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snapperjon
Symi Visitor
United Kingdom
191 Posts |
 Posted - 06 July 2009 : 09:28:57
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Well, the Olive tree, to be specific. Drinking tea, about to have a late breakfast.
And the weather, in case you were wondering, is wonderful. So are the people, the food, the sea, the sky...
Equally wonderful has been the service from Olympic. Those of you who have been keeping in touch will have seen entries suggesting that there are areas in which the holiday company could tighten up. It seems they have done so. So far,they have been exemplary. The night flight into Rhodes (arriving from Bristol at midnight, near enough)was met by Stephan and an efficiant bus, we were whisked to a perfectly reasonable overnight hotel (Kasandra in Ixia), correctly advised as to the time and departure point of the ferry (Symi II), met by Ian when we got to the island, conveyed to the Anastacia with no dramas whatsoever.
And Symi, on our third visit, looks as fantastic as ever. This time we are here for a full two weeks,so rather than having to rush around trying to fit everything into a couple of weekends we can take our time, very much the correct way to see this island.
Highlights so far? Terrific tsadziki at Nimborio (and a 6 mile return walk in this heat is fine if taken slooowly), a great swim with the fishes, the guided walk through the upper town with Ian (€13 for three hours of well informed education), dinner at Zoe's, Mythos of course...
On the down side we have little to complain of: €4 for a glass of warm orange juice is a bit on the, OK, actually a LOT, over the top,(new place at the far end of the harbour) we're still waiting for the loo seat in out apartment to be fixed.
Coming back is always risky. You may have painted in your mind a loved place in colours that are brighter than the actuality.
Symi, I am pleased to be able to report, is even brighter than we remembered.
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we are such stuff as dreams are made on... |
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jacxxx
Starting Visitor
United Kingdom
37 Posts |
Posted - 06 July 2009 : 09:43:35
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Wow- FAB pics x x x
Can't wait to go now and you've certainly made me feel a bit easier about Olympic :D
Enjoy the rest of you holiday
Jackie x x x |
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return! |
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Kon
Persistent Visitor
Australia
1266 Posts |
Posted - 06 July 2009 : 11:35:15
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Thanks for the blog and pics Jon ,hope you are having a great time. |
ETHO KAI TORA |
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Kojak
Inveterate Visitor
United Kingdom
2419 Posts |
Posted - 06 July 2009 : 11:37:03
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| I was expecting excellent photos, Jon, and I got them! Pleased that Olympic seem to have taken on the complaints we all made. Do keep us informed - and continue the superb photos of course! |
Who loves ya baby! |
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Joanie
Persistent Visitor
United Kingdom
1027 Posts |
Posted - 06 July 2009 : 17:12:39
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Thanks for the lovely pictures Jon, great blog, glad your enjoying it |
BB |
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Ozzie Geoff
Ozzie Geoff
Australia
1437 Posts |
Posted - 07 July 2009 : 16:06:35
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I was talking to a mate who has just returned from Italy & asked him if he had an orange juice. He didn't but his wife did & it cost 5e, much to his disgust. However, with prodding he conceded that it was beautifully presented and they did not skimp on size and was in one of the better areas of central Rome. His beer, by the way was 3.5e.
One would hope that the merchant on Symi is left with a case of rotting oranges.
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Ozzie Geoff
Ozzie Geoff
Australia
1437 Posts |
Posted - 07 July 2009 : 16:09:50
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Sorry Jon, forgot to mention the great photos & blog.
It must have been very early in the 2A's bar as punters look a bit short on the ground. |
If this message causes confusion, my work here is done. |
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Adriana
Persistent Visitor
1430 Posts |
Posted - 07 July 2009 : 16:29:17
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Oranges are now out of season in the Med  and the next harvest is several months away so those were probably imported long haul from somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere unless they had been in cold storage for a while.
