Category Archives: Health and humour

Symi: Summertime blues …. and getting it wrong again.

Posted on June 25, 2024 by BarryH

I began this post at the end of May Written in 1935 for Porgy and Bess, George Gerswin’s ‘Summertime’ is the most covered song in the world, probably in excess of 25,000 times.  Eddie Cochran wrote and sang ‘Summertime Blues’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Grumpy Old Men, Health and humour, Hiking, Mountains, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Nisyros: cause and philosophical effect

Posted on November 2, 2023 by BarryH

When the mythical apple mythically fell on Isaac Newton’s head, he formulated the Law of Gravitation, hypothesizing that not only did the apple descend to his head but that the earth on which he was sitting, rose up to meet … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Uncategorized, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Symi: and now for something ……… unexpected

Posted on July 1, 2023 by BarryH

One of the things I have learned over the years visiting, travelling and trekking around Greece, and make a point of in my book ‘Greece Unpackaged’, is to deal with the unexpected. If things don’t go as planned, find a … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

At last !!

Posted on August 29, 2021 by BarryH

After three failed attempts to return to Symi this year, I have finally made it. A cancelled flight in May because of the pandemic was followed by another at the beginning and then another at the end of June.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Weather | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Year of the Parsnip

Posted on April 25, 2021 by BarryH

This is the Year of the Ox, to be precise, the Year of the Metal Ox.  It began on 12 February and replaced the Year of the Rat.  At least for the Chinese.  For me, 1 March marked the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Health and humour, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Spring, Wales, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rising above the grey

Posted on December 5, 2020 by BarryH

Rather than ushering in the Mediterranean to the UK, climate change is bringing increasing greyness interspersed with ‘extreme weather events’.  Gradual descent into winter in November used to be marked by a week of hard frosts, sometimes with temperatures lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Wales, Weather, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Locked-down in Wales

Posted on November 4, 2020 by BarryH

Since I arrived home from Greece in early September there have been various shades of lockdown.  It would be more pleasant and safer to have stayed on Symi but unfortunately not to be.  I would have been tempted to stay … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Grey Britain, Grumpy Old Men, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Wales, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Virtual Symi: Summer solstice and Covid optimism

Posted on June 22, 2020 by BarryH

Summer solstice, 21 June, and for the last 10 years I have been in Greece to celebrate it.  With the sun at its highest, at the zenith (13.00 with adjustment for summer time) I’ve made a point of taking a … Continue reading →

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Under the Covid Cosh: musings

Posted on April 29, 2020 by BarryH

Five weeks in, under the cosh since 23 March, and the major change is in the weather. For all that time it has been warm and sunny, the sunniest April on record in the UK.  A single overnight shower two … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Health and humour, Hiking, History, Mountains, Spring, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Life under the Covid cosh.  And a new book

Posted on April 4, 2020 by BarryH

I’m trying not to be bored. New words and phrases have entered the language, old words and phrases have taken on new meaning, usually imprecise meanings that convey different things to everyone.  We are all now living in ways we … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Greece, Grey Britain, Health and humour, Mountains, Reflections | Tagged , , | 3 Comments