Will There be Rain on 1 October?

I never know what I am going to see on my walk to work in the morning. A laden donkey munching thistles next to two boats half way up a mountain is not as odd as it sounds when one lives on Symi.

A donkey and pony train being loaded up to take building materials to a property that does not have vehicle access. This is one of the reasons why building or restoring properties on Symi is so expensive. Very few properties have close vehicle access and all building materials have to be carried up and down steps and along narrow lanes.

A lone dove on a wire above the Kali Strata.

The view from my office balcony this morning.  The water taxis are still operating but are not as busy as they were a few weeks ago and there is a definite 'winding down' feel to the island now.  Some businesses are already laying off staff for the winter and the ferry schedule is much reduced.

The metallic blue bus is the one that goes to Panormitis monastery on the south side of the island.  The timetable is up on the kiosk at the main bus stop in the harbour.  The diagonal contraption across the hillside towards the right of the photograph is a contraption devised to send building materials down a chute to a building site among the houses from the road above - a contrivance to avoid having to carry materials up 80 steep steps from the quay and along a lane. There is another chute, somewhat shorter, down to a gap between the houses on the quay for removing rubble from the same site.

As the weather is becoming cooler the range of fresh produce available on the island is becoming more varied. Other parts of Greece have already had rain and market gardens in Rhodes and Crete are able to produce under irrigation all year round.

It is the last day of September and Symi is starting to wind down for the long winter sleep. The ferry schedule has diminished considerably and will be reduced even further from the middle of the month.  The weather forecast is once again promising us countrywide rain tomorrow with possible thunder storms to help it on its way.   Temperatures are still in the high twenties and it is very humid. 
After so many months of drought and only a muddy sprinkle a few weeks ago there is an air of eager anticipation among the locals who are keen for the weather to break and the growing season to begin.

On a more serious note, a group of 22 Syrian refugees has arrived at Symi police station. The group includes women and children and once again the island's support group is swinging into action to provide clothes and bedding.  Food, water and medical facilities have been arranged as two of the women are in poor health.  It is believed that they will only be on Symi for a few days but whether their destination will be a holding centre elsewhere in Greece or if they will be returned to Turkey is unclear at this stage.  If you are on holiday on Symi and have any clean suitable clothes or left over toiletries (shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste) that you don't want to take back home with you, please can you contact us at Symi Visitor Accommodation.  Thank you.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana