Symi Spring Flowers

Wild chamomile on a bit of wasteland in Chorio.

A tiny garden growing in the crevices of a ruin.

The Pedi valley wearing different shades of spring green.

Wild cyclamens carpet the shady places.

Even the barren hills between Pedi bay and Agia Marina have a green sheen this year.

Spring is now in full bloom on Symi.  If you always visit the island in the summer when it is dry and bare rock wherever you look,  you may find it difficult to imagine what Symi looks like in April. Thanks to digital photography and the internet I can share some of that floral abundance with you before it all disappears into dust of summer.

It is quite a windy day today and there are some shipping disruptions.  The Dodecanese Express which was scheduled to leave Rhodes at 11 this morning to come over to Symi only left at 12 and still hasn't arrived yet.  The last time I checked on Marine Traffic she was still on the Rhodian side of the Crocodile - the rocky peninsular on the coast of Asia Minor that marks the approach to Symi. Squalls and showers of red rain are expected later today and tomorrow and the rest of the week is fairly unsettled.  It should, however, be dry and sunny for the Greek Easter long weekend.

There are many more young people on the island this week as the students have come home from universities and colleges around the country to spend Easter with their families.  Big Week, the run up to Greek Easter, is a mixture of serious fasting, lots of church services, a frenzy of cleaning and whitewashing and lots of baking for the celebrations on Sunday.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana