Old, old memories

by **Trailer** » 17 Aug 2006, 15:26

Lets have some old memories of Symi. Does anyone recall the original widening of the harbour - the clocktower side for instance. How about your first visit? What was the accommodation like. It was VERY basic in the early 80's. Water shortages? Power cuts? The year they closed the road to Pedi to resurface it in the middle of August. All part of Symi's wonderful charm.

Come on, where are all you regulars. Symi's old timers too!!

by **Richard** » 17 Aug 2006, 21:52

I first sailed there in 1979 on the way to Datca but only stayed overnight. Unfortunately I have a teabag memory and things leak out much faster than they go in so the only thing I can remember is that so few of the houses had been rebuilt then. It was still besutiful but it took 15 years for me to return. Don't the weeks tick by quickly?

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 18 Aug 2006, 04:27

There are just so many of them, Trailer. Yep, accomodation was basic, I was backpacking it then and stayed in pensions, there were a lot of them in the early 80s, inevitable run by little old ladies. I know it was cheap as I'd cash a US $100 travellers cheque and it would virtually last for weeks 8-)

Remember that cafe near the bridge, next to Stavros' herb stall? I've still got a photo of their sign, it runs something like this
Coffee
Coffee with milk
coffee with milk and sugar
coffee with more milk and sugar
coffee with more more milk and sugar
It as scrawled with house paint, daubed by a finger by the look of it.

Great, eh?

C'mon, folks, lets keep this thread going. 8-)

by **Jan** » 18 Aug 2006, 10:34

Widening of the harbour - we watched it from a first floor balcony on the Pitini (Visitor Office) side. As we sailed into the harbour on Symi I (aaaah!) we saw the huge floating cranes and wondered if a return trip (that was our ?third) was a mistake. But the entertainment was great - the surveyor had a table and umbrella set up on one of the big concrete blocks dumped in the harbour and directed the entire exercise with great aplomb. I probably still have some faded photos somewhere.

Power cuts - well, a trip I remember well was when we stayed in Chorio, high above the museum. The water supply (electrical pump) was erratic in the extreme and first thing in the morning one only found out there was no power when the loo cistern failed to fill after the first flush. More than once we had to start our walk early for the second person up to take advantage of the bushes on the hillside!

Happy days! And not quite 3 weeks till we're there agin. Can't wait!

Jan

by **Mille** » 18 Aug 2006, 11:07

I remember getting my feet wet walking from one end of the harbour to the other. I think it was back in 88.
And at the same time, HUGE concrete blocks lay were the taxiboats are now.
Oh, wait... my two braincells cant work together today and wont dig up anymore before I look in ye' ol' photoalbum :twisted:

by **Trailer** » 18 Aug 2006, 12:51

Yes, Jan it was good entertainment! We were staying in a 'villa' at the back of the harbour then and used to walk to Nos beach, (it was nice in those days, if somewhat primitive) pushing our two-year old in his buggy, laden with everything for the beach. We'd spend ages watching the diver, in what must have been the original diving suit, going up and down. We too have thousands, literally, of photos of just about everything in Symi. Sadly I don't have the equipment to scan and put them up here. Loads and loads of such wonderful times there. Be back later, have to dash off now for my volunteering bit. Such is the life of a retiree! Keep the memories coming. We could all go forever I'm sure.

by **Ozzie Geoff** » 18 Aug 2006, 16:22

Anyone remember the old "Love Boat" run by Georgios? I used to work on it. We'd set off by truck, driven by George, usually half tanked at that time of the morning. We'd get to the picnic bay and set up the barby, I'd peel the potatoes, set the salads out and try to cool the fiery retsina in the sea...I don't think George had heard of ice..anyway it was in pretty limited supply in those days.
Barby lit, potatoes wrapped in foil on the coals we'd wait for the punters to arrive.
After a smashing lunch I'd load the gear onto the truck and someone would take it back while George and I went back on the boat. By this time I'd be sneaking a retsina at lunch, top that with watermelon and ouzo and brandy (I use the word brandy loosely

) on the way back. A very merry and pissed contingent would slither into Yailos...and straight into Pachos.

