Memorable Retail Therapy

A Louis Lines cruise ship pulling into Symi harbour on Wednesday afternoon.

Cruise ships having been stopping by Symi for short periods since the beginning of the season.  Sometimes they are small boutique cruise ships which come alongside in Yialos and sometimes they are larger ships that anchor off in Nimborio bay and bring guests ashore in small lighters.

A line up of interesting boats and yachts on the quay in Yialos on Thursday afternoon.

A small fishing boat for sale in Harani.

Harani boatyard.  Note the cloudy sky in the background - harbinger of things to come.

Pedi bay on Friday morning with rain showers dancing over Turkey.

 A lone Kos lettuce, growing between the paving stones and a pile of tiles on the Kali Strata  How the seed arrived there is something of a mystery. There were several but this is the only one that survived long enough to bolt without being nibbled by a passing sheep or donkey.

Chrysalis, one of the many charming boutiques for which Symi is becoming known.  This one is at the foot of the Kali Strata, on the way to the Old Markets Hotel.

One of the picturesque squares off Yialos waterfront, lined with tavernas, cafes and tourist shops.

A storm has been building slowly over our corner of the Mediterranean for some days and last night we had intermittent showers and mud rain with distant growls of thunder until well into the early hours.  It is quite overcast today and very humid.  More thundershowers are expected over the next few days with strong westerly winds.  It is not uncommon for us to have a last rain storm at the end of May/beginning of June.  Temperatures are in the high twenties to low thirties.

Inclement weather brings many day-trippers from Rhodes.  Visitors staying on the island also take a break from the beach to browse around the shops and boutiques in Yialos and have lunch in the harbour. Summer-time shopping on Symi has improved considerably over the years and we now have an excellent range of clothing boutiques to suit all figures, tastes and budgets.  As shops stay open until quite late in the evenings you can combine dining out with some memorable retail therapy.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana

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Thinking about Sunblock and Sunhats

The view from my balcony is changing again.  The water taxis are back in their berths and should soon be operational.  Someone is busy sanding the ticket booth..

The Greek flag, fluttering high above the harbour, Yialos.

Lantana on the Kali Strata.

Pomegranate flowers.

No one can remember what this bit of cabling was for but it is handy for a May Day posy.

The roses are splendid this year.

My neighbour's little boat, almost ready for launching.

It is a bright sunny day on Symi.  A pleasant breeze is drifting through the balcony doors, bringing with it the aroma of vanilla from the nearby bakery.  The Panagia Skiadeni is just docking by the clock tower, the Symi excursion boat is already berthed by the bus stop and the harbour is buzzing.  It is a lot noisier in the evenings now too.  At midnight last night even in our relatively remote location in the Pedi valley we could hear the excited squeals of children playing and the hum of conversation on the evening air.  The Greeks do a lot of living and they tend to do much of it out of doors.

The long range forecast seems to be sunshine all the way now.  We may have a downpour at the end of May - we often do - but generally speaking we can assume that the dry season is now upon us and that's it for rain really until October.  Temperatures are rising and it is really only those who ride on motorbikes who are still wrapped up in winter woollies. The rest of us are shedding layers rapidly and thinking about sunblock and sunhats.

There is a meeting of New Horizons at the Olive Tree this evening at 7 at which Lefteris Papakalodoukas, the current Mayor, will present his manifesto to the expat electorate.  As town hall elections on Symi tend to run along family lines, the foreign vote is quite important and can swing the results one way or the other, even though there are only about a hundred of us here to vote.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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Cream, Ochre and Terracotta

The Pitini area of Symi harbour, Yialos, as seen when looking across from the clock tower.

The Dodecanese Seaways catamaran leaving Yialos.  That scar on the far hillside is the only motor road that connects Yialos with Chorio and the rest of the island.  It makes a great sweep of about 3 kilometres because of the steepness of the terrain. The old pedestrian routes via the Kali Strata and the Kataraktis are considerably shorter being more direct.  Very few houses on Symi have vehicle access and most can only be accessed via a network of steps and lanes. 

Looking towards the head of the harbour.  The town square is behind the bridge just discernible on the right.  The cream building right on the water is the customs house.  The Symi Visitor Accommodation office, Sunrise Laundry and various cafes and shops are along the strip to the left.  The water taxis, which are not yet operational, depart from in front of our office, so in effect this is the webcam view in reverse.  The scar near the top of the hill on the left of the photograph roughly marks where the road continues on to the settlement at Xisos and Panormitis monastery.

Looking towards the Kastro (Acropolis) from Lieni and the top of the Pedi Valley.  The buttressed walls are all that remains of the original castle.  There are at least 3 churches with the bounds of the old castle walls and several more in close proximity, all round the hill.

Gyros, the traditional Greek fast food, is still excellent value for money at 2 euros for a portion of meat, salad, tzatziki and chips wrapped in a pita bread.

Butterflies and oregano flowers

The weather continues unsettled with thundershowers forecast and blustery winds.  There is a lot of hazy dust in the air which suggests that any rain forthcoming is likely to be of the dirty Saharan variety, a reminder of why the traditional colours of paintwork around here tend to be cream, ochre and terracotta rather than the more usual white of the Cyclades.

Although the water taxis to the beaches are not running yet the Poseidon is doing some excursions, weather permitting. The rain earlier in the week has given the wild flowers a boost and the insect life is a veritable Pandora's box of winged things, some beautiful and some merely annoying so remember to bring your mosquito repellent with you.  The cloudy, showery conditions are keeping temperatures in the mid twenties but it feels hotter out and about as the humidity is quite high.  It is surprisingly chilly still indoors and on the shady side of the harbour.  It takes a long time for the warmth to penetrate the thick stone walls of Symi's traditional neo-classical architecture.

The traditional feast of Koukoumas will be taking place at Agios Thanasis church in Chorio tomorrow evening - if it is not wet (this celebration has been rained off before so rain in May is not that unusual!).  This is a tradition where the local girls dance and perform a little ceremony which is supposed to help them predict their future bridegrooms. It is worth it for the colourful costumes and dancing although the music, much amplified, can be a little deafening and is audible in large parts of Chorio.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,

Adriana

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