End of May

Having chatted yesterday about eating with friends, we did exactly that on Tuesday evening, down at Meraklis in Yialos. It had been a warm day and rain was forecast. We ended up with a thunderstorm passing over the island, but not a major one. This meant, of course, that we were ‘trapped’ in the taverna, under the awning, moving tables out of the drips but carrying on regardless like the dinner party in ‘Carry On Up The Khyber.’ Needless to say, dinner was fabulous and a very reasonable price. We were also in time for the bus which is now running until ten pm.

Tuesday was a damp evening, you could even say wet, but Wednesday dawned fresher for the storm, and the plants were watered. I know it sounds odd, but it doesn’t feel like the end of May. It still feels to me as if we should be at the end of June, not because of the weather but because, I reckon, Easter was early, and it feels like the season has been going on for some time. I am sure business owners wouldn’t agree with me, and they are still waiting for larger numbers of visitors to arrive, it’s just a ‘me’ thing.

As I am running out of things to say, I’m going to go back to my old photos folder and see what’s hanging around in there, to add a few more pics at random, just to fill the pages. (Taken in February.) Enjoy the end of May (oh, if only I was refereeing to a certain out-of-her-depth politician and her cronies), and I will see you in June. Oh, that’s tomorrow. So, I’ll see you tomorrow.

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Eating

It’s getting to that time of year now when friends are returning to Symi for their holidays or extended stays. You see, you may come to Symi not knowing anyone, but you always leave with a heap of new friends. For us living here, this can be a very indulgent time of year. For example, on Monday night we were invited to our neighbours’ house for dinner, and what a wonderful time that was. A pebbled courtyard, an old house still with its original wall decoration and painted ceiling, a view of the harbour at the front and the walled courtyard at the back, the table set with candles and wonderful food. Fabulous evening, thank you – you know who you are.

Then, yesterday, we were invited to meet other friends and go to dinner in Yialos. On Sunday, we’re having brunch in Nimborio, and there are three other engagements in the diary for when I get back from Athens. And that’s just us. You also see old friends meeting up at the bars, and that’s visitors and their Greek friends, people of all nationalities.

The downside, if there can be one, is that you have to keep a check on what you’re eating and drinking, and I am talking in terms of quantity here. Forget diets, especially when you have a cheeseboard the likes of which you’ve never seen before, or when the taverna menu is set down before you. Talking of diets, Symi caters for everyone, from gluten-free to anything goes, you’re going to find somewhere to eat, and it’s not just typical Greek food or pizzas.

Anyway, that’s made me hungry, and there’s still two hours to go until my next feed. I’m going to chew some paper or something to keep me going.

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Blue Star 2

Yesterday we had the Blue Star 2 call in. Last week it was the Blue Star 1. I’ve not travelled on either boat, but I hear they are comfortable and fast. The number 2 was a bit late coming in, but the service recently has been much more reliable than it used to be when we had an older boat linking Symi to Athens and Rhodes, and various stops in between. With his new route, you can no travel directly to Santorini from Symi, and vice versa, should you want to try a two-centre holiday on the most beautiful island in Greece (and Santorini).

The weather has warmed up, and I now sit at my desk with my windows open to cool me down, and it’s not even June yet. This does mean that I am treated to the smell of neighbourhood cooking (it was omelettes yesterday) which is a bit mouth-watering at seven in the morning. Its quite common for meals to be prepared early in the day and set aside for later, as I’ve often smelt moussaka and stifado on the go by seven a.m. As I am usually up at 5.30 and don’t have breakfast until nine, it can be a pleasurable pain to be treated to all these wonderful smells while my tummy is rumbling.

Today’s photos are of the Blue Star 2, to give you an idea of its size, and there’s one of some of the yachts which are now beginning to return to Symi. We’ll see more of them over the next few months, I hope, as things heat up and get busier. The day trip boats are bringing loads of people, mainly for Yialos as few day visitors manage to make it up to the village despite the new signs, so the season is now well and truly underway.

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Symi News

Starting the week with some news items (thank you to Jean for bringing them to my attention).

New Laundry.
Miltos has opened a new Laundrette on the site of the old public toilets in the very narrow street at the side of Sarantis Stationery Shop. The Laundrette is open from 8.00 a.m. until 9.00 p.m. (Sarantis’ shop is in the lane parallel to the harbour front where you find St John’s church, Meraklis taverna etc.)

The new quay
The Captain of the Blue Star “Patmos” wants to start using the new quay, but we’re not sure exactly when this will happen. I understand that it will happen sometime next month, so when buying tickets for the Blue Star double check where it’s going to dock. This would explain why there is a hive of activity to get the Petalo Restaurant & Bar open quickly.

New cake shop
Also, a local girl from the village, Irene Zanni, has been training to be a pastry chef in Rhodes and has now come home to Symi and rented the old bakery with the wood-fired oven. That’s in the corner next door to Artemis Boutique (in the same street as Symi Flower & Hatzipetros supermarket). She is hoping to open her cake shop next month.

Thanks again to Jean for those useful pieces of info. If anyone else has any new, just drop me a line and let me know.

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Symi Saturday Photos – Yialos

It’s been a productive week up here at the desk. I’ve booked my tickets to Athens on 8^th June and found and booked a place to stay in the centre of town. I’ve also arranged my travel for a visit to London in July. I’m taking the chance to see an old school friend for the first time in 37 years. He now lives in New Zealand but is in England for a couple of weeks, and this could be our only opportunity. I’ve also booked into a hotel in my hometown down on the marsh and am arranging to meet some other old mates, see my brother and nephew. On top of that, I’ve begun arrangements for a pension scheme I can now make use of, finished a novel (pen name), kept the courtyard plants alive another week and had a day off – which I’m now regretting as the next day had to be a day off as well. So, all in all, a few achievements, and now here are some photos from Thursday in Yialos. Have a good weekend.

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