Bit chilly

By ’eck ma, it’s parky! A line from a Victoria Wood sketch I saw years ago – she was poking fun at Emmerdale, or Emmerdale Farm as us oldies still call it. I only mention it because it’s a bit parky up here today (Tuesday), even though the thermometer in the porch reds 12 degrees it feels colder. The thunderstorm and winds came and went overnight, and I hope there’s been no further damage anywhere. I’ve not heard of anything. It wasn’t that bad a storm, not compared to this time last week.

The photos I took of the cleaning up are now out of date, but one of us should be going to Yialos sometime soon so will have another look around for you. So, I’ll put a few more here but bear in mind they were taken last Friday, and I am sure things have moved on a pace or three since then.

As regular readers will know, I don’t get out an about much in the winter, so my images tend to be random and sometimes very out of date, but at least it’s something to look at over your morning coffee, tea, or gin and tonic, depending on who you are. I have picked up on the news that the fundraising for the repairs to schools, and other projects, is doing very well. I have made a few book sales to help in my own small way, and the other organisations, such as Solidarity Symi, have done well. Click back through older posts, over the last week if you’ve not caught up on how you can help the island rebuild, and check out the links. I have also heard that the government will be putting aside some money to help flood and storm-damaged communities; there are several around Greece at the moment.

I can’t even tell you what the view is like today because all the shutters are closed, and unless I go up on the roof, I can’t actually see anything apart from my PC screen and the bookshelf opposite me. Maybe I will venture out later. Oh, actually, just remembered: We are going to visit Jenine and the boys tonight, so that might yield some shots of something and some more news.

Share on Facebook

A weekend with a bang

Before you get excited or wonder where this is heading – it was a lightning bang, a thunderbolt I guess, hitting the island somewhere within two feet of me. That’s what it felt like at any rate. The photos today don’t go with the story, but the story goes like this…

A Sunday afternoon/evening drink at the Rainbow bar was on the cards, so we shuffled off down there to meet Miss DJ late in the afternoon. Next door at Lefteris’, a rock concert was taking place as Steve and later Georgos did their things with electric guitars and the like. The volume was just right, sitting next door, where we could hear the singing and the music, and yet still hear ourselves – and the basketball on one TV and the football on the other, and then the Travel Channel and Animal Planet when there were breaks in sports. The Rainbow is a bit of a multiplex with its two televisions.

We chatted, and Miss DJ left. We were going to leave too, but another glass arrived along with several village guys coming to watch the football, AEK Vs Panathinaikos, playing in the Greek Superleague on Sunday night. The atmosphere is the thing at these times. The youngsters who are part of the Symi football team, their dads, younger guys and old all gathered together to look at their phones and occasionally look up to the screen when something is about to happen. Rodrigo Moledo scored after 10 minutes (for the opposition – Rainbow is an AEK bar) and halftime came and went. But not before everyone leapt out of their seats as the thunderbolt struck somewhere close by.

Blackout, rain, what the…? One by one, phone torches and others came on, some people went to take a look outside, and the whole village was out, streetlights and all. Ah well, better stay for another glass then. The power was back on in a few minutes, but the score hadn’t changed. We headed home before act two started, but I noticed that it was a draw, in the end, Marko Livaja scored in extra time (impressed? I copied that from a website) and the game ended up one-all. The rain and thunder continued through the night, but not as heavily as last week. It grumbled on until the morning and now, 9.50 yesterday as you read this, it’s a case of showers and sunshine.

The other bang has been the fundraising for the Symi charities who are collecting donations to put the island back together – see previous posts down the page or on the next page back for links and info. Also, on a more personal note, ‘Symi, Stuff & Nonsense’ has launched with a bang. Thank you to everyone who has so far ordered a print copy or a Kindle, all contributing towards the high school here on Symi. I hope you like the book, and if you do, remember to share the news and maybe order copies for friends and family for Christmas.

Share on Facebook

Cleaning up

Sunday morning. The sun is trying to come up, and the view is lightening (6.30 a.m.). So far I can see heavy clouds, we’ve had a little rain and some distant thunder, but we are expecting more over the next two days. Hopefully, it will only be enough to wash away the mud and won’t hamper the clean-up operation, or lead to any more mudslides or rockfalls. Today, I wanted to put up some photos so you can see the difference between last week (which is shown in Saturday’s post’s photos) and Friday when I was last in Yialos.

