You need to take a break from everything from time to time and we were lucky enough to be invited out on a birthday bash, on the Poseidon on Monday night. So, today’s photos are some of mine, taken on my underwater camera, out of the water and some were taken at Ag Marina at night, so not the best quality. (Will post those at a later date.) We were taken to Ag Marina for dinner on the jetty, dancing and a few drinks under the stars and the moon.

I’m hoping Neil has some shots of the moonrise as it was pretty spectacular, coming up in the East over Turkey, orange and nearly full. The reflection on the water reached all the way from one continent to the next. It’s interesting, when we first moved here 13 years ago there were hardly any lights visible on that part of the Turkish coast; now there are plenty. I guess they can probably say the same about us over here. When we first visited Symi there were no lights on the main road. Completely necessary of course, and the road is much safer now, but there will be more light visible on Symi from Turkey now than 13 years ago.

The night was still and the sea very calm. The boat cut through it steadily and the water looked like oil when the boat’s lights were out. There were plenty of stars too, even though the moon did steal some of their light. But I still would not like to have been on an inflatable with 50 other people, traveling without light, and in secret, and in danger of capsizing.

The charity, Solidarity Symi, has reached its stage two target now and is continuing to give out water, fruit and biscuits to over 400 refugees still here at the moment. More come each day. Some are leaving for Rhodes on the afternoon ferry as there are more connections to Athens from Rhodes than there are from Symi and, while they are traveling, they can wash and use the facilities, whereas here they are stuck with the meagre facilities available – that’s one of the charity’s aims, to improve the sanitary situation. Mind you, it’s only those with enough money who can add on the extra cost of Rhodes and then Rhodes to Athens.

Yes, many of the people coming here have money, so why give out free water? Well, it’s simple really. The money they hold in their hands has to last them until… You have a guess. Six months on the road before finding family in a European country? Ten months? Six weeks? Who knows? And who knows what may come along in the meantime: sickness, loss of clothes (hence the charity giving donated clothes), other emergencies? You would want your available cash to last as long as possible as who knows when you will get another aid station or anther meal, and once you run out…

So, the great efforts by many people continues down at the old post office. Holidaying doctors are giving up hours to run a makeshift surgery, other visitors are giving up holiday time to do what they can, as are locals and residents on Symi – and not just ‘on site’ but also behind the scenes, doing laundry, publicity, spreading the word, driving cars… Here’s the charity’s message from yesterday: “UPDATE (1.9). Very busy again down at the old post office and port police station this morning giving out water, biscuits, and clothes. We’re still needing lots of Wet Wipes, Nappies, Plasters, and Men’s Shorts. If you can help, please drop off either at the old post office, Symi Visitor Accommodation, or The Old Markets. THANK YOU!”

Other messages come in too so you might want to check the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/solidaritysymi and check out the fund raising page http://www.everyclick.com/solidaritysymi/info where the stage three target is now waiting to be reached.

And, on a lighter note. My nephew George is booked to come and visit us in October – we’ve not seen him since (I think) 1998 when he was three. He’s now 22, so that’s going to be a bit of a shock! Can’t wait.

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The plan was to head to Yialos to go to the post office and have an anniversary beer before a light lunch. We managed all that but also stood in at the volunteer station to help out with the refugees for an hour. We’re back there again this morning for three hours in what is to become our regular Saturday morning session. Yesterday, after lunch which was fairly light we were about to walk up when Thanasis arrived in a taxi, so that was handy. I spent some time on the balcony back home, while Neil took some photos out and about, and then we went to the Windmill for dinner, at which point I left my camera at home. It was rather an over-indulgent day, but what can you do? Here are some shots I took; have a good weekend.

Lorry Vs Horse

No such problems at sea.

A nice wooden sailing boat caught my eye.

There aren’t many places where your dining table comes with such a view.

Someone tried to sneak into the Rainbow Bar

The Dodecanisos boat leaving in the afternoon.

Catching a breeze.

Then, later in the day… The group of people around the clock tower are some of the refugees waiting for a boat on to Athens.

And a couple of doves providi9ng the musical soudtrack to my day

And Apollo admires my anniversary roses.

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A day at home yesterday, so today’s photos are views from home, and one from under the desk where my assistant was working very hard.

The house, as you can see, has a lovely view, but there are some drawbacks. When the cruise ship is in, as yesterday, and the wind is in the wrong direction we get its fumes wafting up, and those of the other boats, even when the engines aren’t running, so I am not sure how that happens. We also have Captain Snort living next door. He’s been away for a while but is now back and back to his compulsive habit of snorting water through his nose to clear out his sinuses (I can’t image what else he would be doing) every hour or so. But, apart from that, the view is lovely so here are some shots of it.

Other thoughts occur to me today, one of which is about the stupidity of online advertising. Now then, when anyone clicks the advert link at the bottom of my posts (see below) I don’t think it’s stupid at all because the website earns tuppence each time you do it and it doesn’t cost you a thing, and it all goes towards providing the blog. But here’s a slightly different take on these adverts which earn some companies millions and others, like me, less than €70 a year…

I recently went looking for a hotel in Belgrade. I wasn’t actually in Belgrade you understand, that would have been a tad eccentric. But I used the internet and Booking.com. (If you book your Rhodes or Symi, or any, hotel through our Booking.com box over there on the right we also get another tuppence, eventually.) I had a lovely time looking at all kinds of hotels at all kinds of prices, and thinking, ‘I won’t stay there it’s too posh,’ and eventually found one that I think will suit us when we go there in December. So, I booked it. I also booked flights with Aegean Airlines, as you can’t use many others from here in the winter, and I like them.

