The weekend’s photos are from the ‘old photos’ folder, which means they were taken last year, or the year before. The thing is… how can you tell?
Symi Weather
Symi Weather
As I’ve said before, we get some kind of weather here all the time and yesterday we had all kinds of weather in one morning. I woke at 5.45 (a bit of a lie in after an evening at Taverna Zoi) to the sound of heavy rain. My first thought was for the bathroom ceiling which I’ve still not fixed, but it only leaks a little through cracks caused by the heat, and my second thought was that I wasn’t going to be going for a walk. That was a relief as I really can’t take to this exercise malarkey. I then did a quick check of windows and took a few dodgy photos from the balcony doors.
The rain passed pretty quickly, leaving a gloriously pink sunrise over the bay. The cloud moved over too just as a cruise ship was coming in, and a little while later a few more posh yachts pottered in and hung about off Harani. Perhaps the downpour will wash away some of the dust and humidity, and it’s certainly done the plants good. It’s also caused locals to get out there with their hosepipes and wash their roofs and steps. I suppose that’s to remove any traces of water…? I mean…? Well, there must be a reason. It also meant we have topped up the sterna with fresh water which will save a few pennies on the water bill.
My weather stations online tell me that we’re not due any more rain apart from perhaps a couple of drops today. Looks like that wet front has left Greece, at least for now. So, if you’re about to jet off and jet into Rhodes and on to Symi, it looks like you’re in for our more regular summer performances from the skies from now on.
Rain and Rainbow
Rain and Rainbow
It’s good to see that the Rainbow Bar (and others) have been busy this week. Neil’s had a couple of non-stop shifts, one due to the football match and the other… Well, like all other days, because it’s a nice place to be of an afternoon. Tuesday, another busy day, saw clouds and, later, rain overnight. Wednesday morning felt more like autumn, but hopefully, the wet weather will release some of the humidity and let it ‘Fly, my pretties,’ as in The Wizard Of Oz. It’s still plenty warm enough though, and the taxi boats and day-trip boats have been going out as usual.
I had a wonderfully unexpected day on Tuesday too. We had to nip down to Yialos to get some money, and I wanted to look around for a slimline camera to slip into my new bag, which I did, and then the day just slipped into one of those where nothing is achieved except relaxation. Very important. Lunch at To Spitiko, meeting friends in the afternoon, chilling a little at the bar and not worrying that I’d done no writing, and then watching ‘The Ghost Train’ as an evening film. (No idea where that compulsion came from, but it’s a fun film.) Bed at nine, up at five and onto the next day…
A Greek Summer
A Greek Summer
I’ve just started reading ‘A Greek Summer’ by Patricia Frew, and I must say, I am enjoying it immensely so far. I’m not yet very far into it, not because I’m not enjoying it, but because I don’t have much time for reading, generally saving that treat for when I am travelling or having a day off. It’s a mix of delightful poems interspersed with short anecdotes and stories, all about Greece, and one island in particular – and I think I can imagine exactly which one. I can even recognise some of the places and possibly people. So, if you’re a Symi fan, and I assume you are as you’re taking the time to read this, I can recommend it as a good, well-written read that also offers lots of variety. And plenty of opportunities to identify local places and possibly people.
Click the image or this link to find it on Amazon where you can download it in Kindle format or buy it as a real book.
Sunday afternoon
Sunday afternoon
I had a slightly disrupted day on Sunday because I wasn’t able to settle into anything. You know how it is sometimes. I had been out and bought some paint so we could give the kitchen a fresh coat. Except we couldn’t because the paint was either off (unlikely) or so eco-friendly that it was made from the scrapings of a sewer with white colouring added; there was no way we were putting that stinky stuff on the walls. Will try another brand next time. We also had an appointment to keep in the square in the afternoon, and that was when the day brightened considerably.
Our insurance agent from AXA in Rhodes had come over with her husband and daughter. They were on a day trip, but it was a good opportunity to update our health insurance. In typical Greek fashion, we did this and the paperwork at a table at the café in the square while the football raged around us. ‘It’s so quiet here,’ she said, more used to life in Rhodes and work in Faliraki than the rural ways of Symi. She said this as England were scoring goals left right and centre-forward and the fans were cheering. I explained it’s usually a lot quieter than that, with maybe soft Greek music playing or just the grate of cicadas in the trees. We had a lovely chat and catch-up, and the insurance is all sorted for another year. Just have to save and pay for it when it’s due in August.
Meanwhile, I was also putting the finishing touches to a trip to the yUK I am doing in July/August. The purpose of this is to see an old school friend who now lives in New Zealand but who is in London for one month only. Not a chance to be missed as we’ve not met for about 37 years. While there, I’m also going to see my brother, some other old school chums and friends in Brighton. I intend to spend three days on the Romney Marshes, having lunches, dinners and hopefully some long walks, weather permitting. I shall visit the imaginary area of Saddling (actually Fairfield, if you know the marsh) and take some photos. I’m now working on ‘The Eastling’ the third in the Saddling series – am up to chapter four – so a visit to the ‘felds’ and ‘dowels’ where Tom, Barry, Dan and the others live in my imagination should boost the creative inspiration.
That’s not until the end of July though, and meanwhile, there are things to be done here on Symi apart from the daily writing. The room by room decorating of the house, hopefully without foul smelling eco paint, organising a new computer keyboard, currently in hand with SmartSymi, and trying to keep the courtyard plants alive as the temperature rises. Hardly a rat race.
