After the disappearing laundry reappeared Hazel, Em and I headed by ferry to Kos. Much carry on about tickets....a voucher has to be swapped for tickets with a local agent, not the ferry office.

Different system in Greece - arrived Kos then goose chase to find the agent to swap a voucher for another voucher to be able to collect tickets from the ferry terminal where we started, for the hydrofoil to Symi. No matter, we would not have got the hot tip on where the locals go to eat, so found Mummy's Cooking, 13 Bouboulinas , Kos - sensational! We were 'fed' rather than chose from the menu. Warm home made dolmades with thick fresh yoghurt, then layered potato, zucchini & eggplant baked, served topped with garlic yoghurt, red pepper stuffed with low salted fetta, baked in olive oil, then pork slow slow cooked with leeks, juniper berries, parsley & tomato. We weren't violently hungry when we started, waddled afterwards.

Had a zip around Kos on the 'tiny train' - not quite the synchronisation of the 'hop on hop off' buses, but had fun matching the commentary with what we saw - Castle of Neratzia, built by Knights of St John who bob up everywhere in this area, in 15th century and finally ousted by the Ottomans in 1522, various piles of rocks from different eras, and Emily had us scouting the Arabesque style municipal market for REAL tasting fruit & veg - peaches the big hit.

Hydrofoil from Kos to Symi took only 1 hr 40 mins, in view of the coast line of Turkey it had taken me days to mooch along on the gulet!

Met when we arrived for help climbing the stairs with our luggage to Lower Merchant House

www. visitsymi.com.ty/merchant house

Our apartment neoclassical, with garden, patio & front rooms overlooking the sea to the Turkish coast, beach to swim at 5 mins left, shopping & restaurants 1min right. Procession of beautiful boats straight ahead, they tie up adjacent to the restaurants. See Symi pics for a full rendition!