The stars outshine any Christmas baubles

Today is the feast of St Nicholas. The Symi ferry is dressed over all, flags fluttering brightly in the breeze, and anyone who has nothing else to do today is at one of the two churches dedicated to that saint, eating sticky loukoumadia and catching up on the gossip. Unfortunately neither of the Symi Visitor's resident Nicholases has been able to duck off work for the holiday but suitable greetings have been exchanged and something decent will have to be cooked for dinner by way of compensation.

The last few days have been truly glorious - temperatures around 18 degrees, picture book clouds drifting sweetly across a lavender-blue sky and crisp green seedlings punching their way through the ground wherever one looks. Wild angelica and alexanders are sprouting on the Kali Strata and the ferns are uncurling between the stones. We have had some very heavy evening dewfalls and the valleys fill with mist but the night sky is so clear the stars outshine any Christmas baubles.

This idyll, alas, is about to end. Another spell of rainy weather is already moving in from the west with gale force winds in the Ionian and we can expect some strong winds this weekend with a sharp drop in temperature. Fortunately we have plenty of dry firewood to see us through.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com