to fiddle with the proportions of the image. If it looks fine to you, then I’ve managed to do that. If not, then I’ve not but hopefully will in time. Anyway…

I have great admiration for the taxi drivers on Symi, especially when they get the short straw and have to leave Yialos just as a Sebeco has come in and another is about to leave, and at the same time, the Panagia has docked. We’ve had, for a long time, the congestion at the bus stop, where tour guides gather their gangs just as the bus is pulling in or out, and the boat has unloaded into the road. That’s one thing. Now, though, at certain times, you have to contend with hordes of people walking around from Petalo, which means passing them in their lines, tramping like refugees glad to have hit dry land, on the narrowest part of the road, while dealing with oncoming traffic, waving to your mates, talking about the weather and trying not to fall in the sea. I reckon it’s high time that stretch of road was widened somehow. I only know of a couple of cases where someone’s car has gone into the sea, but it does happen and now with three unloads around near Petalo a day from Rhodes, it’s only going to get more dangerous. There may not be the same numbers as clamber off other day boats, but their path into Yialos is not a welcoming one.

And so off into the weekend, where I have a website to fiddle with and a new story to think about. Bye’all. PS. The Symi Dream Calendar is only available from this link. Not from us, Harrods, Fortnum’s, Galeries Lafayette? Nope, only from that link.

Share on Facebook