Head for the Shade

It is a sizzling sunny day on the small island of Symi. The heat is shimmering off the stone pavements and visitors working their way around the tourist shops that fringe the harbour proceed slowly from one pool of shade to the next, fanning themselves with their sunhats and frantically finishing their ice creams before total meltdown. Judging by the clink of glass and the growing stack of empty crates outside Pachos downstairs, cold beer is moving well today. The’ no parking’ cones are in position around the harbour front and the municipal police are clamping down on illegal parking in Yialos. At this stage the date for the annual traffic ban in the harbour has not been announced but it can’t be far away. Traffic is banned at peak periods so that day trippers don’t have to dodge cars in the middle of the day and overnight visitors can enjoy their meals in the waterfront tavernas without exhaust fumes and passing vehicles disturbing the ambience.

It is quite definitely beach weather and there is only one water taxi still waiting on the quay; the others are all out, whizzing along Symi’s rugged coastline, dropping off and collecting patrons at the different beaches. As most of Symi’s beaches are inaccessible by any other means and it is a long hot walk to the few that can be accessed on foot water taxis are a very popular means of transport at this time of the year. Apart from the water taxis operating out of Yialos there is also one operating out of Pedi that serves the beaches at St Nicholas and Agia Marina.

The long range forecast for Greece as a whole and Symi in particular is hot, hot and hotter. Even in breezy Rhodes midday temperatures are in the high thirties which means that rocky Symi will be over the forty mark for the next few days. Time to grab another ice cream and head for the shade of my olive grove.

Have a good week.

Regards,

Adriana