Ged signing off / First impressions of living on Symi.

Well to start off with the good news Adriana is back on Symi and will be resuming her blog in due course(i can hear the cheers from here) In the mean time we have an impression of Symi compiled by Peter Vidal. As you will see Peter has been living on the island for the last three months and has developed a liking for the Symiot way of life.

First impressions of living on Symi.


Can it really be three months ago that I left the UK to live on Symi? It seems like only three or four weeks ago I had finally packed my car and driven across Europe to Venice, arrived in Patras, made my way to Pireaus and got on the Irepetra to arrive near the end of October. The following few days were spent getting things out of the car and settling in.

As October came to an end, it was clear that the tourist shops and restaurants in Yailos were either closed or in the process of closing for the winter. In Chorio, most shops and restaurants are still open. The weather was still warm and the sky relatively cloud free.

I concur with Ged in his post about his first Christmas on Symi. I would add that the lights in Yailos and Chorio, puts the displays in some UK towns (and cities) to shame in both quantity and quality, especially when you consider the size of the island. I was able to find the things I wanted, and even saw Turkeys, Brussels sprouts and Parsnips on sale! I was surprised at how many of the local population entered into the spirit of Christmas, especially with the amount of houses that were decorated with lights.






Sunset in Yialos. Taken on 1st of January 2011

Christmas came and went, and the New Year has been welcomed! The weather was so clear on New Year’s Day I took the time to have a walk and clear the head! Apart from two cold but clear nights, I have been surprised at how warm it still is but I know there is at least another month or two of winter to go. I also expect there will be more rain to come before April, after the few odd days we have had here and there.

Everyone has been very friendly and welcoming to a new person in their community. Having lived and worked in a small village (seaside resort) in the UK, I have been surprised at how easy it has been to start to get to know people and make friends. Never having been good at learning languages, I am finding it hard to converse in Greek, but the Symiot population are very patient and understanding- Zigar, Zigar
(my spelling)......

My whole experience of the last three months is summarised in this extract from email correspondence:-

Apart from family and friends what do you miss most? - Nothing - It would be nice to have the odd real ale, however Mythos goes down well!

Do you have any regrets? - Only one, I wish I had moved here years ago.


PV












Post a Comment

About this Blog

I sailed into Panormitis Bay, Symi, by chance one windy July day in 1993 and have been here ever since. The locals tell me that this is one of the miracles of St Michael of Panormitis. A BA graduate with majors in English, Philosophy and Classical Civilisation, the idea of living in what is to all intents and purposes an archaeological site appeals to me. Not as small as Kastellorizo, not as touristy as Rhodes, Symi is just the right size. I live on a small holding which my husband and I have reclaimed from a ruin of over-grazing and neglect and turned into a small oasis over the course of the past 22 years. I also work part-time for Symi Visitor Accommodation, helping independent travellers discover and enjoy Symi's simple pleasures for themselves.

This page is kindly sponsored by Wendy Wilcox, Symi Visitor Accommodation.


Adriana Shum

Copyright (c) 2001-2017 Adriana Shum.



All Rights Reserved.

Keep in Touch with Symi