An Invitation to a Veritable Banquet

It is the season for the annual battle between sandstorms and whitewash as the Greeks scrub and paint in anticipation of Easter and nature repeatedly covers the country in a fine crust of Saharan dust. For those who really couldn’t be bothered about gleaming paintwork and dazzling white walls, spring is an invitation to a veritable banquet of lush greenery as today’s photos show. Only the ancient blue car, which has been home to poultry, rabbits and pigs at various times in its history since it ceased to be roadworthy gives a clue to regular visitors that this is actually on the Pedi road and from June to October is just a dusty bit of hillside with an old blue car abandoned in it.

Higher up, at the top of the Pedi Valley, the tiles have arrived for the new undercover sports stadium and the workmen are wrestling with large sheets of rock wool insulation. Down in Yialos, the harbour, it is surprisingly quiet. The Asian hawker with his station wagon full of cheap Chinese ghetto blasters and plastic novelties has drifted on to a different island, taking his techno-pop and talking dolls with him. A huddle of heavy vehicles waits at the clock tower in anticipation of tomorrow’s Pireaus car ferry. Locals hang about in Pachos cafeneion, drinking thick black coffee and discussing the economy, or lack thereof. With the fine pall of dust still hanging in the air there is little point in washing taverna tables or painting shutters. The Proteus will be in from Rhodes in a couple of hours and then Yialos will be galvanized into action as everyone rushes to unload stock and collect ordered items but for now Yialos is quiet and biding its time.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,

Adriana