Olive, Feta & Ouzo (and some other news plus photos from last summer to warm us up)
I am just watching the Blue Star Diagoras coming in (sideways it looks like) on Wednesday morning. It’s calm and sunny out there and the boat is only a little bit late; a couple of hours. I think an afternoon walk might be in order, but that’s for later today. First, a piece of stunning news. The first (legal) civil union in Greece was conducted by Athens’ Mayor Giorgos Kaminis yesterday (Tuesday). You can see a fuller report here.
This means that, after posting this blog, I need to get back to ‘Shocking the donkeys’ the book I am working on that is all about a small island’s first civil ‘marriage.’ Equality within marriage is still not on the Greek statute books, but from today civil partnerships are legal, having been specifically outlawed as recently as 2008. Greece has come under fire for that piece of legislation, it seems to be coming under fire from all quarters recently, but a new law was passed a couple of weeks ago to ‘end a circle of embarrassment’ (Tsipras) that the country has been suffering. About time.
Meanwhile, going back a few days to when I posted links to a few blogs about living in Greece that I had found, here’s another one that you might like to add to your dream list and come back to regularly. Olive, Feta & Ouzo is a blog by Amanda Settle who lives on Rhodes. Amanda is also at the forefront of the refugee aid work in Rhodes, she gave us a guided tour of the facility when we there last November and she has been to Symi to meet with Solidarity Symi and share experiences. Her blog is a neat mix of personal observations and updates and general articles about living in Greece, being and Ex-pat and helping with refugees, among many other things. Click the link, take a look and I think you’ll love it. http://www.amandasettle.com/
And back to life on Symi. We were taken out to dinner last night (thank you Sue and Phil, a great time!) and we went to Georgio’s. Regular Symi visitors often ask what it’s like here in the winter and whether the tavernas are open. Georgio’s is one of the few that stays open through the year and we’re lucky that it’s only 30 seconds walk from home. Last night on the menu was fresh fish, as caught by Manolis who was on the next table, plus lamb chops in the oven (very nice) and the usual mezethes and salads. It’s warm in there, the atmosphere is fun even when it’s quiet as there is always a table of local chaps chatting and debating, and guests are made welcome at any time of the year.
Now, having posted this, I must email a man who may be designing book covers for me and then set about more Donkey work, before the usual daily routine of housework and cooking kick in. After that, perhaps a walk, and then the rest of the day will be given over to relaxing and enjoying life on Symi.
