Symi Festivities

Symi oranges

Now that the Christmas and New Year festivities have come to an end, the Christmas Trees, decorations and fairy lights have all been packed away for another year. I would like to reflect on the various gifts that we received from our friends. As you are aware, we do not have the likes of the plush department stores that you can find throughout the European cities, but we want for nothing (maybe a little snow).

The presents that were given to each other were all hand made, whether they were in the form of confectionary, mince pies, cakes or chocolates or in one instance I was given a beautiful hand carved chopping board with my name engraved upon it. People use their imagination and I find it very humbling, but enough of this humbug.

I have to praise myself and George the butcher in Chorio, who managed to supply me with a 3 Kg Agriogourouno (Wild Boar) which I turned into a stew on New Years day. I found a recipe which had Cumin, Oranges, Red Wine, Sultanas and Chocolate and I cooked the stew on a low heat for 12 hours, served with carrot and potato mash and spicy cabbage. I think it was appreciated by all present.

I believe the Epiphany went down well but due to conflicting times I managed to miss the retrieving of the Cross from the Harbour, which I am informed was carried out by somebody in a suit?

Weddings were in abundance on Symi this weekend: firstly a very large gathering at Panomitis, with most of the people on the island present, for Nikolas and Anna’s Wedding and secondly on Sunday, a wedding which started in the squire in Chorio and proceeded to Lemonitsa church. Luckily the rain had stopped but the hems of the small bridesmaid’s dresses were dragging in the pools of rainwater, this did not seem to deter them from their bridesmaid’s duties.

Guest post by Ged Horton.