Symi Dream

Living on a Greek island

A Greek island blog from Symi in the Dodecanese islands of Greece. "James’s great talent lies in his careful observation of the absurd and the amusing, the dramas and the difficulties..." Anne Zouroudi.

Symi Dream - Living on a Greek island

Symi election 2019

Symi election 2019

Before we get to the regular Symi Saturday Photos, here are two news items that will be of interest to people living on the island and visitors alike. The election of a new mayor and council is due to take place in a few months, and the process has already started. I’ve been told that three candidates are running this year (though I don’t know all the details yet). One of the candidates, Elias, has arranged a meeting with non-Greek nationals living on the island, so everyone has a chance to let their views be known and ask questions. This meeting will take place on Monday 25th February at 7.30 pm at the Sunrise Café, Horio. It will be a chaired meeting, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Also, for those who want to vote in the election who haven’t yet registered, you have until March 28th to do so. You need to do this at the town hall. It’s been so long since I registered I can’t remember what you need to take, but go and visit the KEP office (downstairs at the town hall building, front, door on the left), and ask there. After March 28th… who knows? This could be the last chance for British people to register. You will need to have your residency card in place, but if you’ve been living on Symi for more than three months, you should have done this by now anyway.

Okay, and now some recent and older, random photos.

Sept 16th 17 Feb 20_5 february 15th_28 february 15th_23 february 15th_12 february 15th_01 December 196 Oct 20th 7 oct 8 2 Sept 24th 14

Building, decorating etc.

Building, decorating etc.

Some harbour shots today. As you can see, there is work going on, on the streets and on buildings. There is always something going on somewhere, rebuilding, starting anew, repairing or renovating. The winter, when it’s dry, is a good time to get on with it. It’s not as hot, but there is less daylight. In the height of summer, builders tend to work shifts, starting early in the morning, breaking off at the hottest part of the day and returning in the evening. Winter time seems to be more nine to five, or seven to six more like.

Feb 20_4

You can also see that the sea was calm. There wasn’t a breath of wind, and the sea was like glass. Good sailing weather if you’re going about without sails, and the boats have been running as normal recently after the bad weather and storms of January (December, November and some of February). It’s good to have some respite from the elements.

Feb 20_1

If you were following our own ‘renovations’ and the office-to-study transformation, you will be interested to know that the woodwork has now been done in the workhouse, both of us have our new furniture (almost) and carpets, and my new velvet curtain is up at my window. I will get a photo at a later date as I am waiting for my chair to be made and delivered, and that may not be here until May so you will have to wait. We’ve also had the bedroom done, and it’s now has a warm colour and looks 100% better. If you’re on Symi and want a local decorator who works expertly, quietly, conscientiously and well, let me know, and I’ll put you in touch (it’s Kevin, for those who know him). He even fixed a leak on a pipe, a light fitting that didn’t work and put up the curtain rail after we made a mess of it, so that was a bonus.

Feb 20_3

Kali Strata thought

Kali Strata thought

I just had a look at a couple of photos I took yesterday on my way to Yialos and back and realised that three of them are rather stone dominated. That made me ask, how many individual stones are there on the Kali Strata do you suppose? I have heard many people say that Symi isn’t the best place for a children’s holiday – as we’re not your typical seaside, all-inclusive, waterpark type holiday destination, and people say there’s nothing for children to do. Well, that’s wrong for a start. Apart from everything that’s on offer here (beaches, sea, walking, boat hire, the sea-sports, boat trips, day trips, walks, modern playgrounds, safe streets, impromptu football games in the square – everyone welcome to join in, the festivals, music, shops and more), there’s a game you can employ to keep your children entertained. Give them the task of counting the stones in the steps of the Kali Strata. That should keep them busy for several days.

Kali strata

Seriously though (as most of the above was), when you stop to think that just about every street and path on the island is made of stone. Most of it comes from the island itself, and not to mention every house, drystone wall and so on, there must be millions of individual rocks/stones in use, and they didn’t get there themselves. The Kali Strata was mainly built in the 19th, and early 20th century, I’m told, which means an awful lot of people found, dug out, cut, carried, laid and grouted every single one of them over time, and the work is still going on.

Feb 20_7

So, with that early morning thought, I’ll keep rocking, post this and get back to my daily routine which is mainly made up of sneezing, blowing my nose (still), and keeping warm. It’s back to that time when it’s sometimes warmer outside than it is inside the house – when you’re in the sun at least. Beautiful weather but still not quite enough sun to warm the stones of the house so they hold the warmth inside. But we’re getting there.

And the path outside the house which looks like concrete in this photo but is all stone.

And the path outside the house which looks like concrete in this photo but is all stone.