Flowering in Confusion

It is a bright clear day on Symi. Saturday’s downpours have washed the island clean and the fishing boats are sparkling in the sun. The benches along the harbour front are full of locals warming themselves in the sunshine as the northerly breeze is quite chilly. Tuesday should remain dry and the next round of rainy weather will move in from Wednesday evening, once it has finished depositing snow on the Alps. On the whole, however, the temperatures have remained remarkably mild for the time of the year and the almond and oak trees are still covered in leaves. Some of the almonds are already flowering in confusion.

Up in Chorio the winter stock has finally arrived and Sotiris’ supermarket has an impressively cosmopolitan display of imported chocolates, German stollen and Italian panetone as well as the usual Greek honey and walnut cakes, dried fruit and nuts. Not a mincepie in sight, however, and Christmas shopping on Symi does not involve piped carols either – most shopkeepers have a television set somewhere in line of sight of the till so that they can keep an eye on the news and football matches in idle moments. For heated shops, window displays, tinsel and Bing Crosby one has to head further afield, to the bright lights of Rhodes, just under two hours away on the ferry.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana