Symi rain
There’s not a lot to talk about today apart from the Symi rain which is, let’s face it, more or less the same as the rain elsewhere. It’s been on more than off over the past couple of days. On Monday we had to go to Yialos for a few things and got caught in a downpour so took cover in Pacho’s. Sadly ,the rain stayed on, as did we, but there are worse places to be stuck. For a while it was also throwing down hail and the noise of that hitting the plastic cover on the kafeneion was so loud we had to shout at each other across the table. When that calmed, we were able to escape to the giros shop for some lunch.
Through the plastic awning
Because the road was closed there were no taxis and no bus service, but luckily we avoided getting wet as we walked back up the Kali Strata, keeping one eye on the gathering dark clouds. Yesterday, the rain was with us all morning (and it might be here all day as I am writing this yesterday at lunchtime), the sterna is full, the roof is overflowing through the outlets to the lane and into the courtyard, the cat is not impressed but, so far, everything is holding up inside and we’re dry. Until I have to head out to the shops, and I am waiting for a suitable lull for that…
Village square during a let-up
We went to dinner at Georgi’s on Monday night too. There was quite an extensive menu on offer considering the time of year: salads and dips, bread, wine, two kinds of bean soup, chops, chicken, pork in the oven, spaghetti and mince, and liver (no thanks). We were a table of seven and the only people eating but, as Yiannis is still away and the Rainbow closed, some of his regulars were also camped out in there, playing Uno. It was its usually friendly and fun atmosphere and the bill, when it came, was more than reasonable.
Keeping an eye on the sky
It’s not just a British thing, talking about the weather. It is, after all, the one thing that everyone has in common. Come June it will be, ‘It’s hot, isn’t it?’ as you pass locals and visitors alike. Currently you meet people in the streets or shops and are greeted with, ‘It’s wet, isn’t it?’ To which I always think, ‘Well, yes, clearly,’ as I stand there dripping onto the tins of salted fish. Actually, it’s also cloudy so if anyone says, ‘Cloudy today’ I shall reply, ‘Yes, it’s clearly cloudy’ and be an oxymoron. ‘It is raining,’ I shall say, dryly and, with only a hint of satire, shall aridly add, ‘It’s rather to the right of good weather for ducks,’ and receive some odd looks in return, and rightly so. It’s also very misty as you can see from my window, though it’s not as cold as it was. As I write, I check the forecast map and see that we are due to be dry in six minute’s time. We shall see; another site is less precise and shows the rain as staying overnight and onwards.
So, people are huddled indoors to keep dry, the children are dashing from school to home through downpours, the runoff is cascading down the steps from the mountain, through the village and all the way to the sea, the harbour water has not yet turned brown as is does sometimes when the rain brings the top soil with it, and the roof is dripping over the porch like a blacksmith’s armpit. I think it is the experience of the old house – where the rain would sometimes be as heavy inside as out – that causes me to stop every now and then and listen to a heavy drip and wonder if it’s internal, check that it’s not and then relax again.
Through the window
Before I go, I just want to remind you that it’s about now that you should be thinking about your summer holiday on Symi, if you have not already booked it, as many have. You don’t want to be last in the queue for your favourite accommodation and, if it’s your fist time, you’ll want to get the bargains now, before the villas and apartments fill up with regular visitors. Maybe I’ll check out some deals over the next week or so and post about what’s available for a summer holiday. It would, at least, stop me talking about the weather for a while.
