Some photos from Kos in November (‘cos I got up late). As usual, click the photo for the full sized version, then back button back to this page. Must try and find a widget plugin thing that runs a slideshow of photos in a post… And ideas Allan?

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The last couple of days of our holiday were spent in the usual fashion for us: walking everywhere, stopping for lunch, having an afternoon café experience of some sort, doing some more walking and then spending an evening watching the world go by and maybe having a light dinner.

Our last day, waiting around for the boat, took us on one last lap of the town and the sites we’d not seen enough of yet, followed by a glass at what had become our favourite kafeneion. After this, lunch at the famed ‘Mummy’s Cooking’, a traditional Greek taverna which was, on this Saturday lunchtime, popular with local families. We’d read some reviews about this place on Trip Advisor and some had criticised the waiter for his arrogance. We didn’t encounter that at all and I have to assume those reviews were written by people visiting in the summer when I can see how the place would be very busy – so busy you have to book, apparently. We settled in for some banter, some homemade ‘gigantes’ and some homemade pork and leak stew, and very nice (and reasonable) it was too.

An after-lunch walk around saw us finally settle at the hotel terrace to wait for the boat. The sea was a bit choppy but we’d checked in with HQ (Jenine) to make sure the boat was running, and it was. Back at the port, with rucksacks slightly heavier than when we started thanks to the only-once-used dumbbells and a few extra ‘bits’ as gifts, and there was still plenty of time for a last Kos-cocktail as we watched various people check in through passport control. Seems a bit odd seeing such a thing, but as the town is so close to Turkey, many people come for a day, or go for a day, and pop in and out of Europe as if it were Sainsbury’s.

Our boat arrived only a few minutes late and was not busy. We were treated to a spectacular sunset on the way back which we saw from the back of the Express. Just before arriving back in Symi one of the crew came up and found us and checked that we were getting off at Symi, which was nice of him. And of course we were. In fact we were the only people getting off at Symi and I got the impression that had we been going on to Rhodes the captain would have said, ‘Oh, let’s not bother stopping here then,’ like the bus drivers used to do on country routes when there was no one waiting at the stop. But there were loads of people waiting at the stop and, as one of the crew cleared our path as his only disembarking passengers, a throng of ‘embarkers’ bustled on.

And there we were, back home again. Almost. We still had to get past Pacho’s, failed, and then the Sunrise, failed, where memory starts to blur (Sunrise is an anagram of ‘sure sin’ after all). Back home, Jack was pleased to see us, having been living outside for a week, but well looked after by Sam (and a little bit Harry), and before you could say ‘unpack’ we’d unpacked and were back into our usual routine.

So, I hope you enjoyed our rush around Kos Town last week, now I can get the blog back to its usual mundane nonsense about nothing in particular and tell you:

Since being back I have been working on ‘Lonely House’ the novel I wrote during the summer. It is currently being edited and is due for ‘release’ in the New Year with ‘RC publishing.’ This is another horror story, a bit more horror than The Judas Inheritance, and not set on Symi. Once I have done my share of the proofing I will have more time to get back to the next novel, which is a comedy called ‘Straight Swap.’ More about that in days to come.

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To think, this time last week there was a large thunderstorm (or was that yesterday? No, I think it was today-last-week) while we were away. Luckily it happened while we were having breakfast. By the time we headed out to visit the castle it had all blown over, leaving puddles behind but no other big deal.

We took a stroll around the old fortification, the ‘Castle’, and admired the many and various bits and pieces the Knights had raided from other nearby sites in order to do their building. My favourite artefact was the fire extinguisher hanging on a stone wall, in a large open area, nowhere near trees, wood or anything combustible. I suppose that’s health and safety gone bonkers is it?

Another good day was had, last Thursday, and the castle walk, which is very good value for €3.00, was followed by more sightseeing in town which was followed by another lunch but this time down on the beach. We had been to this taverna the afternoon before, just for a drink, and thought we would return to it as it had been popular with local families. And very nice it was too, with homemade mezzethes and then some pork chops, sitting outside away from any breeze, watching the sea and the boats go past.

More walking lead us around the closed up holiday areas, the beach bars and the night clubs that thump and grind in the summer months. They all looked rather exhausted and tatty, as if they’d had too good a season and were now stuck with a winter hangover. We did get some strange looks from people as if to say, ‘You missed the party mate, you should have been here in August!’ but that was fine. And, while wandering we also spotted what turned out to be my favourite balcony railing of all time. (See picture.) One with a tune, which you can play by the way. But not only was it the creative use of the railing that got me but the fact that this place was in A Zouroudi Street. I liked that.

And then, another evening of watching the world go by and a night time walk around the streets of Kos, stopping here and there for refreshment and finally forcing ourselves towards another restaurant, this time for a Chinese meal. You must think that all we did was walk, eat and drink, and you would be right.

But, since we have been back we have returned to tap dancing, and Neil has been to Pilates classes and Zumba and has been doing his weights and walking up and down the Kali Strata, and I have been thinking about doing all of that but have been feeling rundown by a cold and apathy. I did get up to go jogging the other morning but it was blowing a gale and very cold. Will try again tomorrow. And I did go to tap dancing and that does involve some kind of effort, so there.

The high wind is still with us (at least it was yesterday) though the Blue Star did manage to come in, a little late. There is no boat tomorrow as there is a strike today, so our next big boat (for produce and cargo) will be Wednesday, giving a gap of one week. Best get to the shops soon and stock up before there’s a rush on rice, or a bundle for bananas, it’s that time of year again.

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