All well and good and sorted (not snorted). Now though, each time I open a website that carries these adverts, my own included, they are all trying to sell me hotels in Belgrade and flights with Aegean. What is the point? Let me say that again slowly. What. Is. The. Point? I’ve just boked my hotel and my flights. You. Are. Too. Late. It’s like when I buy a book, the next thing you know Amazon are popping an advert on your screen or in your email encouraging you to buy the thing you just bought. What. A. Waste. Of. Some. Poor. Computer’s. Time. You’d have thought that, by now, someone would have come up with a way of knowing that you don’t need to be tempted by what you’ve just paid for. I mean, the big ‘They’ out there in the internet world seem to know everything else about us, but they can’t figure that one out? Sheesh.

So, unsurprising it was that an email I received, and this email said: “Hello James Collins,” (Hello, I politely replied) “Are you looking for something in our Travel & Holiday Books store?” (I was, but I just found it, dim-wit.) “If so, you might be interested in these items.

Symi 85600 – James Collins

Carry on up the Kali Strata-James Collins

Village View: A year on Symi–James Collins, Neil Gosling

Terms and conditions apply…” Yes they do, I wrote the bloomin’ things and wouldn’t you, a clever computer thing, have thought that if you’re writing to James Collins via a Greek email address he might already have something to do with books about Greece by James Collins? I don’t know, and I thought computers were supposed to be clever.

I need to get out more. Oh look! (He says, looking at this post online.) An advert for a hotel in Belgrade…

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‘And another hundred people just got off of the train…’ A Sondheim lyric from ‘Company’ but I was reminded of it yesterday when I saw a note that another hundred refugees had just been rescued and taken to the authorities on Symi. I was further reminded when I saw another five hundred day-trippers get off of the boats and start their day on the island, browsing the harbour, having talks on the sponge diving industry, the herbs and spices and the leather industry, before heading off to have ‘time at leisure’ before their lunch.

Symi life goes on with the day to day grind for most as they work from the early hours to the late evening, or do double shifts at the tavernas or bars, or as they head out to sea to fish. Others spend time at home, the grandparents caring for the children while mum and dad go to work long hours, while others keep house, cook, tend to the churches, the graves, the streets, the council business and the other services needed to keep an island running.

The day to day of island life eh? All kinds of things going on from arranging the festivals to driving the bus on the hour every hour from eight in the morning until midnight, or whenever. And then there are the guys on the boats. I’m thinking of the Skiedani here which set off yesterday at six thirty, so was got (gotten? No…) which was made ready probably from six a.m. onwards and then sailed across to Rhodes in time to come back again via Panormitis then Symi harbour, then back to Rhodes in the afternoon and, on many days, then back to Symi in the evening. Now there’s a long shift.

So, all kinds of stuff is going on and now folk are also finding time to help out the new island charity that’s helping the refugees – one (relatively) newly arrived ex-pat has been helping at the port police by building a sleeping platform I understand, now there’s ‘Bravo!’ for you. We’re volunteering every Saturday 10 to 13.00 from now on, as long as we’re needed and able, as we both work from roughly 7.00 to 17:00 every day, save Sundays when I write my books and Neil, as you might have seen from the photos, goes to the beach, or cleans the house, or cooks, or entertains before going back to the bar to work at three…

And so, life goes on as the visiting southern-Europeans, French and Greeks and Italians start to head homewards after August and we look forward to in Brits and Scandinavians, and others, who come here regularly in September. Actually, today is the day that, historically, we would always arrive on Symi. We always came for the last weekend of August to cover our anniversary (18 years on Friday, table and chilli stuffed peppers booked at the Windmill) and also Neil’s birthday on September 8^th (must remember to book the Roof Garden table next week). But all that’s another story. I’m off, have a good day.

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We’ve not had any early morning Symi photos for a while so… Tuesday morning, out of bed at 5.45, and it is still dark as the cat screams to be let in and fed and then spends the next five minutes getting under my feet as I try and find my jogging shoes. Those found, cat partially happy but not sure if it’s too early for his biscuit course or not, and bottle of water collected, it’s off into the great outdoors for the first time in about ten days.

The night before, Monday, had been an early night thanks to not going out but staying in to watch the new version of ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,’ which nearly had me asleep by the end of act one. But I persevered and made it through to the end. A bit more dialogue wouldn’t have gone amiss; far too much reliance on everyone understanding the subtleties of Benedict Cummerbund’s eyebrows and the reflection in Gary Oldman’s glasses, I thought. Still, sent me off to sleep nicely.

The walk up to the second bridge and beyond towards the lookout point and classic view-stop on a bus trip was easy enough, with some stretches of uphill done at a slight jog. The weather is cooler now so it’s a bit more bearable, though this jogging lark still not shifting anything from around the tummy region. That, of course, will have something to do with also enjoying life, which is, after all, what it is there for.

Back home and a morning of work with the cat asleep on my feet (why only in the summer? Why never in the winter?) that is, after he’d had his biscuit course and his second breakfast and his pre-elevenses snack, all of which require my attention and attendance as though I was some scribe out of Gormenghast and the whole kingdom of Jack would come tumbling down if I didn’t see to his every ritual. And then cooking lunch while Neil headed off down to the aid station (as I call it) to deliver some clothes he found in his wardrobe, and in mine I should add, though, in the wardrobe he has three shelves while I have one, and I only use half of that. Still, there should be some clothes for the men available now, which will be welcome.

And on that note, finally, the appeal has reached its target and now has enough money to start improving basic facilities at and around the police station where the 400+ weekly refuges wait. You can still go to the site and donate though (scroll down for yesterday’s blog and the link) and all donations over the target will go towards food, water and other essentials. Thank you!

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