Tilos travel, and books to read
With a thank you to Effrosyni Moschoudi (who told me of this site and who is publishing an interview with me on Monday on her blog http://effrosyniwrites.com/) there is a link below which will take you to a site called Yonndr.com

This is a site where authors can list their books according to the setting of the book. For example, if you use the link you should get to the search result page for Greece, and a list of my five books that are set on Symi. The books don’t have to be factual, they can be novels too. It strikes me that this is a great idea. You’re going on holiday to, where? Let’s say Greece, and you want some inspired reading that’s appropriate to your destination. Simply search and if there are any titles there yet you will find them. Simple. The Greece search result comes up with quite a long list (with mine at the top at the moment) http://yonndr.com/location/greece but you can also just search for ‘Symi’ where you will find, surprise, surprise, my five again. But, as you’ve already read them all, you might want to try the general Greece search and see what else is available.

The photos today were taken the other day. You can see the Blue Star Paros heading in last Wednesday. There was talk of a strike that would affect shipping, but it seems that, on Friday, the boat still came in and was unaffected. I hope it’s the same next Friday or else my trip to Tilos will either be expanded, if I find a way of going early, or shortened, if I can’t go until after any strike (that’s not actually forecast, it’s just me being cautious). Actually, that gives me an idea; I’m just going to look something up…

Okay, let’s assume that you’re on Symi for a long holiday and want to try another island for a quick trip, Tilos in this case. There is a boat from Rhodes to Tilos on Thursday morning, 8.30, the Dodekanisos Pride. And, as you can catch the Panagia Skiedani to Rhodes on Wednesday evening, you could go over then and travel that way. The ‘Spanos’ boats, as they are called locally, tend not to be affected by certain strike actions, so it’s a safer bet if the Blue Star is going to get caught up. You can also come back from Tilos, via Rhodes, on a Thursday and Tuesday, but you will need to stay overnight in Rhodes on either end of the journey. The only direct Symi-Tilos boat is the Friday night one, returning Friday morning of the following week. (The Blue Star.) There may also be other connections from Rhodes that I’ve not searched for.

So, I shall be keeping an eye on the news and, if I have to, will be heading over to Rhodes on Wednesday night ready for an extra day on my writing retreat holiday. But having said that, the strike this week (if it happened) did not affect Symi’s boats at all, so you’ve got no worries there. The Dodekanisos boats are privately run and so should not be affected; don’t let it put you off your planned holiday on Symi. And, before you come, check out http://yonndr.com/ and get some reading organised for during your stay.

Birds on the wire
Wednesday morning was a sad day in the village as many of us attended the funeral for Ged, who died last weekend. It was a stately service in a church filled with friends and family. It was presided over by five of the island’s priests and was a sombre and moving ceremony of the kind the Orthodox church is known for. Goodbyes were said under a hundred lights and candles and amid a thousand tears. However, a celebration of life was also held in the square afterwards with his photos and favourite music allowing us all to reflect and be thankful for, and joyous in, the time we had to share with him in our individual ways.

Thursday dawned with a sense of carrying on as before, as these days-after often do to those not so directly involved. We saw the day boats come in at their usual time, though there has been discussion of strikes by some of the seamen’s unions which may affect our Friday Blue Star. On Wednesday we had the fast, though small-ish, Paros coming in and out with the punctual preciseness of a (mainland) European train. I am hoping, for my own selfish reasons, there is no strike next Friday when I am due to set off to Tilos. Time, and the newspapers, will tell.

While enjoying the sun on our balcony recently we have been admiring some of our feathered neighbours. These include a pair of collared doves that I’ve called Mr and Mrs Patterson. Why? Because I remember we had some white doves when I was little and they were called Mr and Mrs Patterson after, I believe, the people my parents bought them from. I am sure Mother will correct me if that is wrong. Our pair are often together on the telegraph pole right outside the balcony and yesterday I noticed Mr P was doing some kind of mating dance and getting a bit frisky. He was approaching Mrs P (I assume, they do all look very similar), getting closer and closer up the phone cable and bowing as he went. He eventually went for an all out airstrike but was shown the metaphorical door.

We also have this chap, I’m not sure of his name, it could be Martin, or Johnathon (Swift) but I think he’s a swallow still waiting for the right thermals to take him off to southern climes, if that’s where they go. He’s very friendly and sits for ages only a few feet away preening and trying to get his hair in order. He often has bad hair days but sits and chats to us while he is sorting it out.

As you may have noticed, it’s Friday today and that means almost a weekend again. We are out tonight for dinner with some friends, one of whom is leaving soon, after being here a month; how the time flies. I have nothing planned for Saturday, apart from some college work. In my latest assignment, to write two openings and two closing scenes for the same story in a script or screenplay, I was awarded a 17 out of 20, which was rather thrilling. Neil has just sent off his first IGCE assignment and had his feedback and score within a few days. I was alerted to this early on Thursday morning by a ‘When Harry Met Sally’ type scenario from the other room; ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ And thrice yes! He got 95 out or 100, which is brilliant.