The best time for real fresh orange juice here is mid to late winter That's when the hawkers' trucks are laden with citrus fruit and they are really cheap (sweet oranges don't do well on Symi - few people can afford the huge amounts of water necessary to keep the developing fruit happy on an orange tree in a Symi summer so the oranges are usually bitter)
Meanwhile, it's melon time  |
The secret to survival is a well developed sense of the ridiculous. |
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snoopy2
Symi Visitor
United Kingdom
146 Posts |
Posted - 07 July 2009 : 17:37:33
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| Smashing pics - lorks i don't want to wish my life away but......roll on September. |
snoopy2 |
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Colette
Symi Visitor
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 07 July 2009 : 18:13:25
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| Lovely photos - you put my feeble efforts to shame. Thanks for the info on the night flight situation as I'll be in the same boat ( hopefully Symi 2) in September |
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maziemoo
Persistent Visitor
United Kingdom
2248 Posts |
Posted - 07 July 2009 : 20:06:49
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| Lovely photos Jon.....now I'm having a missing Symi moment! |
Yesterday is experience, tomorrow is hope... today is getting from one to the other. |
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snapperjon
Symi Visitor
United Kingdom
191 Posts |
Posted - 08 July 2009 : 08:06:13
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Anyone complaining about the heat? It’s been in the high 30s, perhaps touching 40 degrees at times here on Symi, and I love it. I remember hearing a story recently, one of those regular pieces about how stupid people can sound when making excuses to the police: (“He was all over the road, officer. I had to swerve several times before I hit him.” Or: “I pulled into the wrong driveway, and hit a tree I haven’t got.” Both actual statements). This one was about the complaints people make to holiday companies. The one that stands out, and I’m not sure of its veracity but let’s hope it’s true, as it is a brilliant story, concerned the woman who complained that the holiday company had not warned her that there would be fish in the sea, and her children were frightened by them.
So, if you don’t like it hot, go to Greenland. If you treat the heat as you would the cold, i.e. use some common sense, it’s fine. Walk more slowly. Take plenty of water with you. Don’t wear a balaclava.
Symi sinters in scintillating, searing sun, some suffering, some saying stop that bloody alliteration right now, OK? What do you think this is, a travel brochure? In general, I’ve found that warm places tend to be friendlier than the chillier climes. Possibly this is me; I hate the cold. EVERYONE here smiles, just about. I have seen not a jot of resentment from the locals at all the visitors, despite anything that you may have heard. Ignore rumour. See for yourself. Sure there are going to be a few sourpusses –there always are – in the same way that some children will cry at a birthday party. But the vast majority are perfectly happy to see you, and as you stroll home after yet another good meal (stroll slowly. It’s still hot, remember?) the friendly calls of “kalimera!”, “kalispera!” and “kalinihta!” that follow you home come from people you’ve never met, but who are just nice people. (A digression: “kalimera” should not be confused with “calamari.” If someone wishes you “Good morning!” it’s impolite to reply “...and fried octopus to you, my friend!” )
Despite the vicissitudes of the pound, prices here are nothing much to worry about. Although clothing seems to have gone up rather a lot, on the whole things seem to be about what you’d expect to pay back in the UK.
A decent meal for two for under £20, including a couple of glasses of something nice, is no problem. You can do better: Try the gyros bar behind the customs building at the end of the harbour, next to the herb and spice stall. A gyros wrap here is just €2 ( a gyros is spiced pork carved into a pitta with chips, salad and usually mustard and mayonnaise). Add another €2.50 for a large, ice-cold bottle of Mythos and you have the meal I intend to request before they take me out and hang me. And I will die a happy man.
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we are such stuff as dreams are made on... |
Edited by - snapperjon on 08 July 2009 08:08:38 |
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Ozzie Geoff
Ozzie Geoff
Australia
1437 Posts |
Posted - 08 July 2009 : 08:26:52
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That lass at the leather shop is the dead ringer for an Italian friend of mine. I was really taken aback "What in the bloody hell is Ilaria doing on Symi??" The nose is a bit different, thats all.
Jon,the clarity of your snaps is superb. |
If this message causes confusion, my work here is done. |
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snapperjon
Symi Visitor
United Kingdom
191 Posts |
Posted - 08 July 2009 : 08:34:29
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| Ta, Geoff (and everyone else who has made nice comments about the photos). Snappery is what I do for a living (mostly teaching these days as the newspapers don't have money to pay my ludicrous fees), and editors get all excited if I send in pics out of focus or with my thumb over the lens. |
we are such stuff as dreams are made on... |
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Kojak
Inveterate Visitor
United Kingdom
2419 Posts |
Posted - 08 July 2009 : 11:42:14
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| Jon, just stop teasing! I'd barely got over Neil from Symidream saying every weekend is fabulous and now you come up with a snap of a Mythos bottle that's so close I can almost taste it! |
Who loves ya baby! |
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Kon
Persistent Visitor
Australia
1266 Posts |
Posted - 08 July 2009 : 12:05:18
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And the Giros looks very inviting too,mmm thank you Jon .
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ETHO KAI TORA |
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YMI...DEADLINE SYMI...DEADLINE SYMI...DEADLI
