Our Sunny Corner of the Mediterranean

The Kastro (Acropolis) as seen from Lieni, an area of upper Chorio

Beating the heat in Lieni. 

A sign of the times is that these studios were built as holiday lets

but are now rented out to conscripts, hence the uniforms on the line.

Summer rain may be lashing Northern Europe but here in our sunny corner of Mediterranean the sky remains clear and the weather forecast is all variations of hot, hotter and hotter still. Temperatures are around 40 degrees centigrade on Symi in the heat of the day at the moment with moderate to low humidity. Washing dries to a crisp within the hour and bread turns to rusks as soon as it is sliced. July is always the hottest and driest month of the year on Symi and it is only in August that the humidity starts to rise again as the nights grow longer and cooler.

Another face of the Acropolis - looking up at Lemonitissa church from the side balcony

of Symi Visitor Accommodation's office in the centre of Yialos. 

Lemonitissa Studio and Apartment are screened by the trees to the right of the church.

The Kastro looking across from the row of windmills on the crest of the hill that divides Yialos from Pedi.  No where on Symi is really very far from anywhere else.

After some anxious moments it seems that Symi will have a summer festival after all, with a grand opening on 30 July with the Greek singer Miltos Paschalidis. At the moment this is the only ‘big name’ event on the calendar, the other items being the usual appearances of various local dance and drama groups that perform every year, originally to augment a wider program but now its mainstay.

Looking down at the Mouragio part of Yialos with the area of Harani in the background. 

The rooftops on the right foreground belong to the Panormiteon high school.

Both these 19th century mansions on the Kali Strata need to be restored

 but the red geranium is relentlessly optimistic.

In these days of Austerity Greece there is little money in the municipal or national coffers for all the costs involved in terms of publicity, transport, accommodation, meals and equipment that are unavoidable for visiting performers, even if they themselves offer to perform gratis. Local businesses no longer have the spare capacity to provide sponsorship either. I wonder where all the musicians, soloists and bands that used to do the Greek Summer Festival Circuit are spending their days now that belts have been tightened and free cultural events for all have come to an end. Are they performing on the cruise ships that are still supposed to be a growth industry in tourism these days? Or are they sitting in Athens and Thessaloniki, waiting for the telephone to ring?

Have a good weekend.

Regards,

Adriana