I still can't remember if George ever paid me...who cares!!!

by **pat** » 18 Aug 2006, 19:28

10 years ago took two bikes to symi. no roads put them away after first morning and walked

by **Sheila and Andrew** » 18 Aug 2006, 23:00

1990: booked with Small World and stayed at Villa Papa Nikola where we found it was actually a singles holiday and we were the only couple, and married with it. Steve Clarke (now at Daphnes) did all the cooking. Restaurant choice was limited to Greek, Greek or Greek. Vapori Bar and Mina's Bar used to fight it out for tourist custom. The Symi Bus was a little blue Ford Transit 11-seater, in which we once travelled up to Chorio in the company of 17 other people plus shopping and a goat. Seems ages ago.

by **Adriana** » 23 Aug 2006, 15:37

Does anyone have any interesting old photos they'd like to share with us?

by **Mille** » 23 Aug 2006, 16:16

Want me to scan some of my old pictures?
I'll try to find the ones without my old folks and myself

by **SueO** » 23 Aug 2006, 19:07

Mille - would love to see your old pics. I've actually already scanned a few of ours. You should be able to view them by clicking

It's strange though. I trawled through hundreds of our old Symi photos and so much looked almost the same as it does now. I suppose we tended to take pics of the lovely houses and beautiful views rather than the bits that were less than perfect! I wish now we had a shot of the dodgy bit of road that ran from the Customs House past Pachos before the harbour was built up. I have fond memories of having to lift tables and chairs out of the way when a truck carrying hay or livestock went past and, of course, whenever a ferry came in - otherwise the wash came up over the road and around your feet!

by **SueO** » 23 Aug 2006, 19:39

Forgot to mention that, if you do look at the pics, you'll see the Symi1 offloading day trippers at Pedi. Does anyone remember when this was a regular part of the "day trip to Symi"? Everyone (except those in the know) was herded off in Pedi and left to trudge up the hill in flip flops or brand new Rhodian sandals, only to get horribly lost on Chorio and finally stagger down the Kali Strata totally exhausted.

On our first trip (with the long defunct Lancaster Holidays) we were disembarked at Pedi and, not knowing that it wasn't the main harbour, we were hugely dissapointed that it looked nothing like the brochure photo (of Yialos of course). However, after a taxi ride up to Chorio we walked to our accomodation (a very young Steve Clark carried our case!) which overlooked the church with the red dome and most of the harbour. We were absolutely stunned and started a love affair with the island which is still going strong after 20 years!

by **Mille** » 24 Aug 2006, 09:56

Added a few lousy pictures to my flick- account.
Scanner didnt work the way I wanted it to, so I'll re- scan later, when hubby gets home from work :geek:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/calicute/

by **Jan** » 24 Aug 2006, 10:47

Our first visit was on a day trip in 1981 (I think), when we took a very last-minute holiday to Rhodes. Disembarked at Pedi, walked up the hill and - wow! One look down into the harbour and we were hooked; have missed one year since and visited twice a few years to make up.

If this rain keeps on falling. maybe I'll spend part of the Bank Holiday weekend hunting out some old, faded photos.

by **gillinoz** » 25 Aug 2006, 13:40

My first sight of Symi was on the advice of friends who had been the year before. I got the ferry from Rhodes and got off at Pedi to do the walk.......

what a magic sight it was to gover over the hill and discover the main town......I could not be more grateful that that was my first introduction to GLA!

The next year I arrived on the morning ferry via Pedi and then into Yiallos and was a bit disappointed at arriving that way.......

My next trip I arrived on the evening ferry and I have to say that is my favourite arrival......approaching a black shape.....lights gradually appearing.......the smell of oregano in the air.......That's the way to arrive on GLA......

but don't knock the magic of that walk.......it's the journey that will always stay with you....

by **AMPY** » 28 Aug 2006, 15:44

First time on Symi. Arriving at dusk on the Symi I. Rounding the headland - the lights of Symi slowly winking on as the harbour gradually revealed itself. Holding on to the tail of the donkey taking our cases up to our villa (No street lights then)

The beach at St Nicks. Drinks from a tiny hut and lunch a barbeque cooked over driftwood. (Loos the nearest discreet rock)

Dinner on the quayside at the original Symi Fish Restaurant (Its a bank now) Cooked on a barbeque made from half an oil drum by a very nice young waiter called Manos ...

Capt Sotiris (skin like a burnished walnut) announcing 'Brandy, Ouzo time' almost as soon as the Triton cleared the harbour

A (compulsory) Metaxa shared with George every time you paid the bill. (How did his liver stand it?)

Many many happy memories ...

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