Symi Birthday
I suppose as I am writing this yesterday and it’s my birthday (56), it might be an opportune time to think back on where I was on other birthdays in the past. There are quite a few to remember, and I don’t have many photos taken on the actual days, but here are a few reminiscences…
Regarding Symi, I guess one of the most memorable was my 50th, and I wasn’t even here. We were in Transylvania for a holiday, and on the day itself, I woke up in the presidential suite of a hotel in Sighisoara. The hotel had messed up on our booking for our first night of three – the hotel was booked out by a party of Greek pilgrims visiting the local churches – so they put us in the suite at no extra cost for all three nights. I’m still sure that this was somehow pre-arranged by Neil, Jenine and Ian, but apparently not. It was snowing, and in the morning, we had coffee I the house where Vlad Tepes was allegedly born. A bit of a Dracula tie-in there. Back on Symi, we had had one 50th party at the Sunrise, a 50th dinner with Jenine and the boys and, after our return, another dinner to celebrate, so that birthday went on for at least four weeks.
Back in 2003, for my 40th and not long after we had moved here and fit from a seasons’ non-stop work for Takis at the Leather shop (600+ steps down and up every day of the week for seven months, plus the walking and lifting at work), we walked to Panormitis with Lisa. It was a sunny, spring day and the walk took us around four hours going via the wine press shortcut. Getting home was unplanned but we hitched a lift with a gang of celebrating builders who had invited us into their cell where they stayed during the week while working down there, for wine before setting off. Nearly didn’t see age 50 + one day, but we made it home, shaken and somewhat stirred. Sadly, I don’t have any photos of that time.
As for my 30th, well… That’s probably best not going into, but it involved being stood up by my then partner who chose that day to call it all off, going to a pub with my cabaret partner, Keith, and then a club in East London followed by a long walk home to Dalston at three in the morning. The rest is something of a blur.
Last year we were in Croatia for our honeymoon and my BD. On the day, the hotel presented me with a cake big enough for 20 people and a free packed lunch for our visit to the national park. They had seen my passport and realised it was my birthday, hence the cake. Like the hotel in Romania, the staff went out of their way to make my stay and birthday a memorable one. Hoteliers could learn a lot from the young people that ran these paces and how they deal with customer care and going ‘the extra mile’ in other parts of Europe.
I have also spent other birthdays there on Symi, notably one where there was an impromptu party at Rainbow that involved gin and tonic, and several that I have spent with Jenine and the godboys, our island family. As for yesterday, well, it’s still only 8.30 as I write. I’ve been up since four, done three hours of work, and we’re planning to go to Yialos, maybe have lunch or a drink there before meeting friends for a few drinks this evening. We’re taking the boys to dinner on Friday as they have after-school school on a Tuesday, so this birthday, like others, will run for more than just the one day.
Thank you for all the messages and thank you for supporting the blog and my books, all of which can be found here – with the same page being available to Amazon users in various countries. This is the .com page but should lead you to your local Amazon store if you have a birthday present to buy for someone and need some ideas.
