To Symi

Stagger out of bed at 6:00am .... The bed does not encourage it's incumbents to linger under the sheets.... glorious morning..... walk through the old town past the church... the ruins... the waking cafes.... out of the marina gate and into the port... Beautiful weather... Beautiful weather.... Return to the inn... the breakfast lady has arrived... Sit with our backs physically touching the medieval wall of the old city.... enjoy a greek breakfast...

The high speed ferry to Symi..... Smooth... Fast... Spend 40 minutes with eyes closed listening to the voices... An English voice rare...the use of the English language occasional.... why... to enable the Spanish to talk to the French.... lots of French.... lots of Germans.... Scandinavians.... Surprised!

10 minutes later we approach Symi harbour.... nice.. This should be good....

 

we are well before Check-in time .... hanging around with bags will be a pain... how are we going to find this place... the instructions are vague.... that old man looks like he has a sign that says Mike Rebbechi... It sure does... that is a surprise... he has his rusty old trolley... old.... old...but for fit purpose... Our bags are addressed by the tynes of the trolley and off he goes.... This is his ouzo money... the penguins waddle along in pursuit.... 100 metres... He stops.... Greek lady greets us.... we are led through a small gap between the merchandise of one of the stores that line the port.... up a small flight of stairs still in pursuit of our cases.... into the apartment.... delightful... the views can only be described by photograph.... a pair of twin apartments with the owners occupying the twin...

 

Pinch ourselves.... Sit on the balcony.... watch... watch... those poor people in their expensive boats have cramped accommodation at sea level.... we sit on our 100 euro balcony and look down on them.... We could be in Mennagio.....

Symi is quiet.... what sustains this place.... we wander.... take up temporary occupation of a table in a Cafe displaying a menu engineered to attract the British.... We look out over the small deep port..... It is 10:00... the Greek Island Tour boats arrive.... they disgorge the English and the French.... their tour leaders point their umbrellas to the sky and their flock dutifully follow albeit with considerable variation in enthusiasm.... The waiters strive to attract them to dispose of their newly converted euros... they have limited success.... we assist ... More tour boats arrive.... more tourists are disgorged .... more yachts enter the harbour.... their owners fulfilling their life long ambition of sailing the Greek Islands... They are clearly pleased with Symi's contribution to the fulfilment of that dream....

We eat.... we drink Greek beer.... We make a pledge not to mention the word diet for the next 6 days...

Time spent sitting on the balcony soaking up the 25 degrees sunshine... Time spent napping... Time spent wandering to the stoney beach... photograph the boats... photography the fish.... Select the evening restaurant....

5:00 pm.... Symi is quiet..the tour boats have returned to Rhodes... the committed holiday makers remain.....

Penguin number one is hungry.... She is not yet operating on Symi time.... Dinner she says....downstairs.... three doors....catherette's..... Catherette greets us.....her restaurant is open but her waiter is yet to arrive.....she fills in for him.... both waiter and chef.... A Grecian that speaks with an immaculate English accent.... she has spent many years in the UK she says.... order red wine.... order olives....cod roe with cucumber (taramosalata) .. Oven cooked tomatoes with mixed cheeses (saganaki)...Mousaka.... We octopus stiffado.....

We sit admiring the rich as their cabin crews moor their multi -million dollar motor cruisers... three occupy the births adjacent to restaurant... the scorpion... the white lion....salt out of Wilmington.... Wthe beautiful people withdraw from sight the crew meticulously polish their charges.... they carry British and American flags but the wallet carriers of the Scorpio and the white rose clearly Russian....hired?... Tupperware boats says Catherette.... Small compared to the high season...

 

The wallet carrier of the Salt looks like the owner... he does not withdraw from view... sits with his iPad ... engrossed... His lady mature and stylishly dressed... she does not disturb him.... clearly there are transactions under way that support this lifestyle.....

We watch as the beautiful people from the Scorpio and the White Rose gradually emerge... Mature men some with stomach protuberances that would challenge those of penguin number two.... They are accompanied by much less mature females.... some of the latter display chest protuberenes that would challenge the ingenuity, technical skills, determination and persistence of any structural engineer charged with designing and implementing a system to limit the displacement caused by their owner's perambulations.... in this case the structural engineer has failed with his commission ... penguin number two contemplates the range of skills that has earnt these young female this life style.

The food arrives... Penguin number two's attention is readjusted...

Night falls... the lights come on... the locals emerge... Friday night football dominates the television displays of the taverns that surround the ports.... No need to watch... the progressive score can be gleamed by counting the cheers and howls that echo in stereo around the port...

We sit on the balcony in the gentle breeze.... watch the harbour close as the giant Blue Star ferry comes into port... no room for any other maritime vessel to move while this giant arrives and then departs... The harbour returns to its normal state.... how good is the view from the apartment!... Enjoy..... enjoy..

 

 

 

 

 

 

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