A butterfly hatching

It’s another hot summer’s day on Symi. The water boat is rising slowly from the waves over by the clock tower and a cavalcade of watermelons, Cretan flower pots and plastic chairs is wobbling off the ferry and up the hill. The kiosk at the bus stop is doing a brisk trade in ice creams.

The accompanying photograph is of a butterfly hatching in an almond tree in my garden. I noticed it on Sunday morning, when I went to give the chooks their breakfast. It hung there, delicately drying its wings, for about an hour and then drifted off into the orange grove, leaving a neatly woven green chrysalis behind. Although caterpillars are a nuisance and voracious eaters, without caterpillars there can be no butterflies… Even in nature compromise is a necessity and one has to accept the bad to enjoy the good.

Have a peaceful week.

Regards,
Adriana

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Enjoy these quiet moments

It was a bit cooler last night. The shortening days are starting to have an effect on evening temperatures and it only started to heat up at about 7 this morning when the sun cleared the mountains. It was one of those really still sunrises, the sky and sea the colour of molten lead and the yachts in Pedi all lying quiescent on their anchors. It’s worth getting up early to enjoy these quiet moments.

Meanwhile, down in Yialos, the yachts in the regatta glided away again early this morning. The harbour should be quite busy tomorrow evening though as there is another pop concert in the square and the local children are already out with their marker pens, putting moustaches on the posters!

I'm planning to go to Rhodes tomorrow, on the 6 a.m ferry, as the shopping list is getting longer - and the sales are on! Mind you, no one does any special offers in chicken feed and fence poles!

Have a peaceful weekend.

Regards,
Adriana

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Symi Festival Opening Night

Alcestis Protopsaltis strutting her stuff in the Symi town square - makes a change from all those rows of cars, doesn't it?!

The concert culminated in a spectacular fireworks display.

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One night in the Pedi valley

Meet my alarm clock!

They start crowing from about 5 a.m.

Despite the bird flu flap there are still some poultry on the island. We have kept 2 flocks, each in separate cages as per the regulations so that they don't mix with the wild birds. They reward us with fresh eggs every day.

Now that Mike has told me how to up date my diary myself you may be hearing from me more often!

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Black is the new white

It is early evening and the yachts are making their way into Yialos in search of over-night berths. It seems as though black is the new white when it comes to mega yachts. A little hot, perhaps, but stylish… An enormous black and silver gin palace has just docked beneath the window. It even has a double bed on the bridge deck. The guests have been handed ashore to promenade the harbour. Various flunkeys are zipping around the decks, washing, wiping and polishing. We are waiting with some interest to see what happens when they have to hose down the seaward side of the boat…

We had a little spot of excitement earlier today when it was noticed that the harbour was full of bobbing beer bottles. It turned out that one of the local shopkeepers had driven his truck into the harbour. The truck is somewhat the worse for wear but the driver escaped unscathed, only his ego dented.

We are busy putting the finishing touches to the August edition of the Symi Visitor newspaper so we’ll be burning the midnight oil tonight. Ice cream and chocolate for supper this evening!

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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A soporific afternoon

It is another idyllic day on the small island of Symi. Dafni, the water boat, is slowly rising from the waves over by the clock tower. Brightly painted fishing boats are chugging out to spend a soporific afternoon nosing among the tiny coves that scallop Symi’s steep coastline. The Symi ferry is dozing at anchor, flags fluttering in the breeze. Turkish gulets are bustling about, jockeying for space on the quay. The navy patrol vessel is reversing smoothly from her berth, off on another tour of inspection. It is easy to forget that Symi is sitting on an international border and is, until such time as Turkey becomes part of the EU, literally the last outpost of Europe.

We have been informed that the Dodecanese Pride has been sent to Cyprus to assist with the evacuation crisis. She is expected to be back on her scheduled route on 25 July but travellers are advised to check www.12ne.gr for updates to the schedule and make alternative plans in case the situation deteriorates further and she is needed for longer.

This has nothing to do with Symi but once upon a time, back in 1992, we sailed from Cyprus to Lebanon, one of the first yachts to visit after the cease-fire. Although much of the country was bombed out chaos, without electricity or any kind of infrastructure to speak of, the spirit and dignity of the people was truly amazing and it was a place I have never forgotten. It is tragic that after years of painstaking rebuilding the populace are once again seeing their lives reduced to rubble. The New Testament tells us to turn the other cheek but those who are governed by the Old pursue an eye for an eye with a furious persistence that defies all reason. Was this really what Moses had in mind?

Have a peaceful weekend and spare a thought for those who cannot.

Regards,
Adriana

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The rustling gold of dry barley fields

Looking out of the window at the calm blue sea lapping gently against the quay and the yachts and gulets rocking quietly on their moorings, it is hard to believe just how much turbulence there is in the world not so very far from these tranquil shores. Having been under fire more than once myself I am always grateful for the privilege of being able to live in such a beautiful and peaceful spot. Peace, like freedom, is not something one should ever take for granted. Even this small haven has seen its share of violence over the centuries but right now it is a beautiful still summer's day, about to be shattered by the sounds of the Symi docking with several hundred happy holiday-makers on board.

