Tag Archives: Greece

Symi: focus ….. and losing it

Posted on November 30, 2016 by BarryH

I don’t consider myself an adrenalin junkie, though I know some who disagree. But one thing which I have learned from ‘adrenalin sports’ (white water kayaking, paragliding, climbing ….) is the importance of maintaining focus. Lose it and there are … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged adrenalin sports, Agia Paraskevi, ancient olive press, bees, Caetopelma Aegyptiacum, dehydration, eucalyptus trees, Greece, honey, kalderimi, photography, Symi, Symi Spider, trekking | Leave a comment

Nisyros: Rock around the volcano

Posted on October 9, 2016 by BarryH

Signs on roads and footpaths around Nisyros point to ‘The Volcano’ in English and in Greek. Arrive by boat in the harbour and you are offered coach trips to The Volcano. A bit misleading that because by the time you … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography | Tagged ancient routeways, caldera, craters, desert, fumaroles, Greece, lava, lava bubble, lava pinnacles, lava sculptures, Nikia, Nisyros, photography, seismic activity, Stephanos, sulphur, Volcano | 1 Comment

Nisyros: All in a day’s trek

Posted on September 3, 2016 by BarryH

I have been back to the UK planning to continue the blog about treks on Symi but mundane stuff got in the way. Now I’m on Nisyros and as always blown away by this place. Been out in the mountains … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged ancient houses, archaeology, bats, caldera, craters, drought, fumaroles, Greece, horseshoe bats, mountains, Nisyros, seismic fissure, snakes, snakeskin, sulphur, Symi, Volcano | 5 Comments

Symi: Rambling around the past

Posted on August 4, 2016 by BarryH

WARNING: make yourself comfortable and a cup of coffee before starting to read this. If there is anyone out there hooked on Barry’s Ramblings and having withdrawal symptoms, apologies! I have had people staying with me most of the time … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Wales | Tagged archaeology, architecture, cromlech, dolmen, Greece, Greek archaeology, Neoilithic, Nimborio, St David's, Symi, Toli, Wales | 3 Comments

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