Almond Blossoms and a Brief History Lesson

Wendy took this photograph of Pedi recently while walking Sandouri.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Symi, the bump in the middle of the photograph is the Kastro, where the |Knights of St John built a castle.  There was an even older fortification and church up there before that.  The old medieval town was clustered around its walls.  There wasn't much left of the castle  when the Germans used it as a munitions store during the Second World War and blew it up in the retreat, destroying many of the surrounding houses in the process.  The sprawl of buildings up the slopes of the Vigla to the left of the Kastro is a very old part of Chorio, around Agia Trianda church.  The original access to this ancient area of habitation was a footpath running from the back of Yialos, the neo-classical harbour, up behind the Kastro to Chorio.  It still exists and is referred to as the Kataraktis (Cataract) as it runs up the side of a deep gorge - part of the convergence of water courses that floods the harbour in winter downpours. The green belt between the sea and the houses is the Pedi valley, once a major fruit and wine producing area on the island.

Grey skies seem to be dominant at the moment as southerly winds bring haze and dust.  Yesterday's southerly was so strong there was a shipping ban and even Rhodes airport was closed for a while.  Things are a lot calmer today and it looks as though we have a hazy, possibly drizzly, mildly windy week ahead with temperatures around 18 degrees. 

Now that the summer ferry schedules have been released by Dodecanese Seaways and Blue Star Ferries people are seriously planning their holidays.  For flight tips, check Andy's travel blog.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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The Truth about Marble

Early poppies near the gymnasium in Chorio.

Daisies!

A hearty breakfast near Agios Elefterios church, at Kampos in Chorio.

Composition in pale green and dressed stone.

Marble is no big deal in this part of the world as it is a readily available natural resource and cheaper than many man made alternatives.  This little house near Kampos has marble window sills and thresholds.

A marble and pebble terrace along the front of a recently restored house on the Kali Strata.

Crazy paving with marble and travertine off cuts.

The Kali Strata is paved with a random selection of stones from all over Symi.  

A Cat who can't face Monday.

It is a hazy grey day with low cloud and mist.  Visibility is low and there is a feeling of chilly damp as the mist settles on the old stone surfaces.  The weather is changing as we head towards spring but temperatures this week will remain in the teens and rain is expected later in the week.

Dodecanese Seaways have announced their ferry schedule for the season. As it is very complex it is taking them a while to get it up on their computer so it is available as a download. There are 10 different time periods covered so just because a boat does something on a particular day of the week in one month doesn't mean it will do the same in the next. There is a general feeling of dissatisfaction on the island as Symi is being sidelined in favour of other destinations and in April, May and October the situation is particularly bad. The link to the PDF is http://www.12ne.gr/resources/documents/SCHEDULE_UP_TO_31_10_2015_ENG.pdf

There has been some talk in the German media recently about the 'extravagance' of using marble to finish various surfaces in the new gymnasium in Chorio, somehow interpreted as proof of Greeks living beyond their means.  This attitude shows a remarkable ignorance of local tradition, geography/geology, architecture and materials.  Symi, like much of Greece, is made of limestone and various types of stone, including marble, have been a standard building material here for centuries.  Marble is not a sign of lavish wealth and high living in this part of the world and it is often used in quite a casual fashion in even humble dwellings.  It lasts forever, requires no maintenance and there is plenty of it about.  Modern synthetic laminates and ceramics, on the other hand, are no where near as durable, don't fit with the local aesthetic and can be considerably more expensive as they are usually imported.  The new gymnasium could only be built if it was in an architectural style that harmonised with Symi's neo-classical architecture, which it does very well and the island is justly proud of this new and long awaited amenity. The red colour is somewhat controversial but that will fade in the bright Mediterranean sunshine.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

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Spring Flowers Erupting.

Growing mushrooms is easy at this time of the year and good value - a straw bale prepared with mushroom spawn is only 10 euros from the agronomist in Yialos and provides a steady supply of fresh mushrooms for several weeks.

Spring flowers are erupting all over the Pedi Valley, spurred on by the warm weather and lengthening days.

The sports facility is looking increasingly splendid as the marble cladding is applied.  It is going to be quite an achievement for Symi when completed.  The local athletic and sports coaches are already looking forward to using this facility and it will be a boon for the young people on the island.

Site for proposed car park?  Great mounds of Symi stone are being dumped on the wasteland opposite the sports stadium.  Time will tell.

Carnival events and church announcements on the noticeboard in Chorio.  Social media may have their place but on Symi the old methods of public notices and announcements over the town tannoy system are still the most reliable.

Well, the pillar box red is still there, but the middle floor is a more reassuring traditional terracotta, much to everyone's relief.

It is overcast today and quite windy with the threat of rain.  Temperatures will remain mild, in the high teens, but the weather is forecast to be unsettled for the next week or so with sporadic thundershowers and rainy days.  

The summer ferry schedule for Dodecanese Seaways has now been released. There may be some changes but it looks very similar to last summer with few opportunities for locals to do day return trips to Symi without having to stay overnight but with a reasonably good selection of options for tourists on the most popular changeover days. We are all just waiting for Blue Star Ferries to announce their schedule for the summer.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana

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