Challenging Times

There are days when I can really relate to this shutter, hanging by a thread up in Chorio.

Some doors are closed to me now but others are opening.

Busy as the bees rolling in the ephemeral poppies.

There is beauty to be found, even in the most inhospitable environment.

Inspiration among the daisies.

I wonder what the story is behind this pediment in Chorio.

A quiet garden just off the road in Chorio.  Old fashioned roses grow very well here and anyone with a bit of space tries to fit in a rose bush or two.

I have delayed writing a blog post as the situation changes with such frequency, it is difficult to know what to say.

First of all, many thanks to all of you who have written in, expressing your condolences and sharing your thoughts about Wendy and her tragically early death.  We really do appreciate it and it is a comfort to her family and friends to know that Wendy was loved and admired by many people all over the world.

The situation at present is that Symi Visitor Accommodation has closed down. As everything to do with the business is in Wendy's name, the business effectively died with her.  This is why the accommodation listings have all disappeared from the website, the Facebook page has gone and the office in the harbour is closed. The Sunflower laundry is also part of Wendy's estate and as such has also had to close.  No doubt sooner or later someone else will open a new laundry on Symi but who, where and when I cannot say as I don't know. 

The webcam was provided very kindly by a private individual as a service to the community. It is now looking for a new home.

I am in the process of setting up my personal blog and reinventing myself.  Please bear with me if I go quiet for a while. There is a lot to be done at many levels.  I will let you all know what I am doing and where to find me in due course.

Regards,
Adriana

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Good bye, Wendy

Wendy Wilcox in happier times

It is with a heavy heart that I write today's blog post.  As many of you with close links to Symi know, Wendy was diagnosed with throat cancer two years ago, followed shortly thereafter by the tragic loss of her partner, Ged Horton.  Sadly, we now say good bye to Wendy who died suddenly on Saturday afternoon, in the arms of her friends.

The friendly face of Symi Visitor for more than 20 years, she brought many visitors to the island and joy to the lives of countless people, both visitors and residents alike.  In recent years she was also one of the warm-hearted founders of Solidarity Symi, the local charity that sprang out of the refugee crisis of 2015. 

Naturally empathetic, Wendy always put other people first and wanted to make everyone happy. That made her an excellent hostess and event organiser.  The happy couples who enjoyed her services as a wedding planner are part of her enduring legacy.

Her buoyant personality and vivacity were slowly dimmed by the disease that robbed her of her speech and her ability to socialise but she fought on, making the adaptations that living with a life-changing illness imposes.  Spinach smoothies and Greek rice pudding and long walks with her dog, Santouri.  It is tragic that an undetected aneurysm cut short her life and robbed us of the friend and colleague we loved so well.  She will be missed, both on Symi and by thousands of people around the world.

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Snails, Plastic and Rick Stein

The snails are back!

Wind patterns on the water in Pedi.

The acorns are plumping on old valonia oak at Lieni in Chorio.

Dusting off the outdoor heaters.

All wrapped up against the rain.

Symi's various cafes, bars, tavernas and restaurants don't have much in the way of inside seating, if any at all.  Instead they use a combination of awnings and clear plastic 'tents' to provide shelter for their customers during the autumn and spring months when there is the possibility of rain and chilly evenings.  It may seem like camping but they are surprisingly effective, particularly when combined with the heaters above.

The much anticipated rain did not come to much on Symi - about a millimetre late on Friday night, just enough to make patterns in the dust, and then another 2 millimetres early on Sunday morning which brought the snails out in their droves.  I was out with the salt cellar, saving my seedlings from the ravenous slithering hordes.  Saturday, the day which was supposed to be really stormy with heavy thundershowers, turned out overcast and very windy but with no rain. There is no more rain for the foreseeable future but temperatures are a bit lower than usual for this time of the year - mostly in the low twenties now with night time temperatures around 17 degrees centigrade and quite breezy.

Many of the seasonal businesses have now packed up for the year, particularly the ones owned by Athenians such as the new beach at Petalo.  They are usually only active in the peak months of July, August and September anyway.  The cruise ship Salamis Filoxenia was in yesterday and the Blue Star this morning brought a lot of visitors to Panormitis, judging by the convoy of mini buses heading up the hill.  One advantage of the slightly chilly weather is that there are lots more day-trippers from Rhodes visiting the island so the cafes are busy.  Rhodes is much more exposed to the wind so those who are not interested in wind-surfing off Ialyssos are on Symi, sipping lattes and people-watching in Yialos.

One late season surprise visitor was celebrity chef, Rick Stein. Wendy ran into him at Giorgio and Maria's taverna in Chorio yesterday.  He fell in love with Symi while shooting the kitchen shots of his BBC series, 'From Venice to Istanbul' in one of our houses back in 2014.  Sofia's House, the villa that he used is unfortunately no longer a rental property but we have plenty of other houses if you want to enjoy Symi like a celebrity.

Rick and Sarah Stein with Wendy Wilcox, the proprietor of Symi Visitor Accommodation.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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