Day 13: and repeat day 12!

We enjoyed the day at St Nicks so much yesterday we decided to do exactly the same again today, and why not, the holiday is almost over.

So it was a walk to Pedi and then along the new path to St Nicks.

Yesterday we missed the road signs on the new path.

But we were soon at the beach.

So the routine was sun, sea, food, sun, sea, return home.

All very relaxing.

Day 12 Down to the new 'motorway' to St Nicks

We had been told that the path to St Nicks had been upgraded over the winter. As we had not walked there last year we had no idea how bad it was.

Someone had said it was now like a 'motorway! and now having walked the path, and driven the M25 in Surrey, I can see the similarity. Only difference is that the only services on the St Nicks motorway are at the end!

But first a picture around dawn.

Then after a walk to Pedi we set off.

It was now a very good path.

Some people were getting there quicker!

As the path climbs slowly all the way it is still quiet a drop down to the bay.

We found our favoured lounger and had a nice day on the beach. We even managed to walk home!

Day 8 Pontikokastro

It was another fantastic sunrise with the sun now coming up behind the hill the other side of St Nicks and not over the Turkish hills.

After a bit of breakfast I took a wander up to the Pontikokastro. Going up past the windmills I got a different view of the harbour.

I had a good look at the massive stones that make up the walls of the Pontikokastro.

Moving further up the ridge is a great view of earthworks with Symi behind.

Then it was back to the apartments for a drink then down to Yialos.

Each time we walk down the Kalistrata we seemed to notice a different detail. This time near the bottom I noticed how one of the ruined buildings had some fine cut stone reused in its frontage.

What looks like stone above these finally carved stones is concrete that has been cast to try and imitate the molding of the carving.

We pottered around the harbour did some shopping.

Before going back to the apartment and an afternoon on the beach at Pedi.

Day 3 at St Nicks

This year the main aim for our holiday is relaxation. For many different reasons it has been a hard year and doing very little except reading and swimming was the aim for the day., and most of the holiday.

It was with this in mind we walked down to pedi and picked up the boat to St Nicks. As we almost the first to arrive we had pick of where to sit. Finding the lounger we had last year that gave enough shade for V, we spent most of the morning buried in books and sleeping.

After lunch at the taverna on the beach it was back to more of the same, until we got the last boat home.

As we had not done much exercise during the day we walked back up to the village and sat watching the sun go down before going out for some food.

We ended up at the music night at the Secret Garden. getting home just after midnight.

Day 2. First full day on Symi.

As always on the first day of a holiday we were up and out relatively early. The weather was beautiful, with a hot sun and a slight breeze.

This year V wanted to do more walking than last year, so we started by walking up through the lanes and steps that make up the 'streets' of Horio.

One of the targets for the trip was a walk up to the Castro with its church on the top. As no maps exist of Horio and all it's maze of paths, we were lucky to find arrows painted on the walls indicating the route to the Castro. We followed these and sooner than we expected we came out to the church on the top of the Castro.

We wandered around and were treated by a magnificent view of the harbour, made all the more special by the cruise ship, Club Med 2, lying off Nimborio.

After some time resting and taking pictures we set off back down to the meet up with the tour rep. As we came down we got a great view down the Pedi valley towards the sea.

After the meet up we went back to our apartment and packed the bag for the walk down to the beach at Pedi. As you come down to the pier you have the choice of turning left and right. Go left and after 100 yds there are about 6 sun brollies and some loungers these are free to use. If you go right the loungers and brollies are charged for.

After a swim and a lounge we walked back up to the apartment.

We had a rest and in the evening we walked down the Kalistrata to look for somewhere to eat.

It was a shot like this that I ran into the main problem regarding the compromise I had made with my choice of camera. With my 'big' camera I could increase the ISO gain and with its faster lenses I could have shot had held much longer than I did. But I knew this was the compromise I had made.