General ramble

Here are a few shots taken up at the bridge yesterday morning. If you walk out of the village on the main road and keep going, you will eventually come to this bridge which spans a dry water channel running off, in rainy times, from the Vigla towards the back of Horio. A little further on there is a bench where you can sit and look out across the village, Agia Marina point and Pedi towards the stacked mountains of Turkey. I occasionally walk from home, out on the old donkey path to Xissos and then come back down the main road, stopping at the bench for a brief rest before tramping on down the hill.

I left for my walk at 6.15 yesterday, by which time the sun was already up. Make sure you take water and sensible shoes if you’re doing this walk in the hotter parts of the day. A hat is also a good idea. Apart from that, my yesterday morning was taken up with rereading and checking some things and generally pottering around at home. In the late afternoons, the village square has been quieter than of late, but it starts to pick up again after six, and then… Well, I’m usually at home not long after, so I’m not sure what happens after that.

Looking from the balcony, we can see part of the harbour, and it doesn’t appear as busy as it has been in the past. There are lots more boats moored further in, and this outer end is never as busy, but I did hear someone say the other day that tourism was down on the island so far this year. I also read a report in the Greek news saying that the country was expecting 33 million visitors this year. That figure, by the way, is 200% more than the population, around 11m, the report says. I wonder where they all are. Probably at the all-inclusive resorts rather than the smaller more in-need places. I also read that tourists are now feeing that Turkey and the North African countries are more stable than they were and so have returned to those destinations, but who can say? There’s still a buzz and vibe on Symi, plenty of day trippers, and lots of evening activities and visitors to keep us going, for now at least.

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The whole world in his hands

Here’s a shot or two of the atlas so generously donated to the study by Ann and Graham. (Sorry, not sure if it’s Ann with an E or not.) As you can see, it’s not only large and detailed but fits perfectly with the style of that side of my room. Some of my other research books are on the desk, and I’ve been reading them and dipping in and out when I need to. There’s nothing as interesting as an atlas though, and just looking at the maps sets my imagination running.

At the moment, it’s running along the lines of ‘what next?’ Another Clearwater mystery? The final Saddling episode? Or another Miss P? Thinking about what pays the rent, it should be a Clearwater, but I’ve had several people asking for a follow-up Miss P and the last Saddling story, so I have set about reading ‘the Saddling’ to remind myself what happened. I hate reading what’s already published as I find things I would change, and not only the occasional printing error (typos that so many of us missed). My style has changed, I hope improved, over the years and so has the layout and design of covers, pages and so on. Ah well, it must be done, and I must read all three in the series if I am going to come up with the fourth. All I know about it right now is that the title has to start with N and end with ling, it’s to be about the earth element and spring equinox (rebirth comes to mind), and there are several threads left over from The Eastling which need tying up – and where is Blacklocks in all of this? We shall see what the mind turns to first, a romantic Victorian mystery, a modern-day comedy, or a final instalment…

Meanwhile… We had a lovely dinner on Monday night, going with friends on Georgios. We were there early evening, or course, as these days, 8pm is past my bedtime, and there were seven of us at the table. A couple of starters, a main each, wine and water and for only $15.00 each after an unexpected discount from Noufris, who also paid Neil and I a compliment I am to modest to mention here. Said friends leave the island this week, always sad, and July and August tend to see fewer of our ‘set’ returning, due to the weather. We look forward to September and October, however, when we will see them again, and in the meantime, I am sure we will make new friends and see others. Such is summer on Symi.

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Touching on Symi

Well, this is very touching. I recently mentioned the books I was using for research on my Victorian mystery series (pen name genre) and how I was looking out for an atlas. On Sunday, I was at a party in the upper village where Neil joined us after work. He brought news that Ann and Graham had been looking for me and had brought me an atlas. As I write (Monday morning), it’s still waiting for me at the bar, and I’ll be down there later today to collect it, I will post a photo when I have it. That’s incredibly kind of two Symi Dreamers (who I have yet to meet), and I will thank them as soon as I see them. I can’t wait.

In the last few days, we have been treated by other Symi Dreamers taking us out for meals to say thank you for the blog. It’s a bit overwhelming, actually, and very kind of people. It’s humbling too. It’s not the reason I write these pages. They started out as a way of advertising the shop we used to have and my books which were for sale there. When we closed the shop, it became more of what it is now; my varied ramblings about living on the island and writing, and I kept it going to advertise the books which I still do, as regular readers will know. I also try and fill in with news when I hear it – though I am not a journalist, and this isn’t a Symi News site – and then there are the photos.

These used to be taken on my digital camera which went everywhere with me, but now I use my phone. It’s lighter and slips into my man-bag so is much more portable, and the images are only for here and my personal collection, I don’t need them to be taken on a clunky old DSLR. I still have it and use it for holidays rather than morning walks. Still, the phone camera doesn’t do too badly, I hope.

And so, onto another day and the news from the desk is that I have finished draft four of ‘Fallen Splendour’, the fourth Victorian Mystery in The Clearwater Mysteries series (look up that title on Amazon, and you will find three so far). This MS is going off to the proofreader at the weekend, then it will come back to me, and I will have another go through before setting it up for release. Meanwhile, here’s a sneak preview of the front cover.

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Kalo Mina

June slips swelteringly into July as a warm wind sweeps dead vine leaves across the courtyard and into the house where every door and window is open. I am greeted in the porch by a gecko scurrying up the wall, caught investigating a pair of trainers left there after a long walk two days ago. I say hello and pass by to the study where, when I turn on the light as it’s still dark outside, I remember the electricity bill is waiting to be paid. Last month, the meter was read for the first time in a year, making this a catch-up bill which is going to make a dent in the holiday fund, but at least the readings are back on track. I’m expecting the next water bill to be similar as that meter hadn’t been read for some time either, but I supplied the reading a couple of weeks ago and know roughly what needs to be paid when it comes in.

The water meters, by the way, are supposed to be out in the street where they can be read even when people aren’t at home. Although our landlord knows this, ours remains behind the gate and has only been read two or three times in the past four years. What with all the other water disruption we’ve been having of late, I think it’s safer not to remind him to have it moved, not just now.

June is a busy month for northern-European visitors, and we have had several returning friends here for a week or two or longer, so it has been a busy social time. This tends to calm during the hotter months of July and August when we traditionally see more southern-European visitors escaping the cities like Rome, Paris, Athens for a holiday where sea and open space are abundant. For me, it’s a case of putting the fan up a notch, working topless and moving around very slowly until the temperature cools. It was 38 the other day, a temperature more often felt in August, so it will be interesting to see what that month brings when it gets here. Before then we have July to wade through and the month already promises an evening boat party and a visit from Neil’s brother to look forward to. That’s once I’ve plucked up the courage to pay this electricity bill…

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Symi Saturday Photos

Some more photos to finish off the week. It’s going to be a busy weekend for us. Lunch with friends yesterday, and again with other friends on Saturday, a barbecue on Sunday evening and a dinner on Monday night. I shall need to get a lot more walking in to counter the effects. Have a good weekend.

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