An April Walk on Lemnos

An April Walk on Lemnos

Things look very different here from summertime. The mountains are very green and many trees are still leafless. The locals are wearing overcoats as, though it is sometimes sunny, the wind is still coming from Russia.

 
 

The streets are empty. This will surprise those who only visit in July and August when you can hardly pass through these streets because of the throng of cars and people. A few shops have not opened and some have closed down. This may be because of the economic situation which is not good for all of Greece, and has hit Lemnos too. Many are worried about what the government will do next for nothing is decided yet. I would guess that Greece will stay in the EU but there still is the possibility they will leave and the country will go back to the drachma so there is a lot of uncertainty.

 

But there is some movement. in and around the town A new supermarket is being built and should be ready by summer. And on my way back from my walk 30 young English workers walked past me on their way to begin preparing a holiday centre for the early summer visitors. This hotel complex offers a great number of sports and so it opens earlier and stays open longer than those just relying on the summer sun.



The local gardeners have tilled and pruned their grapes, and planted lines of promising young vegetables.


Deep in the grass are many small flowers, many reminding me of flowers I knew as a girl, walking through the English country side, one looks like ragged robin, and another like the malows I remember. Plus the statice is in bloom, the plant that the locals make into wreaths to decorate their doors for May Day.

 

Many roadside trees have been pruned until they look dead, but have just a few green sprouts. . Amazingly by summer these will be in full leaf and shading the road. The mulberry trees have no leaves but are covered with their flowering tassels and here and there are a self sown apple trees in full bloom.

A patchwork of colours and textures.

 

I walked to the next bay, where I could see further down the coast. The beachside smothered with purple flowers, and the sand dunes dotted with poppies.

Along the roadsides the grass is high, knee high for these donkeys. These three belong to the local priest and ‘mow’ the grass in empty paddocks.