The leaves are falling fast in the valley as the summer heat takes its toll. The bright blue tails of the small Balkan lizards flash like jewels as they dart through the rustling gold of dry barley fields. The drowsy cats are too lazy to be bothered to chase them anymore so the only fatalities are when the lizards fall into the cistern while hunting for mosquitoes between the old roof tiles. We leave pieces of wood in the irrigation cisterns to form ladders for snakes and lizards to climb out if they tumble in but occasionally one is not quick enough. Being cold blooded they quickly lose their strength when they fall into the cool water. I keep a net on a stick handy for rescue purposes.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com

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There is not a cloud in the sky

It is a typical summer's day on Symi. Temperatures are in the high thirties and there is not a cloud in the sky. It is very quiet outside. The kind of quiet that descends upon the island when the day trippers are enjoying lunch and everyone else with any sense is at the beach. The gang plank of the Symi is creaking gently against the quay in the afternoon breeze and the 'Omega' is pulling out from her berth by the clock tower. I wonder what will replace her. It is the mega-yacht season and every evening we are treated to a display of the exotic and expensive in both Yialos and Pedi as the rich and famous pass through. So far only one helicopter this year, though... Rumour has it that Madonna was seen jogging round the harbour in the company of 6 body guards last week. I should imagine that by the time the rumour has done the circuit one more time she will have been spotted in one or all of the island's clubs and dancing venues and may even be in the market for a house...

Someone has just tossed some bread into the water over by the Nireus and the gulls are swooping for it. Most of the little hire boats are out for the day.

The side doors of the Symi ferry are open to let the air through and one of the crew is taking advantage of the peace to catch a bit of a nap. See if you can spot him in the photograph!

Regards,
Adriana.
www.symivisitor.com

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It is hot

It is a hot and sunny day on Symi. Cats' paws of wind dab idly at the water and the yachts have given up trying to sail - isolated masts meander across a silver horizon and vanish into the shimmering heat-haze.

It is hot. Hot enough for people to brave the jelly fish at St George and Nanou in pursuit of a little coolth. The thermal rising off the flagstones beneath our offices carries the aroma of vanilla ice cream melting in the eager hands of children.

The idea of walking up the Kali Strata in the heat of the day carries little charm - perhaps I will indulge in the bus after all.

Speaking of buses, it is still the trusty battered green one for the moment. The new one is so shiney out of the box that the plastic wrap is still on the seats!

Have a good week!

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com

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The island is filling up

It has been very slightly cooler this week. Other parts of Greece have experienced quite stormy and windy weather with forest fires and winds around Force 8 on the Beaufort Scale. A fire-fighting plane was actually swamped by a large wave and sank while refilling, trying to put out a fire in Kea. Fortunately the crew were rescued but it is doubtful if the plane will be much use after its submersion.

Here on Symi we have had nothing worse than a breeze which has brought temperatures down to around the low to mid 30s. The island is filling up and there is more Italian and French to be heard on the streets and in the lanes. The Excellence III, the glossy black motor yacht that was hanging around Harani last month, has been overnighting alongside the Roloi the last few nights and there are plenty of yachts of all sizes swinging at anchor in Pedi. One of my favourites that visits every summer is an old wooden Dutch botter. She's about 45-50 feet long and very beamy, with a cheerful green enamelled hull. The distinctive slow thump of her single-cylinder engine as she sedately chugs in and out of Yialos and Pedi is one of the sounds of a Symi summer. Mind you, I've always been something of a traditionalist when it comes to boats!

The Greek banks are on strike on Monday so anyone travelling this weekend is advised to make sure they have enough euros on them to last until Tuesday as it is unlikely that the ATMs will be replenished.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com

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It is so steamy on Symi today it feels more like sub tropical Durban than a small island in the Mediterranean. At three a.m. we were awakened by the patter of heavy rain on the tin roof - just as well we weren't sleeping out in the garden as we often do on hot summer nights! We put camp beds in the citrus grove with mosquito nets rigged around - a fragrant bower and considerably cooler than indoors. The heavy rolling clouds from the south west are thinning out now and the sky should be clear by tonight. The weather is expected to remain fairly unsettled though for the next few days with the possibility of more thunder showers later in the week.

The leaves are falling fast now and it is only the hardiest plants and trees that have any green to show. The picture below is from my garden. Prickly pears, olive trees and golden grasses. Although it is too hot for wild flowers and the poppies are long gone, there is still plenty of variety to please the eye. In the open terraces the fresh shoots of the caper bushes create lush patches of green but beware of the small hooked thorns. Every evening the kapari erupt anew with wonderfully showy pink and white blossoms pollinated by moths. They shrivel away to nothing at the touch of the rising sun, leaving rapidly swelling pendulous green pods.


A week or so ago I gave you a picture of a sheep nuzzling a kitten in a garden over on Mavrovouni. Well, said kitten is none the worse for its experience. Here it is playing hide and seek in the same garden yesterday morning.


Have a good week!

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com

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