We always enjoy a visit to Samos, it is on the Pilgrim route and has a large Monastery situated beside a river as many monastery's are.
It was nice to see that the goose population had increased we are assuming that they have had young.
It was also interesting to see how much the new orchard, planted only a couple of years ago has grown. The trees were only whips, this year many are bearing fruit.
The livestock kept by the Monastery also seems to have increased, with a couple of very beautiful long horn cattle, I'm not sure what breed they are but they are superb, and a mare with donkey foal.
It was however sad to see the medicinal garden overgrown and neglected. We had on one of our previous visits met a very elderly monk, in his late eighties who explained to us with great pride that the gardens were his responsibility and that he grew all the vegetables for the Monastery, seeing the medicinal garden so overgrown we suspect he is no longer able to do the work, or maybe he is no longer with them.
