Watching Time Roll By

It is a pleasantly cool and breezy day on Symi. The clouds are gathering and there is the possibility of a thundershower later this afternoon or evening. The water boat is alongside the clock tower and yachts and gulets are milling about, making space on the jetty for the day excursion boats arriving from Rhodes.

The Symi Visitor Accommodation office has two balconies. Apart from the one next to my desk with its pots of jasmine and geraniums and well-known views of Symi harbour, there is also one on the other side of the building, above the entrance and overlooking the lane. This view is not as bustling as the one of the harbour, but it is interesting in its own way. A bougainvillea in the grounds of St John’s church has climbed high into the cypress tree, shooting bracts of bright colour through the dark green foliage. The big rope of fat heads of garlic that have been draped over the scaffolding of the new Taxas supermarket building to keep away bad luck has weathered the summer sun remarkably well and looks as plump as it did in the spring. The inscrutable sphinx on the apex of the old building next door to our office is the ultimate Symi cat, serenely watching time roll by. Dino’s collection of odds and ends for fishermen and sailors is as cheerful as ever.

The long range forecast includes some passing showers as some of the stormy weather currently being experienced in the central Mediterranean, southern Italy and Ionian may reach Rhodes and Symi in the next few days. Temperatures remain in the mid to high twenties – not too hot but not chilly either. The rest of Greece has been experiencing occasional thunderstorms and heavy autumnal showers for some time but the weather should remain mild on Symi for some weeks yet.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,

Adriana