May on Symi

This house on the Kali Strata was abandoned recently enough to have had an electricity connection.

The light at the end of the tunnel.

Cooing on the Kali Strata.

Gleaming whitewash, all ready for summer.

These glass eye amulets are popular in both Greece and Turkey.

Symi colours

Health and safety? What's that?

The path to St Nicholas beach, Pedi

Oregano

Hen and chickens

Rush hour, Symi style

The view from the Symi Visitor Accommodation office this morning. The storm reached us about half an hour later and we had an hour of gentle rain.  The thunder and lightning stayed well out to sea.

We have had all sorts of weather this week, ranging from hot and dry to cool and breezy with showers and passing thunderstorms.   The sailors' strike for Tuesday and Wednesday was extended for another 48 hours so we have not seen the Blue Star at all this week.  Dodecanese Seaways was unaffected by the strike action and their vessels continued to run to the advertised schedule.  It is worth remembering that when you see big headlines about 'paralysing' strikes and so on, this is very seldom really the case and small local shipping companies continue to run.  They can't afford not to.  It is only the big companies operating out of Pireus that are usually affected so if you are flying into Rhodes, you can still get to Symi.

The number of yachts and Turkish gulets passing through Symi is slowly increasing and there are a few more people around, mainly regular visitors to the island and their friends.  Saga Holidays, Olympic Holidays and Titan Travel also have people on the island at the moment.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana

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May Postcards from Symi

Pretty petunias outside the Vapori bar, one of several attractive bars and cafes in Yialos, Symi's main harbour.

Fresh fish at Symi's fish market, by the bridge in Yialos.  Just remember, this is Greece so you have to be up early if you want fresh fish.  By 10 or so it is all gone.

VE Day - 8 May 2017

I wonder how many thousands of soldiers have marched past this balcony in the last hundred years.

Greek oregano, rigani, growing wild on the terraces of the Pedi valley.  That black and red blob is a butterfly.  I was up on the road above, looking down, and hadn't realised the butterfly was there until I downloaded my photographs.

May Day in Chorio

Nearly done.  Only about 60 or so steps still to go!

It was extremely windy on Monday night and for most of Tuesday.  The super-sized Greek flags for the VE Day parade on Monday put a lot of strain on the flag poles. The one outside the customs house nearly took off, despite a couple of guy ropes. The ones on the bridge are just slightly bent at the top.

One wonky flagpole with the Kastro, Lemonitissa and Chorio on the hill in the background.

It will take a while to get used to seeing the Poseidon without her masts.

The view from the Symi Visitor Accommodation office today. 

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Symi Spring Colours

The Blue Star Diagoras coming into Yialos on Wednesday morning. The bunting is up for the VE Day parade on Sunday.

A couple of flotillas came through Symi this week.  This was the scene in Yialos on Friday morning as they pulled out for a day's sailing.

Visitors head round to the clock tower to catch the Friday morning Blue Star.  As you can see, the traffic cones are starting to show some wear and tear.

An apt mat for a Symi cat.

Suddenly the view through the gap on the Kali Strata has got a lot busier.

Pomegranate blossom in Chorio.

Knifhofia at Kampos in Chorio

Oleanders at the Windmill in Chorio

A Mayday posy on the Kali Strata.

Sunlight sparkling on Pedi bay at 7 a.m.

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A Typical Symi Monday

The overnight yachting fraternity, unraveling tangled anchors before setting off for the day's sailing to the next port of call.

A gypsy van is going round the island at the moment, selling clay pots from Crete and big bags of potting soil.  In the background you can see the water taxis lined up with customers already on board, waiting for the first departure of the day.

Although our office faces the sea, the entrance is in the lane to the side. This is the colourful display at the chandlery opposite our entrance.  That strange object on the right, behind the bikes, is a large fibreglass ice cream cone belonging to the cake shop next door to us.

Two very traditional shops in the back lanes. The one on the left specialises in Greek products and organic foods.  The one on the right is the tin smith who makes lanterns and other domestic items, a skill he learned from his late grandfather.

There are several cool and shady tavernas among the back lanes. The shop with the green shutters is one of the two modern butcheries in the harbour.  The third butcher is up in Chorio.

Home made traditional patisserie, fancy designer labels, a specialist sunglasses shop and a specialist wine shop can be found in this square at the back of Yialos.

The post office at the back of Yialos. The shop on the right is one of several specialist wine shops in Yialos, selling Greek and imported wines and spirits.

7 a.m. and lots of yachts lying at anchor in Pedi bay.

This blog is developing something of an equine theme.

A tangle of grave vine and pomegranate blossom in an old garden at the top of the Kali Strata

One of my fans, Joy Steptoe, came into the office this morning and asked to be photographed on the balcony as an alternative to doing a webcam wave.  Apologies for the blinding sunshine in the background!  At this time of the year many of the island's regular visitors come into the office, even if they aren't staying specifically in our accommodation.

May is drawing to a close and may go out with a thunderstorm or two, judging by the long term forecast for this week.  We will all be unplugging our modems at the first rumble of thunder as the island's lone OTE telephone technician is still rushing about, trying to repair the damage from the big thunderstorm two weeks ago!

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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Summer is Upon Us

Pedi bay in the early morning calm.  The number of yachts over-nighting in the bay is steadily increasing.

She asked nicely to be photographed and who am I to refuse a request?  A nanny goat with a global blog following.

Yialos, on the other hand, was pretty quiet this morning.

A caper growing wild in a ruin at the base of the Kali Strata. 

A last lingering daisy on the Kali Strata.

The vines are growing at a rapid rate now.  Yes, that is a fly sitting on the leaf to the right.

Creating a garden out of nothing, near St John's church in Yialos.

Someone was evidently interrupted doing the dusting at this dress boutique in the back lanes of Yialos.

Soroco, a lifestyle boutique near St John's church in Yialos.

The European Elections passed off well and those of us who were registered to vote did our bit.  I think that is probably it for elections on Symi for the moment.

Meanwhile, summer is upon us.  It is around 30 degrees at midday, dropping to about 20 degrees at night.  We can pack away shawls, jumpers and blankets.  It is time to dust off the fan and get the office air conditioner serviced.  In a few short weeks we will be battling to work in temperatures of 40 degrees or more but at the moment it is manageable as long as one gets up early.  Tourists, of course, don't need to worry about anything more strenuous than which beach to visit with the water taxi today and which bar and taverna to frequent in the evening. The long hot summer evenings have begun and everything happens out of doors.

Most of the shops and businesses in Yialos are now open for the season and there are lots of goodies for sale, from hippy chic summer garb to interesting pieces for house and home.  The lanes of Yialos are always worth a browse at this time of the year.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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