First post for some time, as we've adjusted to no longer having Bella with us. She died nearly two months ago and it feels strange being back in Bath without her.
Many readers of "After Bella" have asked if we are carrying on with a blog - after some pondering we've decided to with a new title (but the same blog URL) so this is a catch-up edition of what has happened in the last 7 weeks or so.
At the beginning of September, I was still teaching in Hong Kong. Went for my last evening meal at this excellent vegetarian Indian restaurant in Chung King Mansion - worth tracking down if you're in town!
On my last day teaching at SHAPE, I spotted this Box for comments with only the ballpoint pen remaining…
I'd stayed in an oddly decorated hotel - this was the roof of the foyer.
Leaving Hong Kong - at the airport, I hoped that this wasn't my China Air flight.
The smoking room - loads of people crowded in and barely able to see across it…
In front of a poster for photographs.
From Hong Kong to Beijing airport a few hours later.
The reach of the Sunrise Kafeneion on Symi extends all that way!
From Beijing, the plane to Athens went to Munich first! Spotted these sleeping pods with Internet and TV - €15 an hour and minimum 2 hours stay.
Sunrise at Munich.
After that the plane went to Athens, where I changed planes to land on Rhodes. Hung out at the Plaza Hotel for a few hours before making my way down to Kolonna harbour and the ferry to Symi!
On Symi without Su for a few days with some strange company!.
The Dodekanese boat bringing Su to join me!
We then had 5 weeks on Symi with skies like this to catch our eye.
Met up with Facebook friend Kon and his family at least - they'd come all the way over from Australia for a grand tour of Europe.
Some of these pictures have already been posted on Facebook, including this one of a gate, Symi-style.
Rainbow over Pedi valley…
In fact, it was a double rainbow!
Great clouds over Turkey.
Didn't just sit and watch the sky. Also managed to get quite a bit of guitar playing in with George and Clare at the Sunrise Cafe and at the Secret Garden.
The end of Lazy Days, a Symi institution. I saw the very last of it being carted away on the back of a truck a few days after I took this photograph.
Yet another sky to make us pause and look.
Went to a couple of showings of films at Manteio's - excellent pizzas, drink and open air viewing hard to beat!
Leaving Yialos for a day trip around the island on the Poseidon
More skies…
Another gig!
A brooding sky towards the end of our stay
A little later in the evening.
A wedding party - bride meets groom by the village square before the church service after an afternoon of incessant ringing church bells
A sobering moment as the third truckload that day of Syrian refugees was taken round to the police station for processing before going to the mainland.
Yialos treats traffic cones with scant respect!
A discarded pair of little person's shoes.
Cat in a box!
Jenine and Tina from the Olive Tree made some special cupcakes for the occasion
Neil wore his stylish shiny hat with flashing lights.
Next day, we had lunch at the Olive Tree and saw the donkey train working very hard going up and down the steps.
Last Olive Tree hummus and roast vegetable pitta!
Then, before we knew it, I'd played at the Sunrise Kafeneion one last time with George and Clare, we'd spent a day hanging out in Rhodes at the Plaza Hotel, we'd flown back to Gatwick, slept at the Premier Inn and caught the train back to Bath. Appreciated the curves on this structure at the newly renovated Reading station.
And then we were back in Bath to appreciate our late-flowering clematis that had fought its way through the acer in our absence.
Sedum doing splendidly.
Not stopping around long (just long enough to see Gone Girl at the Little Theatre), we shot off up to the NEC outside Birmingham to the Motorhome and Caravan show where we saw this display by Zulu Nation (the way you do!) - and lots and lots of motorhomes and caravans!
After that, it was off to stay with friends (on the way spotting this interestingly spelt sign on a removals van) before going out to have a lovely curry at Piquant.
Back in Bath, spotted this interestingly decorated car at Prior Park Garden Centre (hi Hans & Tove!)
Walking alongside the stream on Prior Park Terrace.
Lovely display of autumn colours at the Secret Garden Cafe. (Wonder if I can play there as well as on Symi?!)
Many readers of "After Bella" have asked if we are carrying on with a blog - after some pondering we've decided to with a new title (but the same blog URL) so this is a catch-up edition of what has happened in the last 7 weeks or so.
At the beginning of September, I was still teaching in Hong Kong. Went for my last evening meal at this excellent vegetarian Indian restaurant in Chung King Mansion - worth tracking down if you're in town!
A spectacular sunset sky.
Last ever Symi Dream wine night on the Kalistrata steps. It got very busy by the end of the affair.
Managed to go and talk to my Music Technology project students at UWE earlier in the week. I've now been captured by Su in my new guise of Basket Case.
So glad you've decided to write another blog and it's great to see all the Symi photos together :-) Gail
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