Tuesday - Tolis
The plan was to meet up with Ö&L and head over to Tolis Beach for the day and after our usual breakfast that is exactly what we did.
This is a firm favourite of a place as it’s peacefulness is maintained by the fact that the taxi boats don’t service the beach and so it is the intrepid walkers, those who hire or have access to a vehicle and those who avail themselves of the Symi Tours trips that make it.
The sun beds are spaced out along the length of the beach and in the raised areas behind, where there is plenty of shade. As like most beaches on Symi access to the sea is over rocks but there is a jetty with a ladder that makes things easier and it is a shallow bay for quite a distance out. D did some snorkelling and saw a good array of different and one or two fabulously colourful fish.
And of course there is Taverna Daphne which is simply superb. Sitting quite high above the beach it is a beautiful building surrounded with very colourful plants and it was there that we had our frappé on arrival. Then we swam and after a short rest on the free sun-beds it was time for lunch.
A mezes of Daphne Salad, with that wonderful dressing, accompanied the totally yummy courgette fritters, tuna salad, tzatziki and the tenderest piece of grilled chicken from the bbq. A complimentary yoghurt with plumped up raisins ended a truly fabulous lunch.
We then had a couple of hours in the sun and then a beer to cool off in the shaded area of the taverna before returning to Pedi taking in the spectacular views of Symi and far off Turkey.
Being our last night in Pedi we wanted to savour this part of Symi that we have always loved and will definitely look to stay in again and so there was no debate about what we would do.
Ouzo and retsina in Katsaras beach bar watching the moon come up from behind the hills and bathe the bay in a silvery sheen. The light breeze that had started just as we had returned to the apartment increased and before long it became quite gusty.
And then we headed to quite a busy Apostolis where the side covers had been dropped to address the increasing wind. As the moussaka had been the best we have had we ordered that again alongside the kefedes that were light and gently spiced. To keep things light we included tuna fish salad and beetroot, that came with tiny slivers of pungent garlic. This taverna with its family feel and stand out traditional cooking is also excellent value for money.
And so for the final time this visit we walked the length of Pedi with the moon shining and the wind blowing and had our coffee and a piece of the delicious chocolate cake that Sevasti, the owner of the apartment, had left on the doorstep that morning and reflected that tomorrow it is all change.