Before I do that, this is just a re-mention of the fact that I’ll be using proceeds from my Symi books (see the links in the righthand column >>) to help replace books and things at the village high school. Scroll down for other posts about other fundraising that you can help with, and check out the link to the fourth and latest ‘Symi’ book (it covers other places as well) which you can find here: Symi, Stuff & Nonsense. That’s the Kindle link, but the paperback version should also show up there in a couple of days if it’s not there already.

Here are some photos from Friday so you can see what a wonderful job everyone has been doing in Yialos.

Share on Facebook

Symi Disaster: Photos from Rodos Press

For the weekend, I am posting photos taken from Rodos Press. You can see their full gallery here: RodosPress.gr

As you can see… A lot of damage. In some cases, it’s hard to believe that no-one was buried by the mud and rock slide, and that no-one was washed into the sea, though it was thought for a while that someone had been. No casualties. Apart from: Wrecked businesses, wrecked schools, roads, paths, street lighting, boats, houses, possessions, beaches, churches and the football pitch, among many other things. You will see that that the pitch is now completely gone. Apparently, it cost something like €250,000 to build, and it’s going to take the same amount to put it right, I’d imagine. If it ever gets put right. Meanwhile, our rising football teams who were doing so well, have nowhere to play.

That’s just a few examples of what islanders are struggling with. Later will come the longer-term effects on buildings; damp, water penetration, drying out, cracking, replacing electricity systems and drainage, among others. There is also talk that some buildings will have to come down and be rebuilt, as they are no longer safe. We also mustn’t forget the hinterland and the effects of the storm on Pedi, Nimborio, Ksisos and other places, and the farms and homes up in the mountains. With the road closed by rockfalls for a few days, some people were unable to make it down to the town for supplies, or up to their farms to see to their animals, not without walking several miles over the hills.

I will leave you to look through the rest of these borrowed images (with thanks to Rodos Press) and the others over there on their site. Remember, that there are ways you can help from abroad – financial. Through the registered charities Solidarity Symi and Next Stop Symi (who are helping UK donators by channels donations through to Solidarity Symi), the Repair Symi’s Schools donation page. As I’ve mentioned, a percentage of books sales from my Symi titles will be going directly to the village high school for replacements books.

Share on Facebook

Storm Update: Helping

As further storm hit Greece (as you’ve probably seen on the news – terrible) and there is talk of more to come, Symi continues to say, ‘Well, that was that now let’s deal with this. We didn’t lose anyone, and our neighbours and families need us. So, let’s get on with it.’

The emergency services, town hall, local community… Everyone is doing a great job clearing up the mess, that’s mainly in the harbour. There was also damage up in Horio, with at least one house suffering severe damage. The town hall keeps us up to date with what roads are open/closed and other news through the announcement system, Facebook fills us in with photos, and the general message services between individuals keep friends informed about where help is needed and what the rest of us can do. If you are not on Symi, you can still contribute.

Here are three ways you can help from a distance.

Solidarity Symi

Collecting money through the registered charity. Money and other donations will be passed out, by them, to where it is needed most. Check their website for how you can donate.

http://solidaritysymi.org/

 Next Stop Symi

A charity that works with Solidarity Symi to bring aid to refugees and others in need in the Dodecanes, including Symi. Next Stop Symi sent me a message:

“Next Stop Symi has agreed to accept donations on behalf of Solidarity Symi. For UK people it means we can get an extra 25% from the UK government.”

Their site is here: http://www.nextstopsymi.org/

But if you want to donate via the UK use this link: https://www.mydonate.bt.com/charities/nextstopsymi

Anna Panton has started a fundraising campaign specifically for the Symi schools. The nursery school in Yialos was particularly badly hit, and everything inside was ruined. Money from this campaign will assist all schools on the island.

Here is the website with more information: https://www.gofundme.com/storm-repair-for-symi-schools

I’ll share more news as I hear it.

On a personal level, I am donating a percentage of my Symi book sales to the village high school. The new ‘Symi, Stuff and Nonsense’ is now available on Kindle here. The print version should be available in the next couple of days. Donations will also be made from any sales of ‘Symi 85600’, ‘Carry On up the Kali Strata’ and ‘Village View’ which you can find linked from my author page here.

Symi Dream Facebook page for photos: https://www.facebook.com/SymiDream/

Share on Facebook