Chasing Shadows

Mouragio and Harani on 15 August, traditionally the busiest day of the year in Greece.  

The island of Nimos, serene in the morning calm.  

The small white building just visible is the monastery which celebrates its name day on 23 August.

Chasing shadows down the Kali Strata

Man's Best Friend

 

Traditional Stone Balconies.

I noticed these along the quay in Yialos this morning.  

It is unusual for them all to be in such good condition and 

for a whole row to have the original stone and wrought iron work.

A very happy name day to all the Marias, Marys, Virginias, Despinas and Panayotis out there.  The Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, better known as the Assumption in Catholic countries, marks the high point of the summer season in this part of the world.  From tomorrow the slow process of winding down to the winter commences and Greeks start wishing each other ‘Kalo Chimona’ (Good winter) as they bid their friends and families good bye.  In a few weeks the children head back to school and the tourist shops will replace their displays of sarongs and sunhats with scarves and schoolbags but for now everyone is making the most of what is left of  the holidays.  Symi is certainly not as crowded as in previous years and the enormous megayachts that were a feature of Yialos in 2005, 2006 and 2007 seem to have found new playgrounds. 

The August full moon is quite spectacular this year and as the nights grow longer they are also becoming a more tolerable temperature.  Symi is starting to cool off a little after the sweltering days of the solstice and July.  Midday temperatures are around 38 degrees centigrade, dropping to about 25 degrees centigrade at night.  It is still not cool enough to require shawls or an extra layer of clothing in the evening but one no longer breaks out in a sweat with the exertion of turning the pages of a taverna menu either. 

Have a good week.

Regards,

Adriana