Dry and Chilly

Off loading gas bottles at the fuel station.

Looking across at the works on the new commercial boat jetty by the fuel station from the balcony of the Symi Visitor Accommodation office.  That scar on the hill behind is the only motor road out of Yialos, connecting the harbour with Chorio, Pedi and the rest of the island. This is the vehicle alternative to the Kali Strata steps.

Manos fish taverna is still in winter mode, i.e. closed, but the restaurant next door is open all year round.

The tourist shops aren't open yet but work has started on painting shop-fittings and so on.  Some places may open to a limited extent for Greek Easter but there isn't much point in opening fully until there are more people around and the day boats start to come over from Rhodes which will be sometime in late April.

Stavro giving one of the wine shops a spring facelift.

Wild cyclamens growing out of the rock face behind the bus stop in Yialos.  They have a very delicate scent.

Looking down at the clock tower and Harani from the top corner of the Kali Strata, above the high school.  The island of Nimos with its small monastery is visible on the right.  That lush vegetation in the foreground is an eruption of wild alexanders, very sweet-scented members of the carrot family that flower at this time of the year.

Bird activity on the Kali Strata.

Showing off his best side, a Chorio cat contemplates some castor oil plants. The house in the background is in fact occupied, despite its somewhat dilapidated appearance.

The landmark oak in Lieni is now covered with pollen-laden tassels and is a-hum with bees.

More alexanders.  They grow to quite impressive proportions, only to vanish completely in a few weeks, leaving just a few broken brown stalks.

It is fairly overcast on Symi today so not much good for watching the eclipse, alas.  Temperatures have taken a dive.  It is only about 13 degrees now at midday and will fall to 8 or 9 degrees centigrade tonight.  It may be the spring equinox but we have a way to go yet before we can pack away our winter woollies.  The weekend will be dry and chilly with strong northerly winds tomorrow.

Dodecanese Seaways have now posted the ferry schedule up to 19 April, the weekend after Greek Easter, on their website so on line booking for those dates has opened.  For ferry information for later in the season it is still necessary to consult the PDF on their website.  There has been no further information so far about reinstating the Thursday connection from Rhodes to Symi in May and June but as soon as we hear anything we will put it up on Andy's Symi Travel Blog as well as on our Symi Visitor Accommodation Facebook page and, of course, in my blog.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana