This time of year dust that rises from the Sahara desert into the atmosphere can be blown north, across the Mediterranean, and into southern – sometimes northern – Europe. This year we’ve seen our share, some days heavier than others but when we have a north wind the dust blows away and the sea and the mountains stand out in sharp relief.

The size of the mountains and the clarity of the air makes them seem closer than they are — it’s 11 miles to the nearest shore and 13 miles to the peak of the mountain.

This is the house of the last Ottoman bey, Kamil Bey. After Greek Independence in the 1820s it became the property of the Greek state, which has practiced benign neglect ever since. With the roof now gone, it won’t be long until the walls start to crumble.

Sunset tonight. The mountain rises to 2400 feet, and there is a convent on top dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It’s not known when the convent was founded but the church dates to 1767. On the Virgin’s feast day, pilgrims walk up to the convent.