Symi Saturday photos
A few more photos from better weather days for you today as we head off into what looks like it’s going to be a wet weekend. But, if you are reading this on Symi and want something to do on Sunday, then the Amateur Dramatics Society of Symi are giving a show at the Cultural Centre on Sunday the 12th March at 6.30 p.m. and the entrance is free.
Sunday at 18:30 at the Cultural Centre in Yialos
I’m biding my time until the rain stops and I can head down to Yialos and investigate the arrivals at the courier, and to check the post office and buy more food for the cat. (Must also order biscuits for the strays, and some more cat litter so Jack has something to throw around the porch with wild abandon.) Meanwhile, here are some photos to give you something to look at. If you want to add another, more occasional blog, from me to your list of favourites, then take a look at my new site – which is still ‘under development’ but working – at ‘Writing Thoughts‘ and, if you’re up for it, give it a like and share around your social media.
A few day’s worth of shopping fresh from the green grocerAfter the rain (if it ever stops)Last weekend’s viewUp in the hillsThe sign says ‘no photos’, so I guess this is the guard on dutyAt the turkey farm – is it a turkey? I don’t know.Carved paving stones outside the church of Ag Stavros, Horio
Rain and shopping
Ain’t nothing going on but the rain, as the song didn’t say. Actually, there’s probably lots going on out there, but it’s a case of rain stopped play today. It also looks like we are in for more of the same over the next few days, so apart from a quick trip to collect a package that’s arrived, I think I’m staying in.
Classic Symi view
What could that package be? A new set of towels I ordered a while ago, a new Irish passport for Neil? Some lights for the courtyard for the summer, or the new trunk/chest of drawers for the bedroom? You may wonder why I don’t go to Rhodes and find these things. Apart from the fact that you can’t pick up a passport in Rhodes, there are other factors which mean shopping online is easier, and cheaper. No disrespect to Rhodes or its shopping, and none aimed at Symi come to that, as there are some very fine shops here, but not a lot of choice. It’s more to do with getting there, getting around once there, and the expense of being there. I’m also much more into shopping online from the comfort of my own sofa while ignoring the television and searching out ‘must have’ deals from Amazon and eBay. Oh, I am also waiting for a book, but that won’t have come by courier and the phone call this morning was from the bookshop. Just where you would expect your delivery to come to. The bookshop by St John’s Church in Yialos is one of the courier collection points, there are a few others, and some will deliver to your house.
One of the tunnels in Horio, built to support houses on either side, and sometimes above.
But with the wind gusting in from time to time, the rain coming and going, and never knowing how long it is going to be dry for, staying in and watching the weather from the inside out is my preferred option for this morning. Except I really want to see what has arrived down town. While I am making up my mind, I am writing this up ready for posting and keeping one eye on the sea below and the sky above. Both rather grey, but the wind seems to be dying down.
The keeper of the tunnels
I am glad we didn’t put the cat through a 14-hour ordeal on Wednesday when we decided to stay at home and not risk the journey. It was a very wet day too, and it rained all day in Rhodes, I am told. The boat came and went despite the weather and came back as well; the Blue Star Patmos is pretty reliable. Very reliable actually, and very quick, but it would have meant a long time in Rhodes with a cat in a box and nowhere to go apart from the hotel bars and restaurants. An additional expense to the travelling and shopping.
Enjoying the sun last weekend
So, I will post this and then do a literal rain check and see how the land lies. Well, I know how it lies; downhill from here, but uphill from there, and I don’t fancy tackling the Kali Strata when it’s raining as the water teams down up to, and over, your wellington boots at times. A good excuse to be lazy – if I can resist temptation and wait another day to see what has arrived at the bookshop.
Looking out at a troubled sea, with the rain passing endlessly overhead, the wind battering the roof in gusts and even the coastguard boat safely harboured, it’s hard to imagine that only two days ago I was walking through the Pedi Valley in a t-shirt. I did draw the line at shorts but was fair sweating on my return home. So, today’s photos are from that walk. As you can see; flowers, trees in blossom, sheep nervously guarding their lambs and plenty of greenery.
how green is your (Pedi) valley?
Symi in spring (are we there yet?) is usually a green place as the winter rains come before, during and apparently after, the bouts of sunshine. At times it’s like walking through an English country scene, with sparrows and blackbirds in the trees and the occasional raven overhead. You do have to keep an eye on your feet to make sure you don’t twist an ankle on the rockier parts, but if you take time to stand and stare, you will be rewarded with some wonderfully rural views.
Spring colours
Travel Blogs
On another note, closer to home, I have submitted a blog article to a new set-up; a site that requests work from freelancers. I’ve done these things before and usually end up frustrated. There are reasons for this. Mainly, these sites are set up to ‘word farm’ and get clicks from readers who may then click on through their advertising. A lot of what I read on the site was formulaic, and I don’t think my style is going to suit them. I’m more in favour of pointing out the quirks and odd things, the problems (in a nice way) about destinations than I am of using the tried and tested info, opinion, ‘it was a lovely day out’ style of ‘what I did on my holidays.’ A bit more Bill Bryson and a bit less schmoozing, I say. Whether they will like it or not, is up to them. We will wait and see.