And now it’s on to his round two and my assignment seven, and I have only a few more weeks in which to complete four more, and the last part is to write a 15-minute film script (or play). Not something I usually do, but it’s going to be well-worth getting my head around.

Diary dates
Two pieces of news for you today; two dates for your diary.

First of all, next Monday, there will be an interview published at Effrosyni Writes, a literary blog and site by an author who you’ve met on these pages before. The interview is with me, by the way, and I expect I will put up a link to it on Monday to remind you.

And secondly, on June 8^th a couple of ladies from the British Consulate in Rhodes are coming over to Symi. They are interested to chat with local British residents to discover their experiences of living on Symi, and also to explain what the consulate does. They will be holding what I’d describe as an informal drop-in on June 8^th at The Olive Tree in Horio, and everyone is welcome to come and meet them and have a chat over coffee between 19:00 and 20:30 on that evening. Here’s the message:

“Having considered what you said, Rania and I have decided to visit Symi on the afternoon ferry which will hopefully facilitate a more convenient time for people who are working during the day.  We have chosen to come over a little earlier i.e. Wednesday, 8^th June, and thought of asking people to come to meet us at the Olive Tree for drink/coffee at 19.00 – 20.30.  Do you think this will suit?  We would like to meet as many residents as possible, explain to them the assistance we provide to British Nationals and answer any questions they may have.”

There; those are my two pieces of parish news for this morning. Short but sweet, a bit like me actually.

Randomn Symi Photos
This is one of those days when I stare at a blank piece of virtual, paper and have no idea what to write on the blog for tomorrow, Wednesday. So, instead of forcing out some garbled nothingness, like usual, I’ll find a few recent photos from my file, select them at random and see what comes out.

Sponges were a big part of Symi history until the trade died out, along with many over-fished sponges in the early 20^th century. Up until recently there were still some sponge divers still living on the island, but many of the men who risked life and ‘the bends’ for work have long since passed on; there may be still some living on the island. The man here works for Dinos in his sponge shop and still cleans the sponges in the traditional way at the water’s edge. You can often see him in the mornings by the bridge in Yialos.

Here I am living out the title of one of my Symi books, ‘Carry on up the Kali Strata‘ on one of those days when it was too warm to wear a jumper to walk in the sun, but to cool not to be seen without one. Cool as in temperature, not as in ‘cool to be seen in,’ I don’t think I’ve ever looked cool in that sense of the word.

Romney Marsh or Symi, both places are dear to my heart but these are clearly not Romney sheep. But Symi in the spring can look like a British summer, in certain places.

Two years ago, and for some of last year, we were up early and walking up to this monastery tucked away in a crease of the hill overlooking the Pedi valley. It’s not been part of our routine this year mainly due to working hours, weather and uninsured knees (my excuse). But when the mood strikes I shall be off there again. It’s a good part of my writing day, when I have them, to take an hour’s walk to clear the head. Apparently Stephen King walks for four miles a day for the same reason. But then he can afford to.

And finally: love it or hated it, the train is here to stay, for the foreseeable future. I don’t mind it; tourists love it, it gives at least one family an income and it takes day-trippers to a part of the island they wouldn’t normally have time to see. This not only shows them some businesses they might not otherwise discover, it may also give them an incentive to come back and spend more time on the island. ‘It’s not very Symi, is it?’ some have said, and maybe they are right. But it’s a job, an attraction for many, and it’s fun.

There. Maybe I will be more inspired of a blog post tomorrow. Meanwhile, I must get out and take some more photos.

Symi Animal Welfare update news today. Here’s the email I received:

Suzan is working on Crete at the moment but has asked that I forward this …

INFORMATION for both residents & visitors

The new tourist season has finally arrived which means that most of us are working or certainly committed to one thing or another for the next 5 months.

The care of our island’s animals isn’t simply a seasonal responsibility however, with limited time & manpower, may we offer you some useful information –

There is now a pet-shop on Symi, located at the bottom of the Kali Strata.

Michaeli has built up a small stock of animal accessories and will order general medications such as flea & worming treatments upon request.

Panayiotis visits the island once a month, for consultations & examinations only when a small charge is made.  Unfortunately, he is unable to neuter animals or perform surgical procedures as he’s only here for one day, but the fact that we have a regular vet-visit is indeed great progress.

Symi Animal Welfare continue the arrangement with 2 vets on Rhodes; carers can take a cat across to the surgery on Rhodes; as long as the appointment is arranged through Suzan, the cost of neutering will be covered by Symi Animal Welfare but not ferry/taxi fares or personal expenses.  Suzan’s number  – 6981356421

Just a short blog, but I hope you agree, an important and useful one.