With the recent increase in refugee arrivals in Symi, we would like to appeal for volunteers to assist in coordinating delivery of water, breakfast items and basic needs. If you can commit to one hour morning and one hour evening, for 7 consecutive days, please get in touch. This structure will give some consistency to authorities in the absence of a formal organisation.
The recent deportations from Turkey to Syria have caused many people to flee Turkey, and because of the horrendous overcrowding and conditions in established island camps, and the threat of deportations back to Turkey (Lesvos, Samos, Kos etc.), smaller Islands like Symi are seeing a large increase in arrivals.
Donations can be made at Taxas supermarket ‘refugee account’ or via Next Stop Symi. https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/…/food-for-refugees-on-symi
Potential volunteers can message [via Facebook] or call + 30 6957302565. The police and port police are incredibly busy and have little time for well-meaning enquiries. Please understand their situation. Thank you.
And a note from me. Watching the bay on Saturday morning, we noticed several black dots in the sea. At first, we thought they were seagulls, but on closer inspection, they turned out to be innertubes from vehicles, presumably used as life preservers by a recent refugee boat. A little while later, the hard-working coastguards were out there collecting them from the water. It could so easily have been bodies.
Yesterday, I was talking about Rhodes and my trip there (today). Just after that, someone sent me a message asking for ferry advice, and could I help as there isn’t a boat suitable for their Rhodes arrival. So today, I decided to point out a couple of things. First of all, I’m not a travel agent and can’t magic ferries out of nowhere. You should always double-check your connections as timetables change. If you want to see the latest Symi travel news, then take a look at Andy’s blog – the link is over there on the right where the banner says Travel Blog. He covers flights too, and not just from the UK, but like me, he’s a blogger, not a travel service. Then, you should check out the latest timetables on the websites of the three ferry companies that run daily services between Rhodes and Symi. If you’re coming via Kos, then you can look at two, Blue Star and Dodekanisos Seaways.
More random Rhodes pics today.
The Blue Star Ferries currently run three times per week from Piraeus via Symi to Rhodes and back. Their website is here: Blue Star Ferries and the site is available in English, as are all three. Use the Book Online button to enter your dates and see the timetable. You can buy tickets online and then collect them at the kiosk at the ports using the reference number you are given online. Again, that applies to all three companies, I believe. The crossing time takes one hour on certain ships and about one and a half hours on the other. The boats go from Akandia harbour, the furthest from Mandraki.
Casino in winter
Dodekanisos Seaways run the catamarans, the Pride and Express, plus the Panagia Skiadeni. Their website is here: Dodekanisos Seaways. The search options are there on the front page and easy to handle. These crossings take roughly 45 minutes on the catamarans, and 90 minutes on the larger Panagia. The catamarans leave from Kolona hardcore and the ferry from Akandia. Both Blue Star and the Spanos (as Dodekanisos are known locally) offer loyalty cards which you obtain from places like Symi Torus or the shipping offices on Rhodes. Note: if you take a Panagia crossing via Panormitis, you have to buy a two-stage ticket or the online booking will say you can’t get here. Buy one from Rhodes to Panormitis and a separate one from there to Symi port. The boat makes a stop at Panormitis for (90 minutes? Can’t remember), and thus it counts as a final destination.
At the Acropolis
ANES is the Symi island company and now run the Sebeco, a kind of large speed boat, mainly open, passenger ferry that takes around 90 minutes or less depending on the weather. This runs several times per day and at useful hours. Their website is here: ANES. This boat comes and goes from the Commercial/Tourist harbour in Rhodes, which is on the way towards Akandia harbour. Think of it like this: you start at Mandraki (Rhodes New Town). The day trip boats (which you can’t get as ferries, only day trips) run from Mandraki. Walk around the harbours, and you come next to Kolona, follow the wooden walkway, and next is the Commercial/Tourist/Cruise ship harbour, and keep going along the coast and you come to Akandia. Keep going after that, and you’ll end up in Faliraki or somewhere, but let’s not get into that.
Inside the Grand Master’s palace
My usual advice, for those travelling independently, is to check the ferry times before you arrange your flights. So many people have contacted me saying, ‘I arrive in Rhodes at 6 pm, what’s the best ferry to get that night?’ To which I reply, there isn’t one, you should have checked before you booked your flights. We’re not an island where there’s a regular, every-hour crossing 24 hours per day. On some days later and earlier in the season, you might only have two crossings per day, if that. Always do your research, or you can easily find yourself with only five days on Symi out of a one-week holiday. And remember, I’m not a travel service, just a guy blogging whatever comes into my head each day. For real travel advice, see an expert.
