Author Archives: BarryH

Symi: Going wild again

Posted on June 25, 2016 by BarryH

Flight back to Rhodes Saturday. Ferry to Symi early Sunday morning. A few hours putting the house back to rights after leaving it packed up in a hurry not knowing when, or if, I would return. Sunday afternoon I took … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography | Tagged footpaths, Greece, hiking, Horio, kalderimi, Symi, trails, trekking | 2 Comments

Symi: going wild

Posted on May 29, 2016 by BarryH

I was discharged from hospital on Rhodes on a Wednesday, six days after having been rushed there by a combination of ambulances and fast coastguard cutter. Engine management system rebooted, once again firing on all four cylinders, on the Tuesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Health and humour, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Photography | Tagged Agia Paraskevi, ancient olive press, Greece, Horio, kalderimi, Nimborio Bay, Pedi Bay, Symi, Yialos | Leave a comment

Symi: the 15 minute walk that took 6 days, or, Notes on How to Use a Bedpan.

Posted on May 12, 2016 by BarryH

And now for something completely different “What are you doing? “ The tone was reprovingly incredulous, not inquisitorial. “I need to use the toilet.” “No! The doctor says you must stay in bed.” The nurse was much smaller than me … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Health and humour, Reflections | Tagged boredom, Canadian Health Service, cardioversion, Greece, Greek Health Service, health issues, Rhodes, Symi, UK NHS | 12 Comments

Symi: not-so-wild walks

Posted on April 27, 2016 by BarryH

Well, I made it to Symi. At first the weather was great, sunny with temperatures mid to high twenties. One day it dropped to a chilly low twenties with heavy overnight rain depositing half of the Sahara on the island. … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring | Tagged bush legumes, cornflower, cyclamen, Dragon Arums, Flora, Greece, hollyhock, Pedi, Pedi Bay, razor limestone, spring flowers, Symi, Symi harbour, Yialos | 2 Comments

Wales and Greece: life on the wild side

Posted on April 7, 2016 by BarryH

I first became fascinated by birds of prey when I was a research student and lived with friends in a tiny former lead-mining village in the mountains inland of Aberystwyth. The closest house was about half a mile away. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged Aegina, bird calls, Bonelli's eagles, brecon beacons national park, Buzzard, Eleonora's Falcon, Golden Eagle, Greece, Imperial Eagle, kestrel, Little Owl, Mid Wales, Nisyros, ornithology, paragliding, photography, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Symi, The Mani, Tilos, trekking, Wales | 1 Comment

Canadian Rockies and Greek Islands: twittering and tweeting

Posted on March 20, 2016 by BarryH

2016 is not going at all well for me. Just diagnosed, I now have a long-term health issue, probably triggered by the flu, which means a period of monitoring and the need to review plans and maybe lifestyle. So, still … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Canada, Greece, Health and humour, Nature, Photography, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged banff canada, Canada, canadian rockies, Die Ztwitscher Maschine, Greece, Greek cuisine, Paul Klee, spanakopita, sparrows, swallows, Symi, The Twittering Machine, tweeting, twittering | Leave a comment

Canadian Rockies and Greek Islands: looking back, looking forward

Posted on March 9, 2016 by BarryH

So far 2016 has had its share of setbacks. A minor viral infection in January which kept me indoors in Banff for two day and impaired activities for the rest of the stay. A skiing accident resulting in a dislocated … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Spring, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged Banff, Bow River, Bow River Falls, Canada, canadian rockies, Forty Mile Creek, Greece, Lappatoniou Castle, Snow and ice, squirrel, Symi, thermal springs, Vermilion Lakes | 2 Comments

Banff, Canadian Rockies: last trek, early bath

Posted on February 19, 2016 by BarryH

The shoulder injury I wrote about in my last blog post did not respond to treatment anywhere near as quickly as hoped so regrettably I went for the early bath and flew home. I guess the body heals more slowly … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged animal tracks, Banff, Bow River, Canada, canadian rockies, Cave and Basin, ice, Mount Bourgeau, Mount Edith, Mount Rundle, powder snow, snow, snowshoes, thermal springs, wolves | 2 Comments

Banff, Canadian Rockies: snow fabulous, snow fool like an old fool

Posted on February 8, 2016 by BarryH

I learnt years ago from white-water and sea kayaking that the most likely time to capsize, become a cropper, was on the flat bit of river after the difficult rapid or waterfall or in the shallows after getting through the … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged AC joint separation, Canada, canadian rockies, dislocated shoulder, feague, Greece, Horologicon, Lake Louise, lost words, Mark Forsythe, mountains, photography, Sea kayaking, skiing, snow, Sunshine Ski Area, Sunshine Village, uhtceare, white water kayaking | 2 Comments

Banff, Canadian Rockies: snow good, I’ve got to go back

Posted on January 28, 2016 by BarryH

At the end of my last post on the blog I wrote: ”It is this extra dimension to winter in the Rockies which makes Banff unique, which makes me want to return”. I didn’t realise then how soon. I flew … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Weather | Tagged banff canada, Canada, canadian rockies, Cave and Basin, Grey Britain, hoar frost, Lake Louise, mountains, photography, snow, Storm Jonas, Sunshine Village, winter | 3 Comments