A Brief Day Off

After two days of stormy weather, hail, rain and wild winds, Symi is having a brief day off before the low pressure system that is currently spiraling across Italy, the Ionian and mainland Greece hits Symi in the course of tomorrow. While the fishermen are busy bailing out their boats and checking lines, everyone else is mopping, scrubbing and drying – when it rains on Symi water finds its way into unexpected places. The traditional Symi roof design with gutters set into the tops of the walls and channeled into a pipe set into the house wall to fill the cistern under the house often leaks in heavy downpours, particularly if hail stones prevent the water from flowing, as was the case in Thursday’s storm. Wednesday afternoon’s storm surge took breaking waves right up the customs slipway in the harbour but the raised pavements that were built along the front of Pachos and the other shops at the head of the harbour in recent years minimised the seawater flooding that used to be a problem for waterfront properties in Yialos during winter storms.

Today’s photos are for regular Symi visitors who may be surprised to see, firstly, a Christmas Tree, complete with baubles, tied to a fence post and Old Drakos signpost opposite Kampos supermarket in Chorio and secondly, who may not believe that the terraces in the Pedi Valley are ever any colour other than brown. With less agricultural activity on the island indigenous trees are taking over in the valley, creating a shady green garden out of what used to be vine-filled terraces and orchards.  Just in case you are wondering, those plastic bags in the background are builders' rubble, awaiting collection by truck after being dropped off there by a mule train. 

Many thanks to those of you who emailed us to point out that the webcam at Symi Visitor Accommodation was off the air – the power surge that caused the problem has been fixed and you can continue to enjoy a Symi winter from wherever you are in the world - until the next power outage of course.

Have a warm dry weekend.
Regards,

Adriana