Two things on today’s parish notices. Firstly, I’ve noticed a fair few people asking which boat ends up where so here’s a very quick and rough guide as things stand right now.

Coming from Rhodes to Symi by the Blue Star ferries, or the ANEK on a Monday, or the SAOS Stavros, or the Panagia Skiadeni (Dodecanese Seaways)? You will end up at what’s being called the ‘new commercial port of Symi’, even though it’s not that new anymore. It’s a walk around to the bus stop and taxis and not easy with luggage due to narrow roads. Make pick-up arrangements in advance if you can.

Coming from Rhodes to Symi on either of the Sebeco (ANES) boats and you’ll end up right by the bus stop on the south side of the harbour, and not far from taxis.

Coming from Rhodes to Symi on the Dodecanese Seaways Pride or Express, the King Saron Sea Dreams and/or most day-trip boats, and you will end up on the north side by the Clock tower, with a walk around the harbour to the bus and taxis.

No, I can’t book a taxi for you.

The second thing. No matter where you end up, you must go and have brunch at Pavone at some point. It’s up the steps by the police station (Clock Tower), and the courtyard is then straight ahead. We were taken there yesterday, and it was as fabulous as the time before. (More photos another time.)

As in, this will be a quick post to start the week, because it was the general anniversary and Neil’s birthday day yesterday, and this morning, we are meeting people at 11.00 to have brunch at Pavone, and it’s already half seven and I’ve not even started work yet.  Lots to catch up on during this week, and a glance back over my photos reveals some interesting things to come including images of Bette Davis, godchildren, and an advert for an Eastman’s Kodak personal camera for 12/6d. there are a couple of Symi shots too, but mostly, this last week, I have enjoyed my time off by working harder than usual. More about all that as the week progresses. Meanwhile, here’s a shot of last night’s revelry in the village square – rock music from next door.

When I say away, I’ll be here, but I won’t be here on this page, because I am taking a week off from blogging about this and that, mainly this, but sometimes that, but in any case, I shan’t be doing that this coming week. There, now you know.

Before I go and put my feet up, read a book, sit in the sun, or do whatever it is people do when on holiday at home, I have news of what’s coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Symi Dream Calendar 2025

This is now ready to order, but you can only buy it from the online store. I’ll repeat that for people who think we still have a shop. You can only buy it from the online store. I’ll put a permanent link up in the righthand column shortly. So, don’t worry if you lose this post and this link:

Symi Dream Calendar 2025

This year, there are photos of the village, Yialos, Toli, Agia Marina, Pedi, and some cats.

Also coming up soon will be my 5th book in my third Victorian mystery series, and you can find out more about that on my other blog. In fact, you can be the first to see the cover on Saturday if you click over to www.jacksonmarsh.com

Apart from launching that, I have nothing else planned for the next 10 days, and should be back with you on 9th September.

I was hankering for something green, hence today’s photos were taken in the spring, and that’s also why I had a lettuce for my tea last night, or part of one at any rate. I was also hankering for some water, again, as in the photo, and I am sure we will see rain again one day. Maybe.

I have a package to collect from down town, and I am hoping it is, finally, the correct lead which will enable me to transfer from Minidisc to PC. I can’t tell you the hassle I’ve had trying to find one of these things. After taking advice from a man who knows (thanks Glen), and after initially misinterpreting said advice, I ended up with a very nice lead that was no good whatsoever because I’d bought the wrong one. So, I tried again and bought another wrong one. Then, I went back to the guru and retook the advice, interpreted it correctly, and ordered the correct lead. Then, three weeks later, Skroutz told me they were very sorry, but they couldn’t locate one after all and sent my money back. So I went to Amazon Germany and found one there, and that, I hope, is what’s arrived.

If so, I should then be able to transfer interviews with my godfather from the portable Minidisc player to the laptop, and from there, to my website. Assuming I can manage that, people will then be able to listen to him telling me (some of) his story, which they can also read in the book – advert and link at the bottom of the page.

Apart from that great excitement or disappointment depending on a) what the package turns out to be, b) if it’s the correct lead, and c) if I can get it all to work, I’ve got very little planned except reading the newspapers. That’ll be newspapers from February 1893 as I think about what the next story will be while the current one is with the proofreader. And that’s about all I have to tell you this morning, so have a nice day, and if it’s a green and rainy one, lucky you! (Scroll for gratuitous advert.)

Bless the husband. Yesterday afternoon, we were at the Rainbow Bar because he started work again, and we were sitting, chatting with friends, when he got up and, I thought, went inside. About ten minutes later, I’m starting to wonder if some kind of incident has befallen the gents’ washroom when he comes up the steps with a bunch of flowers. The only way of getting from the back of the Rainbow to the Kali Strata is over a wall to a long drop, through the taverna’s backyard and the taverna itself, so he hadn’t gone that way. He’d snuck off when I wasn’t looking, bought me some flowers and snuck back. ‘Happy anniversary,’ he says, to which I make the appropriate ooh and ahh noises. ‘Twenty-seven years ago since we met.’ How lovely. We took them home and put them in the only vase we have which is actually a wine jug, and put that on the hall windowsill. A little later, we’re watching TV when the sneezing starts and he’s off to the bathroom to shout/sneeze as he’s not one who can do it quietly, and the wine jug ends up out in the porch. I’m at my desk now and I can still smell it. Very nice, very pungent, and more appropriate today because it’s our anniversary at around midnight tonight, not yesterday, but who’s counting?

My day is off to a typical start as I sit at my desk with my feet being nibbled by mosquitoes, and as I drink a cup of water. I don’t know if you’ve read the Asterix the Gaul books, but in one, they are at a military camp, sitting around the fire at night and Getafix (or someone) is serving tea. Actually, he’s serving hot water because ‘Tea hasn’t been invented yet. How do you take yours?’ ‘Just a spot of milk, please.’ Well, I am doing the same because we ran out of tea-with-taste bags the other day, and I’ve had to fall back on my nameless-and-tasteless emergency supplies which were all we could find here last winter. (They’re not Liptons, they’re worse.) Not to panic, however, as real tea will be forthcoming later in the day. I suppose I can always try dunking a flower to add flavour.