Symi to ???

We left Rhodes Thursday afternoon, and although there was more to explore, the main bay is VERY crowded and more boats were coming. There is no anchorages around the main town, so we decided to move on. 

Greece/Turkey is simply one of the most amazing cruising grounds in the world.  People who have circumnavigated and sailed all over the world, say there are 3 "best" areas for cruising: this part of the Mediterranean (+ Croatia), of course the Caribbean, and South Pacific. All have pros and cons, but the way you can hop from island to island easily in a day, and SO much amazing sites and cultures to experience, it's really overwhelming to choose. I can see why people come here and never leave!........sorry to ramble. 

So we sailed over to Symi, leaving later than we wanted on Thursday, and just pulled into an empty bay but for a few houses at around 11:30 at night. WE awoke to goats' bells walking around the very steep hills around us.

Symi town is very quaint, tucked into another steep valley with cream and blue painted houses crawling for the ridges high above. There are several churches dotting the hills and you hear bells in the morning echoing in the valley. The harbor is right in the middle of everything and we are anchored next to a very cool couple making their way to Turkey and back to France later this year. The day we pulled in, they invited us over for a visit that night and we had Maggie whip up a chocolate cake. They had some hilarious and amazing stories and we ended up there until late and joined again for coffee the next morning at a little cafe right behind the boats. 

Mom and pops sent some money for Rachel and I to celebrate our birthdays, and we found a little Italian place a few alleys in from the boat. Once Miles fell asleep, we were off and had a delicious meal and felt like we were in "Lady and the Tramp" (we're parents!) Fantastico! Afterward they come out with a caramel flan, and a chocolate mousse, "please compliments of the kitchen" and limoncello, an after dinner liqueur made from citrus and served ice cold. Yum!

So, it's Sunday morning, and we hate to pull away, but there is so much more to see! Symi has a bay around the corner where we hope to stop for lunch which is totally empty except for an abandoned monastery, which we just have to see and then another bay at the bottom of the island where you can buy bread from a monastery, so of course we have to do that! 

Symi has been amazing, but we're off to the next adventure, and can't believe people tell us it gets better!

Love you all ~ Hems