Tomorrow, I am off to Rhodes for the day to blurrily see an optician through glasses that need updating. Apart from having my eyes tested as I do every year, I want to ask about contact lenses. I’ve not worn them for 17 years, but before that, I wore them from the age of 17, so it seems an appropriate number of years to have waited before seeing about using them again instead of, as well as with, glasses. The boat is early, around 6.30 I think, I will check the tickets later, and that will mean I have several hours before the appointment at 11.00. It will also mean a long, leisurely walk around the three harbours of Rhodes to somewhere like the Plaza Hotel for breakfast (€7.50 for the full buffet at the last visit).
Random Rhodes photos taken one March
I’ve said it before, but this hotel is a good place to ‘hang out’ while you wait for an appointment or a flight because the bar is open to all, serves drinks, coffee and snacks all day, and they have a pool you can use if you want, as well as the usual facilities. You’re able to leave luggage there, and the only thing you should do in return is use the bar, restaurant or at least buy a drink or a coffee. It’s also pretty central and easy to get to by taxi from the ports or by foot if you don’t mind the walk. There’s a new walkway now all the way from the commercial harbour to the gate at Mandraki. Be careful if you walk through St Paul’s Gate, the old stone bastion between Kolona and Mandraki, to cut off the road via Symi Square as you tend to find aggressive ‘beggars’ there. I once had a woman come up to me and greet me as if we were long-lost buddies only then to turn verbally abusive when I told her I wasn’t interested in buying her tat. Just ignore politely and walk on with your ears closed, or follow the main road through the other gate and over the bridge.
If you don’t want to or can’t walk from the boats to the hotel or wherever then there are usually taxis you can take from Akandia (if using the Blue Star ferry). These can get used up quickly if you’re not first off the ferry, and you might want to book in advance. In this case, I use Rodos Taxi. You can find them online with that link, and book in advance. You may pay a couple of Euros extra, but at least someone will be waiting to whisk you to the airport or wherever. You must, though, book online at least one day in advance; otherwise you can’t do it online and will have to phone, but the number is on the site. There are other services available too, and I’ve used a couple to collect people from the airport, pre-paid and leaving the passenger nothing to pay unless they want to tip.
And talking of tips, that’s it for my getting to Rhodes tips for today.
Just catching up on my general chatter. We popped down to Yialos yesterday to collect some things from the post office, get some money from the bank and call into the surgery to check something out. The post office is around the back of Yialos, in the streets behind, should you ever need it. It’s behind the International Taverna, not far from Taxas supermarket, or you can find it from the left-hand side of the back of the town square, turning left at Christalo, the household shop.
From the south side looking across the harbour
There are two banks and about five cash machines on Symi now. Actually, I think it’s six as there’s one in Harani on the way to Nos beach. There’s another by the pharmacy on the south side of the harbour, one at Smartphone by Meraklis taverna, another just around the corner opposite Pandora and St John’s church, one at the National bank and one at Alpha bank – there may be more popping up that I’ve not noticed. At busy times, like last week, they can run out of cash, and yesterday the one I used was only giving out twenties (which I prefer), and then, only up to a certain amount. They do get refilled regularly, but at busy times, there’s not a lot they can do if demand is high and it’s not refill day. You can always withdraw money from any account by going into one of the two banks with your passport and details.
From the north side looking to the south
And as for the surgery, it runs on a ‘wait your turn’ system, so no appointment is necessary, but you must be prepared to wait your turn. I was lucky yesterday and only had to wait a couple of minutes. The doctors speak English if you need them to, and there are nurses there in support plus a receptionist. The surgery is, again, around the back, you might say. Beside St John’s church on the left, and it’s open in the morning and evening every day apart from Sundays – not sure about Saturday evening. There are also two pharmacies; one by the bridge and one on the south side towards the taxi rank.
From Tilos, looking towards Symi
I just thought I’d mention those places (with non-related photos to brighten the page) as that’s where I was yesterday, and it made a change from talking about bars and tavernas, walks and sunrises all the time.
From my balcony to Nos, with a long lens on the camera
