Enso sail

We stopped at Symi island on our way to Rhodes and stayed at a little bay called Panormites where there is an old monastery and church and a dock for the several ferries and tour boats each day. We anchored away from that area and watched the goats eat anything they could reach that was green. After a day or two we joined the morning tourist crush and waited for the bus at the crowded coffee shop on the quay. Saw a lone turtle come up for air in between sea grass grazing, pretty close to the tour boats. 

We took the bus to town and sat in front which I would come to regret very soon. We paid the driver our 5€ each and were regaled, in Greek, of the history and sights of Symi island with large sweeping hand gestures of his right arm while we approached the many tight switchbacks and hairpin curves that led out of the harbor. Last second he would grab the wheel and steer us around the curve while we were seemingly hanging over the edge in the snub nosed bus. 

After a long 15 minutes we arrived at the top, where we off loaded to see a church where a couple of prior priors were entombed. It was early 18th century I think, full of colorful paintings and other religious paraphernalia in many different rooms and spaces, all very small and tucked together. It was quaint and beautiful. 

Back on the bus we headed across and down to Symi town, stopping again to take photos from the side of the road of the houses in different pastel colors stacked on top of each other down the hillsides.

More switchbacks and narrow roads, did I mention the narrow roads? where people pulled over so we could get by. He ended up driving on a skinny one lane wide wharf beside the harbor where he let us off. 

Lunch and a glass of wine later Jon talked us into climbing up the streets of stairs to an archaeology museum.

Took forever, hard to find, closed in 15 minutes. Aargh. Sent Jon in to see if we wanted to come back (no way!) tomorrow and take some photos. Headed back downhill with more stairs, interesting old buildings and the harbor in occasional sight.

We shopped along the wharf, bought a painting we both liked, checked out an artist that did pointillism on leather and the very large selection of different sizes and types of sea sponges at several stalls.

We watched many tourists, who’d come over for the day from nearby islands, dressed in clothes that covered almost everything to almost nothing like the thong bikinis. Then we ate dinner at a restaurant that touted “spare ribs” on its menu sign and were surprised when they were ok. Jon had found us a taxi home, thank goodness, and we headed back to the boat. I sat in the back and this time I enjoyed the trip, glad to arrive into our little harbor, lovely and quiet at night. 

Love Dana