Naxos to Symi

 

 

                                          More Amazing Greek Islands

 

One of the Reasons for my coming to Greece was to pay a visit to Friends who live on the Island of Simi. All I knew about Simi was that it was an Island where Wealthy Athenians used to Holiday, some building rather Grand Greco/Roman Style Villas, complete with Doric Columns and Ionian Pillars (Don't ask me which is which)!! The other thing I knew was that Simi is quite close to the Turkish Mainland.

 

An Intriguing at time perplexing things about Island Hoping is figuring out how to get from A to B. Naxos to Simi is a tricky One there are no direct Sailings, at least not in Late September. So with  help and advice from a Travel Agent and my Friends on Simi I booked a Ferry to Santorini where I would arrive Early Afternoon. I would then take the Midnight Ferry to Rhodes ( An Overnight crossing) I would spend the Day on Rhodes and catch the 5p.m. Ferry to Simi only a two Hour Voyage!!

Santorini

 

Santorini is quite Striking but a. trifle too Crowded and Fashionable for my taste. I had a pleasant few Hours exploring the Town and eating. There appeared to be lots of Classy Restaurants but I contented myself with some Great Shish Kebab!! Catching the 11p.m. Bus to descend the very Steep Hill and negotiate the succession of  Spectacular Hair Pin Bends which eventually deliver One at the Harbour.

 

 

I spent next Day in the Old Town of Rhodes, for a while watching the Young Guys whose Job entails Charming Tourists into their particular Café!! I watched in fascination as they appeared to recognise approaching Prospects Nationality from afar  greeting them in the appropriate European Language including Russian, Japanese and Korean were also in their Arsenal. These young Patter Merchants had a pretty good success rate and there was lots of friendly Banter and  Rivalry between the Greeters from Adjacent Bars and Restaurants!!

 

Regarding the above I later had it explained by a Hotel Owner that many of the Hotels on Rhodes have adopted the " All Inclusive Package Holiday" This of course means that as Guests are receiving everything including Drinks in their all in Price there is then no incentive for them to ever Leave the Hotel. This is the Reason why Bar and Café Owners are literally Fighting for every Customer!! The Guy who told me this Suggested Scathingly that the only way some of these Tourists would actually become aware that they were in Greece is if the Hotel Held a "Greek Evening"!!

Old Town Rhodes

 

Personally I would rather stay at home than Book an all Inclusive Holiday. Half the Fun and Adventure of Foreign Travel are the unexpected things which occur in New Places. For example I enjoyed one of the best Salad Nicoise  I have ever eaten sitting at a Pavement table outside a small Restaurant while watching for my Ferry to Arrive in the Harbour of Rhodes. Had I been on an all inclusive package I would not have found this Restaurant. So it was that replete with Salad Nicoise and Chilled white Wine I boarded the Ferry for Simi!!

As the Boat approached Simi Harbour I found myself caught up in the atmosphere of Mild Hysteria present whenever a Ferry Docks in Greece. The Crowds of Greeters on the Quay at the Back craning their necks to get a first view of Friends and Family while those waiting to Board press forward!! Meanwhile on the Car Deck the Passengers Gently Jostle each other to get into Pole Position ready to Charge down the huge Hydraulic Ramps which descend with agonising Slowness!! I had spotted Andy from an upper Deck so had a general Idea which direction to take.

Simi Harbour and Town

Pat and Andy live in a Charming Small Apartment where One can lounge on the Terrace taking in spectacular Ocean and Mountain Views. The best thing about this little piece of Paradise being that it is only a Five Minutes Ride from Simi Town. It was Great catching up with my Friends and we calculated that we had not met for around 8 or 9 Years as they moved to Greece around 9 Years ago and I have lived in Thailand for almost 6 Years!!




All this delicious Food was prepared
on the way here in the Boats Tiny Galley

I did not see all that much of Simi apart from the Town, which is absolutely Charming and not terribly Touristy. I walked to the Beach which is frequented by my Friends, and enjoyed a Fabulous day on a Boat which is owned and Skippered by a Friend of Andy's named Yani. 

I had a terrific time meeting and eating and drinking With my Hosts Friends, a Charming Bunch of Fun People . Andy who is a Bon Viveur is of course known to all the Taverna Owners who give a big Welcome to the various people he introduces to their Restaurants! Possibly as a "Thank you" for Andy's Patronage and in recognition of the business he brings Mysterious free bottles of wine arrive at the table during the course  of Dinner!!



The Day out with my Friends on the Poseidon (Yannis Boat) was one of the High spots of my Greek Oddesy!! After stopping in a Pretty Bay for a Swim Lunch time saw our arrival on this Beautiful Island, with its uninhabited but Pristine Monastery.

Perfect Spot for a Picnic



I can almost smell that Chicken Barbequing 

All the Food for Lunch was prepared in the Poseidon's tiny Galley. Yanni and his sole Crew member working like Trojans while Andy was entrusted with Skippering the Boat. Some off the Passengers whiling away the Voyage drinking Pimms which they had mixed in a couple of large plastic Buckets!!

Once on the Island people Swam and visited the Monastery, or just lazed as the fancy took them. Lunch as you might gather from my Photographs was a rather impressive affair, delicious Food washed down with Lashings of Wine!! All in all a most perfect Day!

Picture from the Monestery

As is always the case when One is having a really great time my 4 Nights on Simi flew past. All too soon I was heading back down to the Harbour with Andy who was seeing me off on the next stage of my Greek Adventure!!

Simi Harbour