 |
| 8.30 in the morning and the sun is just creeping over Chorio. After a week of wet and stormy weather, it is nice to see blue skies for a change. |
 |
| Wild clematis is a common sight during the winter, tumbling over walls and fences and scrambling in the trees. In the summer drought this, like so many other indigenous plants on the island, becomes dry brown scrubby stuff that looks as though it died years ago. |
 |
| Drifts of oak leaves in Lieni. |
 |
| I didn't see any people on my walk down the Kali Strata this morning but I did meet a hen, trimming the verges. |
 |
| And her mate, striking a pose. |
 |
| Why did the chicken cross the Kali Strata? |
 |
| The only other living thing I saw on the Kali Strata this morning also had feathers. |
 |
| Oranges don't seem to mind neglect. This garden has not been tended for years. |
 |
| An unusual sight, particularly as it is a beach towel. |
 |
| Firewood delivery. |
It is a clear cold winter's day on Symi and the sky was clear enough last night for us to enjoy the full moon. The lull between storms gives us all a chance to dry out a bit before the next round of wet weather reaches us on Sunday. Midday temperatures have risen to around 14 degrees centigrade, falling to 9 degrees at night - quite mild really after the recent bitter cold we have experienced. The rain will start again on Sunday and last until midweek, with on going mild temperatures and no strong winds expected over the next few days.
Symi is very quiet now. The holidays are over and the children are back at school. The students have all returned to their universities and colleges around the country. All the tourist businesses are closed. It is only essential amenities that serve the needs of the community such as supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and so on that are still open. I am often the only person on the bus on the two days in the week that I come down into the harbour and bus runs a very limited schedule now.
The cafes and gyros bars that have stayed open have their plastic drop cloths and outdoor heaters in place. They don't have much in the way of indoor seating and in any case the whole reason for going out for coffee at this time of the year is to escape the confines of home and look at something different. Symi's traditional neoclassical houses are actually quite small when one cannot use terraces, courtyards and balconies. When the weather is wet the shutters have to stay closed to keep the water out, making them quite dark and gloomy in the winter, so sitting inside a clear plastic tent, looking at the harbour, is an attractive treat.
Have a good weekend.
Regards,
Adriana
Posts
