Symi Island Greece Diary

Under the Mediterranean Sun

0 Comments Published by Adriana Shum on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 3:18:00 PM.

Symi is steaming gently under the Mediterranean sun as unusually humid conditions prevail. Mist was still hanging low over the water when the Poseidon did the dawn trip to Sesklia for the festival of St Paul at the chapel on the island. Books forgotten out in the garden overnight curl damply and heavy dew drips off the parked cars. The southerly winds responsible for these conditions will be changing to the north again later this week and we will soon be back to cardboard washing stiff on the line. Other parts of Greece have experienced extremely heavy showers and the second day of the annual Rockwave festival in Athens had to be cancelled after heavy rain damaged the stage and equipment.

Symi is becoming steadily busier although most businesses report a quieter than usual June and the island certainly seems emptier than normal for the time of year. Supermarkets are doing better than tavernas and restaurants as cash-strapped travelers cut holiday spending by taking more meals in the accommodation and buying wine to enjoy on the terrace or balcony rather than rounds of drinks in the café bars. Visitors have been spotted shopping for ripe watermelons from the hawkers and buying chops at the butchers – while slaving over a hot stove might not be everyone’s idea of a perfect island holiday, a spot of imaginative self-catering can certainly help to stretch the family holiday budget and these days most good quality holiday accommodation is equipped with a barbecue for al fresco cooking and dining.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana

Labels: budget, Greece, Pedi, self catering accommodation, Symi, weather

Symi Sunset

0 Comments Published by Adriana Shum on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 3:18:00 PM.

The rainy season in Greece brings with it some amazing skies. Note how clear the Turkish coast is on the far side of Pedi Bay - a rare sight in the summer but a regular occurence in the winter when the wind is from the north. In a week or so we will be able to see snow caps on some of the more distant peaks as some of the Turkish mountains are under snow from December until early April. Many of the mountains in Greece have already had their first snowfalls too. I took this photograph at sunset on Monday evening from the dirt road below my farm in the Pedi Valley.

Labels: Pedi, rainy season, snow, weather