Off to England

This will be my last diary entry for a while as I am off to England to visit family. As I am sure that many of my regular readers are only too familiar with weather conditions in the British Isles I shall spare you a blow by blow account of my stay in Bournemouth.

After the unseasonably inclement weather of recent weeks the long range forecast for Symi promises mild and clear October days, just like the ones we used to have when I first started this diary of weather reports and ‘views from my window’ from Symi back in 2001. The angle of the ‘view from my window’ has changed many times over the years, from one side of Yialos to the other and now from the head of the harbour next to Pachos. Some things have stayed the same, however. Particularly the rolling market that marks the passage of the ‘big boat’ through Symi. The convoys of gypsy lorries laden with everything from tottering piles of garden furniture and plants to rolls of gaudy carpets and stacks of cooking pots. The vegetable hawker whose wares always reflect what is currently in season, from oranges in mid-winter to the first beetroots of late summer. The names and sizes of the day-trip boats may have changed over the years but the day-trippers remain the same. The island’s cosmopolitan visitors and foreign residents in a kaleidoscope of seasonal attire. The Symiots who remain true to themselves, regardless of outside influences.

Many thanks to those of you who have called in to see me during the summer or have sent me emails of appreciation. It is always a pleasure to know who my readers are as it helps me know what is of interest to you all out there, whether you are first time visitors happily anticipating a first visit to Symi or regulars who like to keep track of what everyday life on Symi is really like when you are not here. This year, with the collapse of XL and the end of Kosmar, the number of people who have had to forego their ‘Symi fix’ and depend on these reports and the webcams has increased considerably and I am always aware of this when I write. With this in mind, please excuse the gap in the service. I will be back on line on 20 October.

Regards,
Adriana