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Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 27 Sep 2016, 16:40
by Gemma1
Monday 26 September
After a bacon sandwich for breakfast, courtesy of M, I set off down the road for Pedi, stopping off at the cemetery en route to pay my respects to a couple of people. On reaching Pedi I took the much improved path to Agios Nikolaos beach. The path is now really straightforward with no rocky bits to negotiate, though there are of course still a lot of steps down to the beach. From leaving Pedi to arriving on the beach at Ag Nik took only 15 minutes. After a couple of hours relaxing on one of the sunbeds close to the sea (3 euros each), I had lunch of tuna salad, bread and a large bottle of water in the taverna for 6.5 euros. I spent another hour relaxing by the sea before walking back to Pedi and meeting up with friends for a drink and then walking up the road to the Secret Garden for a slice of Katja’s delicious apple cake.

After pre-dinner drinks at the Rainbow, we set off down the Kali Strata for dinner at the Dolphin where we shared garlic pizza bread, followed by a large margarita pizza; pollo pasta; funghi pasta and tuna pasta. The total bill including half a litre of white wine, half a litre of red and a large bottle of water was 52 euros. The whole meal was delicious. After a nightcap in the harbour we caught the 11 o clock bus back to Horio.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 27 Sep 2016, 20:42
by Eliza
Another great day. I am with you every step of the way Thank you.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 27 Sep 2016, 22:48
by silverfox
Thanks for the update.....love all the blog type posts.

With the news filtering through the post tomorrow may be interesting!

Stay safe to all our Symi friends!

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 28 Sep 2016, 07:04
by Gemma1
Tuesday 27/9/16
After breakfast we walked up to the kiosk where the Symi tours mini bus picked us up shortly after 0930 to take us to Toli beach. The mini bus stopped en route at the Taxiarhis Mihail Roukouniotis Monastery where we were given a guided tour. I visited the monastery last year on a different trip but it was well worth another visit to look at the impressive frescoes. After leaving the monastery I walked the final 3km down to Toli beach and the others stayed on the mini bus which was met at the top of the dusty track by the truck from the Daphne Taverna which provided transport for the final leg of the journey.

We spent the day relaxing on Toli beach and I ventured into the sea for a swim, brr the water was cold! It was lovely and peaceful sitting by the water’s edge watching the sea glistening in the sun. We had lunch at the taverna where I had an excellent grilled chicken with a very large chicken breast for 8 euros. Shortly after 4pm the truck made two journeys to take us back up the track where the Symi Tours mini bus was waiting for us.

Our final dinner was a George & Maria’s where we had aubergine salad, cheese balls, courgette fritters, chips and two main courses of beef with mushrooms and metaxa which was delicious, the meat was really tender and tasty. The total bill including bread, half a litre of white wine and half a litre of red plus a bottle of large water was 52 euros.

After dinner we went to Lefteris where we met up with a friend and there was some impromptu Greek dancing from M. It was a lovely last evening on Symi.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 28 Sep 2016, 17:09
by Gemma1
Wednesday 28/9/16
After a final breakfast on the terrace I packed up and moved my things into M&A’s room as they very kindly offered to let me use their facilities until I was due to leave at 3. I’d already asked Frank if there was any chance of keeping my room on for a couple of hours but it wasn’t possible as he was expecting more occupants that evening. After leaving my suitcase I had a leisurely walk up to the windmills before walking back down through the back of the square and round the backstreets of Horio and descending the Katarakas to Yialos. Halfway down I met an elderly Greek man carrying what looked to be a very heavy box up the steep slope/steps on his shoulder. A bit further down I passed a mule carrying what appeared to be a couple of doors up to Horio. When I reached the bottom I skirted the back of the square and walked on past the boatyard and up the slope to the church where I stayed for a while reading my book. I descended down the opposite slope and walked back to Yialos where I stopped in the harbour for a chicken gyros and small bottle of water – 3 euros. After a final walk round the harbour I walked back up the lazy steps to Taxiarchis where I had a shower and a change of clothing before the Symi Tours mini bus picked me up at 3pm to take me down to the harbour for the 4pm ferry back to Rhodes.

