Magical Margaritas

[silverfox]

So the picture at the Rainbow caused so much angst...not being there...and the need to be there again.

Simple Symi at it's best!

So many thanks D & E....so many pleasures in a few words and pictures!

[D and E]

Sun Setting on Symi - an E pic

Sunday - Day 4 on Symi

Waking up to yet another beautiful day with blue skies and a lovely 30 degrees.

We had thought Irini's boat to Ag. Marina but D pressing the snooze button put paid to that

So we walked to Nimborios instead. We stopped at the shack below the Nirides Hotel and had a beer and a frappe and then moved onto the Taverna at Nimborio where we had some more refreshments before lazing on a sunbed and then swimming before lunch. As we would expect at this time of the year the menu is limited but this turned out to be a bonus as bream was being offered at the same price as the sardines at €8 and a damned fine fish it turned out to be (more photos later as D is knocking this out before we head for the water taxis for the 10am sailing). We had this with dolmades and Greek salad before heading back on foot to the apartment.

We then dumped the bags and set off for Yialos as E fancied some baklava from Patiserie Nikolas. E bought enough to feed all of us that are currently staying in Margaritas We had a beer stop in the Corner Cafe and caught up with the family news before heading back, getting changed and going back round to Elpidas for the nightly ouzo / retsina (s). The first drinks came with a wonderful cheese and egg pie and some chicken curried rice - amazing the nibbles that come out each night - just amazing. The second drinks came with a very sharp cheese and olives - perfect with ouzo.

We had booked a table at Thollos on our way round having seen how busy it is each evening and this was waiting for us on our return - and a lovely table it was too. We couldn't resist the grilled prawn with lemon potato starter between us. E then went for beef in lemon sauce which was a first time dish for us and we were not disappointed - took some persuasion for D to get his usual taste it was that good and it came with some more lemon potatoes. D went for his trusted goat liver and it came with red onions and rice which is the perfect accompaniment to this dish. The liver comes in small pieces and is perfectly cooked. And so after a complimentary ice cream and the retsina was on the house we ended another perfect day on Symi.

[D and E]

Sea Bass Fillet at Odyssia

Monday - Day 5 on Symi

D did the bread run passing the 25+ sailing yachts that berthed the previous evening - seems to be part of some Volvo sponsored regatta. There were copious amounts of empty bottles around and on board the yachts so D thinks this is the sport for him

D and his portable weather machine recorded at 08:00 a Wind Speed (Actual / Maximum / & Average) of 0mph; a temperature of 32.1C; Humidity of 54.1%; and Barometric Pressure of 1014.

Sunday's "plan" was moved to Monday so we headed down to the taxi boats picking up a frappe to go from the Corner Cafe. We got the 10am boat to Ag.Marina and it was full - including our neighbours and very good friends O&L. We agreed to meet in the bar at 11 and then found our respective sunbeds - probably the comfiest of any beach. After a pleasant chat over drinks D decided to swim to the island - we haven't been to Ag.Marina for about three years and the old fool probably wanted to make sure he could still do it. After that we met O&L for lunch with O&D both having the spaghetti with pesto which they both said was delicious. L had a very good looking omelette whilst E had a very good Greek salad and saganaki. The red wine that the boys had with the pasta was fruity and cold and went down a treat.

Back to the sunbeds until O&L caught the 16:20 return boat whilst we waited for the 17:20 and then headed to the Corner Cafe where we had promised to pop in the day before. A small beer set us up for the walk home passing all the copious celebrations that the returning Volvo regatta was giving rise to.

Elpida's for ouzo & retsina and the first drink came with the small Mezes of sausage and potato and the second with the filo cheese pie. These small home made appetisers are so appreciated. We then headed to Odyssia for dinner. Passing the Nireus where there was what looked like a very professional party event for the Regatta - the whoops and cheering certainly suggested everyone was having a great time. Using Google we discovered that this Russian organised regatta is a significant event.

Some may think we are getting old and lazy as in May we hardly ventured beyond Zoe's, Zylygos & Giorgio's when we stayed "up" and this time Tholos and Odyssia are taking centre stage but when you have such wonderful restaurants so close by it is difficult to resist but we might try in the second half of this visit. No promises though.

