Preparing for a party
A quick visit to Yialos on Saturday confirmed that the summer season is poised on the edge of ‘ready to go.’ Almost.
Tables and chairs are being made ready, bars and tavernas tidied up, dusted down, cleaned again (they are usually cleaned up at the end of one season and again at the start of the next, even though they have not been used). New parking restrictions are already fighting valiantly with parkers on the front, deliveries are being made and painting is being seen to. There was a long line of cars heading over to Rhodes on Friday on the Blue Star. I guess people are shopping for supplies, seeing to the endless paperwork, settling bills, debating others, seeing officials over in Rhodes to make sure all licenses are in order, that kind of thing. I wonder what new processes there will be for those who work in cafés and restaurants this year. The usual health checks that include chest X-rays and blood tests (and others I shan’t go into), health and safety exams, books to be signed and photos to be provided for new workers. Some of the tests and exams last for several years — or used to — and there are papers to complete for those on IKA and other insurances. It’s a busy time of the year.
There were at least two tourists on Saturday. I know they were tourists because they were wearing the uniform, backpacks, shorts and t-shirts. There were other Saturday visitors from Rhodes too, and it was good to see that Meraklis was open, in its usual place. The rumours of it moving or closing were unfounded then. It’s all starting to ‘kick off’, as they say.
The same goes for the village where, although there may be news about some places not opening this year, others are preparing for Summer. Georgio’s has been redecorated inside; all the photos were off the walls, and the walls have been painted. The outside has been stripped and re-rendered and undercoated. Lefteris’ kafeneion has been painted and has some extra netting up in the square to help stop the footballs from coming over, providing the children with a decent goal to aim at. Taverna Zoi was being painted and tidied ready for opening at some point, a forklift was in use to bring supplies to Sotiris’ supermarket, and the new pie shop and bakery has been open next door all winter.
There is a feeling of hopefulness in the air. Yiannis Rainbow is away next Friday but, as there are now visitors here and some day-trippers, he has asked Neil to start work on Friday and man the bar all day. We sat there on our way back up on Saturday and chatted to two American tourists who had come over for the day; the start of the usual afternoon conversations. The weather is warming up, but we have had some rain and a thunderstorm, and I have seen electricians and plumbers, decorators and so on preparing properties.
So, it looks like Symi is almost ready to welcome arrivals and visitors, day trippers and those with properties who come for longer periods of time. The party is just about ready, and all we need now is you.
