Shopping like a Cowboy. Rhodes Part Two.
After the fingerprinting was done, I had plenty of time before my next appointment, so we wandered around a little while, window shopping and bumping up the step-counter on my phone. I think we’d already walked four miles by then, and we were to manage 10 by the end of the day. A walk along the seafront showed hundreds of sunbeds, mostly empty at that time of day, with a good few meters between each umbrella and people already at work waiting for custom. As the morning went on, the streets became busier, but still not as busy as they would have been in ‘normal’ times. Later, there was time for shopping, and I needed new shorts and shirts, because last year, I didn’t bother as there was nowhere to go apart from the Rainbow Bar (which opened yesterday, btw). So, my personal shopper took me hunting in various clothes shops.
There was no need to book an appointment as you had to do a few weeks ago, but masks are compulsory, and every shop had hand-san all over the place. Some also had a card system so they could monitor how many were in the shop at one time, and H&M had a rather hunky security guard on the door who refused to frisk me. Shopping as a man is easy. You go in, see something you need, say ‘That’ll do’, pay and leave. The checkout lady at M&S once said to me, ‘You men are so fast,’ because I’d gone in, gone upstairs, found what I came for and was down again within five minutes. She seemed quite grateful or impressed. No idea why.
I had my optician’s appointment at 11.00, but I was early, and it was hot outside, so I thought I’d wait inside Optical House, where Mr Loukaidis gave me a coffee while he got himself ready. Full check-up, update on my vision, frames chosen, and all done and dusted in a friendly and professional atmosphere, and where, each time I go, I feel like I am being treated as a member of the family. Glasses will be delivered (for free) to Symi via courier as soon as they are ready. Perfect. And on to lunch…
As you might see, I didn’t take photos of everything, but we had lunch at Koukos, a guesthouse/café/bar in the pedestrian street, sitting outside enjoying the shade before going our separate ways for the afternoon. Jenine had an appointment elsewhere, and I just wandered gradually back to the harbour. By then, I was walking like a cowboy recently off his horse, suffering from what my nephew calls ‘chaffage’, but as long as I stopped now and then, I was fine. I took a pit stop at Nimmos, just inside Akandia gate, where Aris from Symi and his son run a traditional taverna. Odd to be served by a chap who was three when I first met him and who is now a six-foot, strapping man with fluent English, and we had a good catch-up. After that… More walking, a trip to Pappou where I scoured the shelves and finally found four packets of Typhoo tea (that’ll do for the next couple of weeks), before heading to New Mouragio, the taverna on the corner by the harbour gates. There, I asked for a glass of wine and turned down the offer of something to eat. The waitress was horrified that I was drinking wine in the afternoon without food (I was still full from lunch), and so I ended up with a massive free plate of mezethes and, for some reason, half a litre of white. Luckily, Jenine returned and helped with both. It’s only a five-minute walk to the boat from there, if that, so there was no stress when it came time to head home.
There will be more from me tomorrow, but I have no idea what that will be.