Puddles are still there from rain several days ago
But the point of that was to mention to anyone who is interested in trying it, that it is possible to get involved even if you’ve not blogged before. You just need a decent command of English and, let’s face it, I am sure yours is better than mine, and a personal slant about a visit or travel experience. Then, after signing up and starting your own blog (so the hiring sites have something to check out) you read all the training (and it’s nicely presented) and then make a start. There are a few small hoops to jump through and some knowledge of WordPress would be useful, but it’s not vital as they teach you, but I started the process on Saturday, and here I am less than a week later with an article submitted to a site who will pay me if it is accepted. If you are interested in seeing what I did, you can check out Writers Academy. You log in via Facebook (or you set up your own login and don’t have to have the Facebook connection) and see what’s on offer. There are step by step instructions. And you can always email me if you need a hand in following the process.
The path between two stone walls
A good way to start is to click here. That will show you one of the travel blogs looking for articles and lead you on into the Academy’s process. There are also jobs for Tech Writing and Sports Writing. It may be of interest it may not, but I thought I would mention it as I wait for this storm to pass.
Quick blog today
I opted for the slightly lazy approach to taking photos of the parade yesterday, the March 7th parade. Actually, it wasn’t being lazy as I was still working at midday when the parade started, and I’d been at the desk since six, trying to finish off some articles for a travel blog site. I managed to get everything done in the end, even down to their finickity formatting rules, only to find the piece rejected as there were no H2 Headings – and yet there was no place on their system where I could insert them; they had missing icons. I’ve contacted them so expect I will have to redo the whole thing tomorrow. If they still reject it, I will share it with you instead. It was about Romania, but who cares?
March 7th parade
The cat is fine, thank you for your enquiries. We are probably not taking him to Rhodes on Wednesday after all as the wind is forecast to be gale force eight (in gusts, and there is heavy rain on its way). Friday looks similarly wet, but maybe not as windy. We’ll keep an eye on him during the meantime and maybe take him over if things get worse – with the cat I mean, not the weather. You don’t want to be on any boat out there in a force eight, let alone with a heavy cat attached to your arm. In all probability, the wind won’t be as bad as forecast, but it’s still not worth getting stuck in Rhodes for two nights with a cat in a box.
March 7th parade
It’s clouding over now, as I write, following a few days of brilliant sun and great walking weather. I managed a three-mile stroll through the Pedi valley the other day, which I will write about in more detail another time as there are some photos to sort first. I went out to see if I could see any interesting birds. I only saw a blackbird and lots of chickens. I don’t think the migrating groups have arrived yet, perhaps there will be something more interesting in a few weeks. But then again, what do I now about birds? Not a lot.
March 7th parade
So, it’s now six and a half hours since I sat down to work and I’ve had enough of it. I am going to see what Neil has rustled up in the kitchen while listening to Evanescence, and then chill out this afternoon with some trash TV, and a good book for when the adverts come on.
All around my cat
I will wear the green ribbon and all around my… And so on. A vague reference there to a Steeleye Span song from 1975 which has nothing to do with today’s blog or its pictures – which, themselves, have nothing to do with the update on the cat.
On a walk in the hills
There was a visiting vet from Rhodes on the island on Sunday, a regularly, monthly visit, when he is able to. So, we got Jack into his box with only a little bit of fuss and carried him down to the pet shop. He was third in the queue but didn’t have to wait long and was vaguely interested in what was going on, though he made a lot of noise about it. The vet gave him a quick check, as detailed as possible considering, and we’ve come to a plan of action about his ears. They are not cancerous yet, but what he has could lead to it and so, here’s the plan: We will take him over to Rhodes, and the vet’s father will pick us up from the Plaza, or wherever, when we are there. He will take us to the surgery at Kremasti, as he kindly did before, and the vet will give Jack a proper check. He will need a course of injections for 14 days to clear up his missing fur issue. Plus, he will need something special for his ears, some cream to go inside and some to go on his damaged ears (not looking forward to doing that), we may also have to give him antibiotics and put one of those collars around his neck so he can’t scratch at his black bits. Also not looking forward to that and I doubt the cat is going to have it, like it or put up with it at all. The vet’s father will then drive us back to wherever – all part of the service. He also offered the service of: we put the cat on the boat, he collects him in Rhodes and sends him back on the boat later that day. But, tempting though that is for us, it doesn’t seem very fair on Jack, who hates travelling at the best of times.
A mysterious ruin overlooking Yialos
So, the visit done and dusted, for now, we (mainly Neil) carried him in his box back up the kali strata where Jack decided to show his contempt by giving us some extra, rather smelly, weight to carry. We tried to avoid passing anyone in case they thought we had something to do with that, and threw away his travel towel from the box when we got home, deposit included. He wasn’t too upset by that short time in his cage, which is the biggest box we can find without using one suitable for an Alsatian, and settled down for the rest of the day.
Horio view
Now we have the standard, Symi in winter, issue to consider. The best boat to get is on Wednesday when we can go to Rhodes and back in one day, and where the cat will only have to be in the box for 14 hours. If we went on Friday, it would be about the same and we wouldn’t have to get up and pack him up at 4.30 in the morning for the 5.30 boat as the Friday one is later, so that’s option number two. But, the weather looks foul for Wednesday with force six winds (not a problem) but with rain and storms. We don’t want to be carrying Mr Six-Kilos around in the rain, but the forecast often changes. So, we will decide at 4.00 on Wednesday morning if we are going to go on that day or try again on Friday. It’s not an urgent case, and we could have gone on Sunday night as the vet was more than happy to take him overnight, but we would then have had to stay until Wednesday evening. So… boats and cats, don’t mix much in the winter. But at least, after two weeks of collar, injections, creams and attention, he might be a bit healthier. As for us? Well, ordering some iron foundry gloves and a ‘hazmat’ suit might be in order.