On arrival in Rhodes we were met by an Olympic coach that took us to the Kassandra hotel where we could use the facilities for 4 hours until it was time to go to the airport.

Another wonderful holiday on Symi comes to an end.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 28 Sep 2016, 18:20
by silverfox
So many thanks Gemma for giving us a Symi fix!

Some of us follow every step.

Can't wait for our visit next June.

:)

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 29 Sep 2016, 09:00
by Val
Thanks Gemma for another interesting report. Reading it is like another holiday. Sorry we missed you but enjoyed hearing all about your time on Symi. Was really sad to leave this time even though we have another week on Chalki. Symi somehow draws you in and gets hold of you. Experienced no after effects from the quake on our first evening here and although yesterday was really wild and windy today calm has returned and Chalki looks as lovely as ever. The big boat was in this morning and it was great admiring all the manouvering. One day we'll jump onboard and go to Karpathos. Booked in for a week on Kastellorizo for starters next year and still considering our next stop. Happy travelling Gemma xx

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 29 Sep 2016, 17:03
by D and E
Loved the Blog Gemma & we must be literarily like ships that pass in the night or at least in the afternoon as we were coming in on the Blue Star as we saw your ferry departing.

So now you have passed the baton to us we had better get to work.

Hope you are now home safe & sound.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 29 Sep 2016, 22:17
by Adam J
Gemma1 wrote:Wednesday 28/9/16
After leaving my suitcase I had a leisurely walk up to the windmills before walking back down through the back of the square and round the backstreets of Horio and descending the Katarakas to Yialos.


Hi Gemma1. A great trip report and I was just wondering about the Katarakas as I haven't heard it mentioned before. I assume it's another route from Chorio to Yialos rather than taking the Kalistrata?
Cheers

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 30 Sep 2016, 07:01
by Andy W
The Kataraktas is the original staircase leading from Yialos to Chorio. It's steeper, less well maintained (but it is maintained and lit) and isn't lined with buildings - instead there's a ravine to one side which after rain in winter does indeed become a cataract - hence the name.
Less used by locals because nobody lives along it, and while it leads to what was the most densely populated part of Chorio this isn't the case any longer because so much of that part of town was destroyed in the 1944 explosion.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 30 Sep 2016, 07:32
by Gemma1
I've always walked up the Kataraktas before, this was the first time I've ever walked down. I've always found it harder to walk up than the Kalistrata because of the lack of shade and the steep slope. As Andy said it's less well maintained than the Kalistrata and I walked down quite cautiously as was concerned I might slip on the cobbles. I think I'll go back to walking up it in future.

I took a photo of the Blue Star as it sailed past D&E - I was really wishing I was on it going back to Symi! I'm looking forward to your blogs. I'm not planning on going back to Symi next year as think it's time for a change but reading your blog again might make me change my mind ;)

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 30 Sep 2016, 07:43
by Gemma1
Sorry, I think I should have reduced the photo or something before posting it - all I can see is the sea!

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 30 Sep 2016, 08:32
by Allan
Gemma1 wrote:Sorry, I think I should have reduced the photo or something before posting it - all I can see is the sea!

I've resized it for you. Now we can almost see D&E waving to us! :D

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 01 Oct 2016, 09:51
by Gemma1
Allan wrote:
Gemma1 wrote:Sorry, I think I should have reduced the photo or something before posting it - all I can see is the sea!

I've resized it for you. Now we can almost see D&E waving to us! :D


Thank you Allan :D

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 02 Oct 2016, 08:09
by D and E
Well done Allan & Gemma :D

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 02 Oct 2016, 08:16
by Val
Brilliant picture of the Blue Star Gemma. Can I use it sometime on my Facebook page? Love the Kataractis but agree wholeheartedly about the cobbles. Great view of it from Irini when we stayed there once.

Re: Symi Trip September 2016

PostPosted: 02 Oct 2016, 10:07
by Gemma1
Val wrote:Brilliant picture of the Blue Star Gemma. Can I use it sometime on my Facebook page? Love the Kataractis but agree wholeheartedly about the cobbles. Great view of it from Irini when we stayed there once.


Of course you can Val.

I stayed at the Irini on my first two visits to Symi - great views but a lot of steps to cope with on the way home at night ;)