Sunday afternoon. Hot again, cicadas nearby, boats far away, fans turning, time passing, and people on social media discussing the prices of everything on Symi. Is the island going too far towards the expensive end of the market, and are people being greedy? That’s countered with the cost of living generally and more so here where everything has to come in by boat, and conversations about how it’s possible to spend a day here without spending a fortune. Free beaches if you bring your own shade, cheap food if you eat giros etc, and cheaper accommodation if you shop around.
Also, the scenery is free.
It’s the accommodation situation, and to my mind, there may be an element of greed involved. As you may know, we may have to move house, next month, next year or never; it depends on the outcome of our late landlord’s probate. What worries me about this is being able to find somewhere that’s a decent size and affordable. Since moving here 22 years ago, we’ve lived in three rented houses, each of them being Symi-unusual because they have had at least one extra room. Our rent has always been affordable too. What’s unsettling for me (and many local people, especially younger ones) is to see the number of properties being converted to Airbnb. I’ve never understood how it makes sense to spend a tidy sum converting a place, only to rent it out for a few weeks of the year. Gambling on getting the custom isn’t the only headache. I had a quick look at the regulations, and I never want to see them again. Tax liability, health and safety, STR regulations, permissions, personal liability, insurance, EU directive 2021/514, data-sharing rules, VAT, Article 111 of Law 4446/2016… [Shudders]
There’s another downside besides us possibly not being able to find or afford a long-term rental should we need to. I was recently talking with a visitor who’d booked an Airbnb, had been there for a couple of weeks and had had no cleaning, no change of bedding, no contact from the owners, and so on. The visitor was one who ‘didn’t want to make a fuss’ and I bet there are more who have chosen to put up with a similar shoddy service.
Anyway… Hopefully, we will hear from our man in Rhodes in due course and we’ll either be able to stay, or we won’t. Either way, he’ll tell us what’s what and give us time to search should we ever need to move. If there are any long-term rentals left to move to by then.
As for my weekend, it started with a godson and later today (Sunday) it will end with another one. Harry and I went to Yialos on Friday so he could buy his big brother something for his birthday. The trip included lunch at Meraklis and a beer at Agialos, a photo of which caused some matrons to cluck that he’s not old enough to drink. Well, you know, if you’re old enough to play Beethoven, look after your home, and work sixty hours a week in service, then you’re old enough to make up your own mind. Neil collected a copy of my godfather’s biography what I wrote, and it’s come just in time. I dedicated it to my nephew and my two godsons, so I can give a copy to the oldest at his birthday dinner tonight. After that, unless something tempts me, I shall be coming home while Neil works helping Yiannis at the bar during the dance competition and hospital tag which is a football match.
