A lot going on

Well, there has been a lot going on around here over the past few days. On Saturday alone, The Olive Tree raised money for the high school with their Royal Wedding festivities. Meanwhile, the TV was also on outside Lefteris kafeneion, and later there was some important football match (not sure what happened there), and after that, also at Lefteris’, there was ‘Symi Rocks’, live guitar music from a local resident, Steve. Sunday night is when they show the world cinema that The Symi Gallery organises, so it’s still rocking and (the cameras are) rolling in the village.

Meanwhile, in my inner world as it were, I have been invited to the awards ceremony for the London Greek Film Festival which will be held in Athens at the end of June – so after I post this, I will be investigating boats and hotels. This will be to collect the award with Rebecca Hall, the author of ‘Girl Gone Greek’ on which we based the, now, award-winning screenplay. That’s exciting enough, but added to that is a trip to the yUK which, given my feeling towards the current state of the country, I’d usually be avoiding at all costs. However, a great friend from school will be in London at the end of July, and it could be the only time we get to see each other. He lives in New Zealand now but is coming over with his family to see relatives, and we’ve booked a day together in London. I just have to turn up which, from here, is never that easy.

So, I am also looking at boats to Athens Vs flights to Athens, and all that entails, to compare the cost, hotels in London for a couple of nights, and then, as I am there, a trip down to the marsh to see other old school friends, brother, nephew, old stomping ground and perhaps pick up some inspiration for another ‘Saddling’ episode with a couple of days ‘in marsh’, as they say. And while all that’s going on, I’ve also had to update our privacy policy for the site – there will be a page explaining it all soon, but as we don’t collect anyone’s information, it’s not that complicated a task – and while that’s going on, I’m sorting out my private pension and trying to sell books. Ah well. Here are a few more celebratory images from Saturday:

Share on Facebook

Symi Saturday Random Photos

A random collection of photos today, taken from my file of random Symi photos to post one weekend.

Share on Facebook

Possibly Athens

What I mean is, I have heard that there will be an awards ceremony in Athens for the London Greek Film festival. I’m not sure when yet, and neither are they, but one is planned. This means I could be taking a trip to Athens and if I do, I will use the ferries. If the awards are to be on a Saturday night, for example, I could go up on the Friday night boat, spend one night in Athens and then get the boat back that will dock at Symi on the Monday morning. I’ve not looked at times yet, but with the new Blue Star visit, it should be perfectly possible.

Or, I could stay for longer and take the boat on a Tuesday that arrives here on the Wednesday. Not only does this new boat (due to start shortly) give you the chance for a short cruise, a night in Athens and a cruise back over a weekend, it also means you can be more flexible with your dates. I could always fly up, but when you factor in ferry, taxi/bus, possible hotel etc., the boat can work out the same price (and be more fun) or even less.

I’m looking forward to finding out the date of this possible visit as I enjoyed our trip on the Patmos in March when we came back from Athens by boat. Search the site (the search box is over there somewhere >>) and you should find posts that relate to that journey if you want more details.

Share on Facebook

Symi Tours News

Here’s a note from Symi Tours about the Blue Star Ferry timetable. Roughly translated, it reads:

“Announcement:
We inform you that from Monday 21/5/18 and every Monday Symi will have another Blue Star ferry arriving. The Blue Star-1 will come into the new ‘port’ of Symi – the new jetty.
The programme will be as follows: Monday from Symi to Rhodes at 08:20 and from Rhodes on 16:00 for Symi subsequently for Kos-Santorini and Piraeus.

Information at the Central Office Blue Star Ferries-SYMI TOURS. 22460 71307 – 22460 71689.”

So, on a Monday afternoon, you could travel from Symi to Santorini, now that’s a first. (For me at least, not that I shall be doing it, why visit Santorini when you can stay on Symi?) It’s going to be handy having another early morning Rhodes ferry as well. At the moment we have the Patmos on a Wednesday morning (around 5.30) and a Friday morning (around 7.45). So, three-day excursion to Rhodes with a vehicle or on foot will be possible without having to stay overnight. That could be very handy.

Share on Facebook

Girl Gone Greek Wins Best Screenplay

Great news on Monday. I was just flicking through Facebook after work, enjoying the shade of the courtyard at 28 + degrees) when I noticed a post from the London Greek Film Festival, showing photos from their awards ceremony. I wondered if Rebecca Hall was there and then realised that she wouldn’t have been as she was on Symi last weekend compiling a travel article for a British newspaper. You may remember that Rebecca wrote the book, Girl Gone Greek about her experiences of moving to Greece as a teacher of English…

Last year, she commissioned me to write a screenplay version of the book for her, which I did in close collaboration. That script was entered into the competition by Rebecca, who is what’s known as the property owner (Hollywood/film term). I went to the LGFF website to check out who had won what and discovered that we had one the ‘Best Screenplay’ in their Odysseus screenwriting awards. Obviously, I told her the news and then went to celebrate.

We’re waiting to hear when the festival will hold its award ceremony in Athens, as they hold one in London in May, and another later, for those from Greece who couldn’t make it. I can see another overnight on the Blue Star coming up (any excuse). Meanwhile, if you’ve not read the book, you can find it on your country’s Amazon, or by clicking this link to Amazon.co.uk: Girl Gone Greek.

So, congratulations to Rebecca. Let’s hope that this causes further interest in the project. It has already received a special mention at a film festival awards in Los Angeles, so you never know…

Rebecca’s travel blog can be found here: Life Beyond Borders

Share on Facebook