November Postcards from Symi

Fresh shrimp for sale below the Symi  Visitor Accommodation office this morning.

Artisanal Cheeses from Tilos

Hand made baskets for sale.

And I really do mean hand made!

All wrapped up for the winter.

Cerberus? No, just an amiable hound looking out for customers.

Painting awnings.

Mavrovouni - the sunny side of the harbour.

First some early morning exercises in the November sunshine.

Then a leisurely pamper session.

Reflections

Symi steps

Carpets for sale in Chorio.

A late season schooner in Harani.

Friday Morning Rush-Hour

It is the weekend before the Panormitis Festival and the Blue Star Patmos dropped off a veritable cavalcade of hawkers and stall holders this morning.   There was quite a procession of heavily laden vans, trucks and battered old cars crawling up the mountain as I was walking down.  Those who arrived on Wednesday's boat set up briefly in the town square yesterday, selling cheeses, baskets and carpets.

Weatherwise, we had 24 millimetres of steady rain on Monday afternoon which has helped to break the drought but we need a lot more where that came from.  The rain lowered the temperatures quite considerably and we have had days around 19 degrees and evenings as low as 13 degrees this week. The weather will continue unsettled with some very windy days next week and possible showers.

There have been further cuts to the winter ferry schedule in that Sea Dreams which was originally supposed to be running until at least Christmas has now had a change of heart and the boat has been pulled from service.  The Panagia Skiadeni which was supposed to be running a ferry service this week and over the Panormitis festival period has lost her ferry license so cannot sell one way tickets or take vehicles. This means that the only vehicle ferry during what is a peak period is the Blue Star as there are very few vehicle slots on the catamaran and in any case it doesn't have the clearance to accommodate vans and trucks. There will be quite a rush on Wednesday morning as the boat leaves at 5 a.m. for Rhodes in the winter and the stall holders will need time to dismantle and drive across the island.  I should imagine quite a few of them will defer their departure until Friday and come over to the harbour to sell whatever didn't go during the festival on Monday and Tuesday.  What a way to earn a living but these people have little or no choice in the land  of 50% unemployment and the Panormitis festival is one of the biggest opportunities to make a little money for the winter, assuming it doesn't all go into ferry fares.

I will be one of the ones waiting to catch the Blue Star at 5 a.m.  on Wednesday morning as I will be  off to the UK for a fortnight, but there is time for one more blog on Monday!

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana