Symi update

Rhodes was a success, at least my trip there was. Did some business, had a consultation with a specialist (part of my annual health-check MOT, nothing to worry about folks), had our wedding rings engraved (nearly got them the wrong way around), wandered the Old Town, had lunch in the new town, had a rest by a swimming pool, wandered some more… When you have 10 hours before your boat back, and your appointments take only three, and you’ve not got a car to go and explore the island, you need to think of things to do to amuse yourself. I managed, and the boat trip back seemed to be over in a flash.

Meanwhile, back on Symi… It’s early Sunday morning as I write and there are two clean-up initiatives going on today. The Poseidon is doing its annual ‘clean up Sesklia’ trip for any volunteers who want to go along. I believe that this is free, includes lunch and in return, you help clear the flotsam and jetsam from the beach. A bit late to tell you this now as it happened yesterday, but I only found out about it late on Saturday night. Also on Sunday, the scouts are organising a task force to clean up the village playground at Kampos, and paint the equipment etc.

Down in the harbour, I’d say that most businesses were now open and ready; a few may still be putting finishing touches. We’ve had dayboats and day-trippers coming over, and a few regulars have started to return for their summer stays here. It is only April, I keep reminding myself when I see that harbour quiet, it feels like it should be June because Easter seems so long again, but no, it’s still very early season. I have to say, the businesses are looking good, cleaned up and repaired after the storm. Newly painted and ready to welcome punters.

That goes for the village too where everything is now open, apart from Taverna Zoi which will be open soon, no doubt. So, if you want a village wander of an evening, you can take in the whole route: The Secret Garden, Sunrise Kafeneion, The Olive Tree (open soon), Georgio’s taverna, the Rainbow, Lefteris’ kafeneion, the Jean and Tonic, (Taverna Zoi) and Ringo’s bar at Kampos. On the way you can ‘do’ three supermarkets, the Chinese Emporium, a couple of clothes shops, a toy shop, a couple of household stores, shoe shop, greengrocers, bakery x 2, and ‘B&Q’ the ironmongers – and anyone else I’ve missed out. Oh, a couple of hairdressers, another household shop, the herb shop… But no butcher, not at the moment. George the butcher is joining the priesthood, and I heard a rumour that one of Zoi’s boys is training and preparing to open a new butcher shop in the village. Excellent.

So, it’s all go, and I’m also going. Have a good week!

I go0t back later light night, and had a lie in this morning so it’s a hurried collection of random photos for today.

Symi, Stuff & Nonsense

I just wanted to update you… You might remember that my latest travel book, Symi Stuff & Nonsense, came out around the time of last November’s storm. Since then, I have been collecting a percentage of the sales to put towards the island’s high school. We’re not talking much, but we are talking helpful. We’ve passed on a couple of things to the school, maps for the geography classes so far to replace ones ruined in the flood, and I’m going to keep doing it because every little helps. So, if you do buy a paperback copy of SS&N or a Kindle, or even read it on Kindle Unlimited, you are also contributing to things that the school needs. Or at least to some extras that they might not have or otherwise be able to get hold of. The link to the book is over there in the righthand column. >>

On a different subject — and I don’t know why it’s come into my head — I just remembered something from years ago when I worked for a while at the Windmill. That’s the restaurant on Symi, you understand, not the revue theatre in Soho. (I did briefly work at Madame Jo-Jo’s, but that’s another story.) I was probably the world’s worst waiter and still could be, but one night, as we were saying farewell to a couple of guests, chatting at the door as you do, the man surreptitiously handed me a €50.00 note. You know, in the manner of someone passing on 10p to a waiter, with a sympathetic, secret smile as if to say, ‘Don’t tell the wife, but here you go,’ as if 10p was going to pay the waiter through college or something. Well…

The chap handed me the money in a way that I knew it was a tip and there was no darker intent behind it. He carried on chatting to Rhiannon without leaving me a space in which to interject. Not until he had done that, ‘What’s it like in the winter?’ questioning and was about to leave. Then I was able to leap in with, ‘I think you gave me this by mistake,’ as I handed back the €50.00.
He squinted at it (your first clue to the mistake) and then snatched it back in horror.
‘Oh!’ he exclaimed. ‘You’re quite right… I meant… Here…’ He passed me €2.00, adding, ‘You, Sir, are a gentleman.’
To which I replied, ‘And for a minute there I thought you were too.’

It just slipped out, but he saw the funny side of it, and there is a funny side to it, though you may have had to have been there to see it.

Anyway, no idea where that anecdote came from, but I know where I am going to. Off to do some writing. Have a good day.

Symi Is Waiting For You

As you can see from the chairs, there’s plenty of space for you at the moment, but don’t delay, these will soon be full. They were actually, a couple of hours later. I took these photos during the siesta shift at the bar, that time of day when everyone has gone home for lunch or a sleep. That time of day is busier later in the season, a season which hasn’t really started yet, it just feels like it has because Easter was a while ago now.

Having said that, there are visitors here enjoying the warm but not too hot weather, there are some yachts in and walking groups. Not long now until the chairs will be occupied by people relaxing after a hard day on the beach, or a long, peaceful trek through the hills and the forest. Of course, on some nights things might get a bit wild, and you may have to sit on the steps, which you can do at both kafeneion in the village square if there are no vacant seats.

We were invited to dinner on Monday evening (thank you R and L – the time went so quickly, but we did make the bus), and I was able to take a couple of snaps of the Blue Star coming in. I’m planning to be on it on Friday for a day in Rhodes. Not as exciting as it sounds, but I am still looking forward to it. I always like travelling on the Patmos, well, I always like traveling. I’ll be back in the evening having seen to my appointments and maybe had the wedding rings engraved at last, and after a wander about the Old Town, the New Town, the beach and my usual route when killing time after the duties have been seen to. I shall wear my Fitbit which, for a reason known only to itself, started working again last week after taking 11 months off. Can’t explain it, but there you go.

And here I go, off into another glorious day on Symi with the sun shining and the sea calm, the air is clear and… Well, you know the routine.