April on Symi

That patch of snow is still there, over on the left horizon.

A lone fishing boat slowly passes Pedi, heading south.

Pedi Bay early the following morning, calm and serene.

It is only a week to Easter and Symi is suddenly humming with activity. There might not be as much money to spend on painting and decorating this year but a frenzy of spring-cleaning has gripped Chorio. The rugs and carpets of winter are dripping over railings or subject to vigorous beating before being put away for the summer and walking through the lanes this morning I could hear a chorus of vacuum cleaners.

Wild grape hyacinth, Muscari, in my garden.

We went to Rhodes yesterday on the last scheduled Symi-Rhodes-Symi day trip on the Proteus for who knows how long. The boat was packed for the return trip, mainly with young Symiots returning from university and college for the Easter holidays. Rhodes is home to one of the campuses of the University of the Aegean but many young people are sent further afield, to Crete, Athens or Thessalonica, and only get to see their families at holiday times. Greece is one of the few countries in the EU to still have conscription so between tertiary studies and 18 months in the army, young men often leave the islands as teenagers and don’t really return until they are in their mid twenties. It is not surprising that many of them settle in other places instead. There are several well known Symiots who actually come from other parts of Greece but came here to do their national service, married local girls and stayed on in Symi.

Not all pimpernels are scarlet...

Even the stoniest places can sustain a clump of hardy chamomile.

Weather wise, April on Symi is as variable as it is elsewhere in the world. Spring and autumn are always unpredictable. Showers, sunshine, thunderstorms, chilly squalls and the sudden realisation while walking home from the shops that one is wearing way too many clothes. We had 12 mm of rain on Thursday afternoon and there is the possibility of more wet stuff in the next few days. As northern Greece is actually expecting snow on high ground we cannot really complain about a few puddles in our corner.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,

Adriana