Symi. A love that ........

[Dave]

Symi - a love that dare not speak it's name ( apologies to Oscar Wilde)
Several years ago, after a good dinner with two wonderful friends and some hard effort being put into using up the Bordeaux, talk came round to holidays. Carol and Chris - regular, and I mean regular - visitors to Greece were waxing lyrical. Me ? Yeah, another glass of red please! I mentioned how much I'd enjoyed being down in the Peloponnese in 1972 but had never been back - a living to earn, children to bring up, all the stuff !
At the end of the evening, a cunning plan had been hatched - I was dragged kicking and screaming into an agreement to go on holiday together to Greece. The proviso was, somewhere they hadn't been and not to the Peloponnese as I remembered it pre-tourism!

With the aid of several brochures, an instant objection to anything that suggested "Pool Table", Karaoke", Bingo", "Quiz Night" and umpty-nineteen rooms, Symi had inadvertantly become the focal point with a company called Manos.

Nature, being nature, dealt the poor hand. The one constant in my life other than Gail - my Dad - folded his tent and went to the only place that he could watch Wales win the World Cup. We pulled out of the arrangements.

Fast forward a few weeks. Yet again, wine had been taken at Carol and Chris's place - well we have to have a hobby ! Carol : " Would you have still gone but for your Dad?" Me : "Oh yes". Carol ( it had to be Carol - Chris was joining me in assassinating some more cheap cooking red !) : Good, 'cos it's booked and paid for. We're off to Symi."

Rodos - rep - Sylvia. What an ambassador for Symi she was. Ferry from Mandraki, late evening arrival as the sun was just about set. What's the big deal ? A dark landscape with the occasional light spotted to break the pattern. Symi 1 turns abruptly to port, in through the unseen entrance and there it was - an explosion of delight, beauty and .... well, I don't know. I'm a cynical sod but, with apologies to Gail, that WAS a case of love at first sight !

Down to Pedi, greeted by Stelios ( you must remember the rusty "Red Stripe" van) at the accommodation. Quckest unpacking you've ever seen - it had been a long day, sustainance was needed - and a walk to the shoreline. All of ten or twenty yards.

Walked to Nikos Katsaros' place - it was getting on in the evening by now and we had to turn right or left - and , in what seems like seconds, up came souvlaki, horiatiki salad, wine ( but only after what then became the ritual first drink in Greece for me .... the bottle of Mythos). The food, after a long day, was terrific, the welcome from Nikos, his wife and family and colleagues was right on the money. The soft sounds of water just lapping underneath your feet, the total peace and quiet ( okay, the power generators up the road weren't operating but also were never an intrusion to our routine, anyway), Instant Love.

To be continued.

[SueO]

Thanks Dave. Keep it up....brings back happy memories.

[Dave]

Symi - the love....... part 2.

Sorry, a slight delay. I've just spent a fair time thinking, remembering and typing ........ then hit the "back button" instead of "send" and it went down the tubes. As it's gone 10 p.m, and I'm up at 3 a.m. for work, in the words of "Atomic Rooster" ...... tomorrow night !