Weekend and blogs to follow

On Friday, we went out to dinner for the first time since March. Taverna Maria & Georgos was open, serving lunch to a party who came over for a baptism at Panormitis. A few of us ‘booked’ a table for the evening, and sat outside on the steps at the top of the Kali Strata. It was a bit odd sitting outside the old butcher’s shop, now supermarket storeroom, and not in the traditional pebbled courtyard, but that was the choice of our hostess, and the taverna has been putting a table or two our there for a couple of years now. Nice view.

And the first chips I’ve had since Vancouver. The lamb was just about spot-on too, and before we knew it, it was half-ten, and everything was closing down, so we waddled off in our various homeward directions. Ours is only about 40 yards away from the taverna, but the following morning, I needed to pop to the corner shop, and the 80-yard round trip required six ‘Kalimeras’ and a couple of additional waves. The friendly, village feel continues despite uncertainties. Music plays from Lefteris Kafeneion through the day, rising in volume when the younger lads take over and being more controlled when dad or grandad comes back. The children play in the square, and sometimes have a rough and tumble where any passing adult will intervene if the rules of fair play are not observed, and the ‘Tilos veg man’ continues to call. (€6.00 for 5 kilos of Tilos potatoes, for example.) There have been a few more holiday boats in and out of the harbour. There’s talk of who will be allowed to travel after the 1^st, from which countries and how, but the last I heard, today will bring an announcement from the government. There have been so many updates and changes, those I’ve spoken to and seen writing online are never 100% sure what the latest news is. Mind you, it changes by the day as it needs to, so that’s hardly surprising.

Remember, where my blog is about what I see (mainly from the balcony these days), and my rambling thoughts generally, if you want more reliable information about what’s happening on the island, then Adriana’s blog is the place to go. If you want travel news as it affects Symi, and updates about airlines and ferries, then Andy’s Symi Travel blog is your port of call. I’d bookmark them both and check in now and then for up to date news and views.

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A different path

Another trip into Yialos on Wednesday. Gosh, that’s twice in one week. This time it was to collect a book from ACS who had rung to say I had a delivery. The book is about 19^th Century fashion as that’s the kind of world I am living in right now, and is just what I was looking for. I walked down via the zigzag path beneath the church of Lemonitisa for a change, but not back up it. The steps are far too steep in some places. Although it is a more direct route up to our house, it’s like climbing a ladder, but it does offer some alternative views, as you might see from the photos.

You might also note that the day was sunny and calm, and the harbour is still more or less boat-less. There’s one large cruiser in this morning (Thursday), and a smaller private yacht. There have been white sails out at sea, and some have pulled in for an evening. The main ferries continue to call in and out. There have also been some arrivals, but I don’t know where from or for how long they are staying. The first shoots of recovery, perhaps, but there’s a long way to go yet.

The new road that will join the new harbour to the main road is coming along, though I can only see one part of it from up here, the rest is behind the fold in the hill. The new amphitheatre in the main town square seems to be progressing too, but again, I only have a limited view, and the site is surrounded by safety fencing. Other businesses are preparing to open up or at least get ready. Ready for what, exactly, is still a case of wait and see, which is what I do most mornings on the balcony. I wait to see what the day will bring, and currently, with a slight sense of dread as I am expecting not only my health insurance bill but also my tax bill, and we’ve not seen an electricity bill for months (though I pay a little each month online to cover it), nor have we seen a water bill for some time despite asking our landlord where they are because they come via him. But all that stress is for another day. For now, I am going to read about changing fashion through the 19^th century and the etiquette of appropriate clothing.

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A few photos

A little more from the Kali Strata.

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Picking up

We took a quick visit to Yialos on Monday to collect a couple of things before walking back up the steps to home. The Kali Strata is being weeded and painted, and with the new flower and plant shop at the top, looks splendid. There’s a new café in Trawler Square where the corner clothes and souvenir shop used to be, the Trawler is open, and the cafés in that square were doing some business. The jeweller is also open there, as are Pacho’s, Eva’s, ‘Comfy Chairs’ and other places, some of which have been open for a while now. As it was a three-boat day on Monday, there were also visitors from Rhodes and some people coming off the ferries with suitcases; a potentially good-for-business sign. It’s a double-edged sword too, of course, and an unavoidable one as we’ve been more or less cut off from the outside world for so long, and a return to ‘normal’ will bring with it apprehension. But, caution, common sense and cordiality will, no doubt, go hand in hand (in hand), and the island will adjust and adapt as the year progresses.

Meanwhile, Tuesday brought a slight rain shower in the morning, and it’s fair to say that the weather this year has been different to the same time last year. We’ve had a heatwave in May, colder temperatures since, with some days up to 32 in our courtyard, and others down to 20, bright days, cloudy ones, humidity, and so many variations, the mosquitoes don’t know whether to attack or hold back. Also on our recent agenda have been the delivery of leaflets from various cafes and eateries now pushing takeaways and deliveries, and the side of the fridge is becoming well-stocked with alternatives to eating out. On which note, Taverna George and Maria may be reopening soon, the Poseidon is arranging limited trips with limited numbers (pre-booking if you’re on Symi now or later), and I am sure I saw a taxi boat on the water the other day.

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An early start

Monday brought me a very early start. 3.00 a.m., to be precise, and I have no idea why. It was only 23 degrees outside, there was no need for the fan, but for some reason, I was awake and raring to go, so rather than lie there thinking about it, I got up and set to work. I’d been to bed at 21.30 the night before which may have had something to do with it, or perhaps it was strange dreams brought about by watching Ridley Scott’s film, ‘All the money in the world’ before going to bed. Whatever the reason, it gave me a chance to hear and later observe the dawn.

The first cockerel sounded at 3.26 precisely, accompanied by the sound of my first cicada of the season. While having a cup of tea on the balcony, I saw an owl fly past. I assume it was an owl. In the first of the grey dawn, it appeared to have black wings, but it flew by silently with an owl-like motion. Soon after, more cockerels joined the rising cacophony, and later still, as a cloud rolled in over Nimos, the swallows set bout hoovering up the early morning bugs, and the interloper crow gave me a few caws. This is the first year I’ve seen and heard one in the neighbourhood, and I am sure it has scared the blackbirds from their nesting in the pomegranate tree next door.

The Blue Star was scheduled for 5.15, and I saw a few cars heading down to the port around then, but it didn’t come in until 6.00, so some people had a long wait. We’re doing well for ferries at the moment, with three Blue Star visits per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), the SAOS Ferries ‘Stavros’ (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday), and the Dodekanisos on a Monday, Friday and Sunday. Not that I am planning to go anywhere for a long while, but people still have to get to Rhodes and back for medical and shopping reasons, and the island needs its supplies. So, that was my Monday morning early start. Who knows what the rest of the week will bring…

SAOS current Timetable

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