As an aside we had seen an offer in Symi Tours for a day trip to Kos on the Dodekanese Pride for €36 but alas the boat broke down in the last few days and is currently out of service.

Odyssia was doing a very good trade with visitors and locals all enjoying the wonderful food when we arrived just after 21:00. Our fixation with grilled prawns continued and we shared that as a starter. E then had the sea bass fillet. In most restaurants we frequent back in the UK this dish mostly comes as a small square fillet cut from the body of the fish but in Odyssia you get the whole fish with every bone, the tail and the head removed - a substantial piece of fish and it was perfectly cooked and came with a baked potato. D commented that he must have this on the next visit. He had the linguini with seafood. Perfect al dente pasta with prawns, calamari, tender octopus and mussels - being a pasta lover and having had spaghetti pesto at lunchtime this was his idea of a culinary perfect day. The fish is fixed price and not by the kilo as it so often was in the past. So for three top dishes we paid only €60 with the retsina, semolina & nut cake and a copious plate of water melon being the compliments of the house.

And so we headed round the corner watching the skies and were blessed again with a shooting star - holidays don't come better than this.

[D and E]

The Regatta Event at Nireus Hotel

[D and E]

Taxi to Ag.Marina

[D and E]

The "Boys"

The "Boys" always love a day out on Ag.Marina and a chance of a photoshoot.

[D and E]

Of all the bars .... Elpida's

Those marvellous mouthwatering Mezes.

[D and E]

Ag.Marina

D swam over and floated back

[D and E]

Bream at Nimborios

[D and E]

Gone Fishing - an E pic

[D and E]

Tuesday - Day 6 on Symi

The plan hatched the night before was to head into Yialos for our daily frappe and then head up by the cemetery and over towards Nimborio; have a beer stop at the shack and then perhaps lunch back at Nos Beach and spend the rest of the day there.

The first part of the plan worked although it was about 11:00 by the time we had our frappe. We put this down to the perfect views from our balcony that make leisurely breakfasts so appealing. We then popped in to say hi to George at Alexandra's jewellery shop and then Manolis at his shop and by the time we had caught up on their news our plan changed.

E had the shopping bug and D was thirsty so he headed to the Stellar Bar and E had a wander. By now it was about 2pm so we decided to have a bruschetta lunch at D's favourite spot - TzaTi - just along from the Nireus towards the boatyard. We had a tuna salad with the bruschetta - here it is tomato, cucumber, lettuce, tuna. Whilst having lunch our neighbours O&L were passing and seeing how delicious our fare looked decided to have the same. Chatting and drinking we then looked at our watches and found it was 5pm So we headed back to Margarita's for a short rest before we headed to Elpida's for our nightly apperitife. Once again we were treated to a small plate of risotto with mussels and small cheese dumplings to accompany our drinks.

We then headed left and E bought a bag from Takis that she had seen earlier in the day. We were heading for Meraklis but as we had heard good things about The International we stopped there. There was only one other table of 6 and us two but do not let this put you off if you are passing. This is a well established Symi restaurant that is so often packed with day trippers at lunchtime. We had excellent garlic mushrooms to start - these had been cooked slowly in garlic, tomato and onion and were quite a substantial portion. Thankfully we had only ordered a walnut, Parmesan and balsamic salad. In fact these two starters would have sufficed but we had also ordered the mixed grill which was a meat-fest of sausage, melt in the mouth grilled chicken, a lovely slice of pork, a small kofte with a nice yoghurt dip, and a pork souvlaki with chips and flat bread - well it beat D but only by about two pieces of the souvlaki E had the Mousaka and that was very nicely cooked. We were so full we had to refuse the complimentary sweet from the excellent waiter Andros and simply had some grapes. We have passed this restaurant so many time over our 20 years visiting Symi and were so glad we stopped on this occasion. It is traditional Greek cooking and we would recommend it to anyone.

And so we headed home after one of those perfectly lazy Symi days.

[Gemma1]

More fantastic photos of all that delicious food - though I'm surprised you need to eat much with all the mezes that arrive with your drinks Symi seems to be getting busier as the season draws to an end.

[D and E]

Thanks Gemma.

