Symi in the winter
This time Monday feels like the first Monday back to work after Christmas. Even though I did do some work last week, it still felt too festive to settle right back into it. But today is the day.
I am not sure how many people are working down in Yialos though, as Symi in the winter continues to feel very quiet – more so than I have noticed in other year’s. We were down there on Friday and had a walk around and, as you will see from some of the photos, there was hardly a soul about. The ferry had been in so no doubt some of the population was over on Rhodes getting things done, others staying indoors, others away still for the festive period. There would be no trouble finding a table at this time of year, unlike the busy days of summer, but the trouble isn’t so much finding a table but finding an open taverna. But that’s how it is on Symi in the winter.
I imagine it is very similar on other island or even quieter on some; I wonder what Tilos is like at this time of year. It would be possible to go and find out though I’d have to stay for a week, or else travel via Rhodes as our only direct connection is on a Friday night. You can get up and down the islands without too much hassle during the winter, there are three trips up from Rhodes to the other Dodecanese islands via Symi, though not all to the same destinations; you can reach Patmos only on a Sunday, but on a Monday and Saturday you can reach Agathonisi, should you wish to pop in there for five minutes (it doesn’t stop, just turns right around and heads back down the line of islands again).
But I’ve got no plans to go anywhere until March when the annual MOT becomes due – the health insurance covers me for a round of annual check-ups courtesy of AXA. I’m saving up to invest in new glasses too, so might get the full package this year. I usually do this in March every year, or April, as the resulting telling off by the doctors usually inspires me on to get back out on my early walk regime… something I will do when the weather is warmer. Meanwhile, walking up the Kali Strata once or twice a week will have to do and it’s still more exercise than I used to get in car-obsessed Blighty in a month.
Anyway, I didn’t sit down here to ramble and yet I can’t help myself. I should now sign off and get on with some work as this is, after all, the first real day back at work after Christmas. But maybe I’ll just go and get the binoculars out and see what’s going on out at sea first, or put some ointment in the cat’s eye – actually I need to go the pharmacist and get some first, I am running him on weekend-make-do treatments at the moment. He’s got a touch of conjunctivitis (as diagnosed by a private word with the Royal Personal Physician (thank you again for the advice)) which needs some antibiotic drops. As often happens on Symi, the cat needs something but there is no ferry to Rhodes for five days (as he went down with this on Friday morning) so you improvise and visit the pharmacy, both of which are very good at helping with animal medicine when they can. So, after those distractions are dealt with I might get down to some work at last.
