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| No, this is not a leftover from my previous post. This is Yialos today. The water level is even higher and the water is several centimetres deep on the forecourts of the two cafes at the corner. |
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| Motorists choose their moment to drive through the swirling seawater. |
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| Paddling in the cafes. The drop cloths may keep the rain out but they don't help against water from below. |
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| The sea breaks over the quay, washes across the pavement and then sluices down the storm water drains in the road, only to meet more water bubbling up through the same drains. |
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| Williwaws marching into Harani and waves sloshing against the clock tower. This is why the Nireus and Aliki hotels pack up totally for the winter and swaddle all their external fittings in plastic to keep the salt spray off. The Blue Star Diagoras is sheltering on the leeward side of Kos at the moment and is unlikely to put in an appearance before late tonight or early tomorrow morning. The present gale warning is in effect until 10 p.m. tonight. |
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| In the summer this lane is bustling with open air bars and shops. In February it is just the greengrocer and the pizzeria. |
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| I came down a different route today, past our old office near the high school. This concrete repair to the ramp was done many years ago, and a lad called Stavros took the delight in writing his name in the wet cement on his way to school. His name, plus the paw prints of a passing cat, are picked out in bright green moss at the moment, with interesting effect. By the way, the Greeks have a word for paw prints in wet cement. They call them louloudia - flowers - as they look like blossoms. Anywhere else there would be much cursing and the cement would be redone. Here the markings become part of the landscape and nature turns them into curiosities. |
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| Wild cyclamens and other indigenous plants turn the rocky crags and cliffs into hanging gardens in the winter. |
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| Full moon over Pedi on Wednesday night. |
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| Lots of windy clouds scudding across the moon this week. |
Another Friday, another gale. The almond trees started to flower a few days ago but already most of the blossoms have blow away. The windy conditions are expected to continue well into next week with a significant drop in temperature as the next blast will be from the north. February is often the worst month of the winter weatherwise and no time to be on any of the smaller, more isolated islands like Kastellorizon. At least here on Symi there are enough people for there to be some sort of camaraderie, akin to the 'spirit of the Blitz' so beloved of the British media. Here it is Symiots and expats looking out for each other, helping with flooded boats and other excitements.
Have a good weekend.
Regards,
Adriana
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