A Sense of Relief

Proud on the Vigla the wind turbine maintains a static majesty with its head in the clouds

Symi’s coffee shops are humming with optimism as the results of yesterday’s Greek parliamentary election are discussed and there is plenty of animated discussion drifting up through my windows from Pachos. Symi has always been PASOK country with strong links to the Papandreou Foundation there is a sense of relief on the island now that the results are out.

It is a sunny day with small plump clouds drifting low across a bright blue sky. As the tourist season draws to a close and the visitors are departing the people of Symi are making preparations for the winter. Leaky roofs are being repaired, gutters replastered and cisterns cleaned to make the most of the winter rains when they start in earnest in the next few weeks. The greengrocers and supermarkets have taken delivery of pockets of onion sets, the tiny immature onions which, when planted in rows on the terraces provide Symiots with spring onions – the climate here is usually too extreme to run to maincrop onions. As soon as enough rain has fallen to break the crust, terraces will be ploughed and spring onions, broad beans, spinach, chard and grazing grasses planted. Up on the mountain the squills are already punching through the parched earth and the sage bushes are turning green, nutured by heavy nocturnal dews.

The views in today’s photographs are taken from the road to Panormitis that snakes up the Vigla and show Chorio, the Castro and portions of Yialos and Harani.

Chorio with the new sports stadium taking shape on the right, at the top of the Pedi Valley.  The sharp ridge divides Pedi from Yialos.   The edge of Harani is visible on the left with the island of Nimos in the background. The little white blob is the Nimos monastery. 

Agios Trianda church in the foreground with the Kastro mound behind.  The big sweep of Chorio's many houses, showing just how many ruins have been rebuilt in recent years.  In the background on the left some of the houses of Mavrovouni, one of the hills shaping the harbour, are just visible. There is a shipping passage between Nimos and the tongue of land that is visible in the photograph (Analipsi - Nimborio)

A clearer view of the Kastro with Agios Thannasis church in the foreground and Evangelismos church on the hill above Harani in the background. 

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana