Rigani - Joy of the Mountain

Last weekend’s sandstorm turned the oregano flowers from gleaming white to dusty beige but they still smell wonderful. The local herb sellers have bushels spread out on sacking to dry in the shade. Earlier this week I had to go out to Nimborio and the thyme bushes are starting to flower along the way. There are splodges of purple and pink thyme blossom dotting the slopes of Pedi, above the path to Saint Nicholas and the oleander bushes that line the roads are erupting into a ribbon of white, crimson, pink and salmon blossom. The pomegranate trees are also ablaze.

Although Attica was in the news with flash floods yesterday once again the rain has passed us by. Only mare’s tails overhead and heaps of cumulus billowing on the horizon indicate that there is weather out there. Symi is slipping into Camelot mode.

There are more people around, particularly in the evenings when visitors enjoy sitting outside the cafes and tavernas. With more houses occupied there are more lights at night and neighbourhoods that have been dark and deserted for months are now humming with activity. The harbour is filling up with flotillas of gulets but the main yachting activity still tends to be privately owned small sailing boats at this time of the year. Live-aboards who have been wintering across the way in Turkey and travel-worn circumnavigators with bicycles lashed to the railings and faded flags dangling from the spreaders.

We are busy putting together the tenth birthday edition of the Symi Visitor newpaper which is quite an interesting project. We hope you all enjoy it when you see it.

Please remember that it is a long weekend in Greece as well as elsewhere so banks and other businesses will be closed on Monday for the Pentecost holiday.

Have a peaceful weekend.

Regards,
Adriana