You are not wrong - two drinks in Elpida's comes with the equivalent of a decent starter in any restaurant but as you know only too well the smells and look of the dishes on this island make them hard to resist. So we have have a blow out & then live a life of relative frugality on our return home until the notches on the belts return to sone semblance of normality.
Just back from the Poseidon trip - what a lunch.

[D and E]

Poseidon Anchored at Maroni Bay

Wednesday - Day 7 on Symi

After several visits where for one reason and another we have not made it we finally went on one of our favourite days out on Symi. A trip on the Posseidon.

D did the bread run and saw the crowds starting to assemble at the Clock Tower well in time for the 8:15 Blue Star ferry. Many visitors leaving and many locals using the service to have a day in Rodos.

After breakfast we headed down to the Posseidon and as the cover providing shade was up on the top deck decided that is where we would sit. There was still time for a frappe in one of our favourite cafes over the road before we sailed at 10:30. We were delighted to see old friends S&L boarding and caught up with their news during the trip.

It being change-over day the boat seemed to have the perfect number of people on board. The first stop was at the Cave with the inviting crystal clear water inviting you in. The water temperature was perfect. We then headed to St.Emelianos where we berthed at the jetty and had time to look in on the wonderfully ornate monastery before more swimming and the legendary barbecue. What they are able to prepare in a small galley and then a BBQ on the jetty is simply astonishing. A buffet of perfectly barbecued chicken accompanied by Greek salad, green beans, beans gigantes in tomato sauce, rice salad, spaghetti with pesto, beetroot, potato salad and enough to have seconds and even thirds but we resisted thirds

It was then onto Maroni Bay for another swim stop and a final short swim stop at a bay just round from Toli. Of course between swim stops there is what seems to be unlimited amounts of Restina, white wine, red wine, ouzo, coffee, chilled water, sliced apple, biscuits, ....

It doesn't matter if you don't fancy swimming - several people didn't - just the wonderful views and the fantastic lunch is well worth the €35 per head for a day out with the ever cheerful Captain Yannis.

So we were back in Yialos just after 5pm and had a Mythos in Alegriko with that amazing Mezes before heading back to Margarita's to shower and head for Elpida's for the nightly ouzo & retsina, again with lovely Mezes, before heading back to Tholos for dinner. Having been sensible at lunchtime and after all the swimming that certainly works up an appetite we had what is a light starter of ........ yes, you guessed it - grilled prawns. D then had pasta with a tomato sauce that had a wonderfully intense sweet flavour and E had the chicken with almonds which had a choice of rice or chips and decided rice. This dish had been recommend by O of O&L who by chance were returning home from their evening out and gave E's choice the thumbs up. It is indeed a fine combination of two succulently cooked pieces of chicken and a very good almond sauce that went very well with the rice and the portion size was good - not too big which is what we like.

And so exhausted after all the swimming we headed home under a starry sky after another perfect day in the seas around Symi.

[D and E]

Posseidon at St.Emelianos

[D and E]

Meat-fest at The International

[D and E]

Odyssia - a favourite restaurant

[Robert]

We are so sorry we missed you, Sam is especially sad as she went to uni in Aber and was really looking forward to meeting you. We left on the 5.15pm on Sunday having been staying in Pitini (near Haritomeni) lovely, but it meant we did not go to our usual haunts over your way. We did have our Sunday lunch in Tholos though! All best - maybe next year!

[Gemma1]

Another great report and I must agree about the excellent lunch they prepare in such a small space.

We skipped dinner the day we went on the Poseidon and had corned beef sandwiches on the terrace . The Poseidon was quite full the day we went and there was no space left up top, it would have been nice to sit up there. It would be good to do the other itinerary another time as I've never been to St.Emelianos. I'm already starting to regret booking flights to Chania for next September....

[D and E]

Thanks Gemma - there's always 2018.

Sorry that there was no blog yesterday but we had an early start as will be explained in the next couple of posts covering Thursday and Friday.

It is now 09:00 on Saturday and there is a slight but welcome breeze here on the deserted balcony looking out over Nos. Our four neighbours have all gone home and we have Margarita's apartments to ourselves.

So whilst E is on breakfast duties - the bread having been deliver by D - to work on downloading & sizing photos and the writing of the blog.