Symi Sponges

Symi built a large fortune and reputation in the 1800's and early 1900's on it's sponge industry. Sponges live comparitivley deep and required divers with big lungs or a dry suit with air tubes to get them. Since Symi is a steep rock of an island they could dive very close to the shore to get them - so it was quite easy to "mine" them. The wealth this generated kept a couple of generations of Symiots quite rich and led to some extravagant villas being built. At it's peak the population was upwards of 40,000 people (today it is around 2000) and Symi was the financial capital of the Dodecanese, which it pretty much always had been since the Trojan wars - Rhodes only took over because they had space for an airport (I think). Unfortunately Greeks never have had much thought for the future and have killed the sponges off a long time ago, so these are all imported (but don't tell the tourists).

The boat trip we were on yesterday was brilliant and on board were 18 guests of which 14 of them were on the same boat with us last year - amazing! The wine flowed freely, the food was excellent and the laughter kept going from start to finish. We celerbrated our aniversary in style with everyone wishing us the best (and SymiArt, a.k.a. Jord, providing a bottle of bubbly - cheers mate!) Just to clarify, although I reffer to L as Mrs CPH we're not quite married .....yet. Thanks for all your well wishing, totally appreciated by both of us.

I'm not commenting much at the momment but when I get a little time I will catch up with you all as best I can.