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April in Corfu

See also: Corfu photos, 2013, slideshow of all photos, slideshow of favourite photos

 

In April, 2013, Eleri and I went with Heledd and James to Corfu for a week. Here's notes on our adventures.

Friday 26 April

Nice seats on plane and arrive to bus transit to gate ... Of about 30 yards. Taxi to hotel. Very nice! Settle in then go on cliff lift down to private beach. Wander around to monastery on bay. Then across bay for coffee at bar overlooking Mouse Island.

Saturday 27 April

Headed out on loop around the North East. Stopped at Barbati and walked down cutting to beautiful beach cafe on smsll stony beach. Continued around past huge villas to Acharavi where we eventually found narrow road across mountains through Episkepsi. Stopped at lovely taverna just south of Spartylas on way down switchback, with outstanding views.

Mountain cliff villages such as Episkepsi are exciting driving as they are just are about one car wideand wiggle around the cliff face. You hold your breath at every corner in case there's someone coming the other way. Fortunately traffic is light this time of the year. I was happy to let daughter Heledd take over the driving who attacked the roads as if they were London streets. Before long we proclaimed her an honorary Greek driver.

On the western road down we happened on a delightful taverna on one of the endless hairpins. Nice beer beneath flowery bower and breathtaking views down to Corfu town. Stopped at olive wood workshop on the coast road where the owner proudly showed us ancient and modern machines in a dusty, olive wood laden workshop. Bought a couple of bits from him.

Then back to hotel for beer, wine and dinner. The food was just adequate, but for the amazing price we paid it was astonishing to have half board included.

Sunday 28 April

Around the town and west on a Corfu 'main road', towards Paleokastritsa with a dusty white line down the middle.

Diverted up a zigzag road that overlooks the bay. Stopped at 'Georges' roadside store. Ignoring tourist tat, found home-produced olives, oil and wine were delicious and keenly priced, so bought some. Then on up to Lakones for coffee at first caff there. Held breath through the cliff village to get to Bella Vista onthe other side for even more Spectacular views over Paleokastritsa coastline.

Then down to main bay. Parked free in car park there. Apparently the summer season proper doesn't start seriously until mid May. Parking anyway seems a casual affair all over the island and just pulling off the road onto a sparse shoulder worked quite often. Even in Corfu town parking along the prom is free.

Wandered around with the camera as the kids went swimming and sunbathing, including a stroll up to the monastery. Simple and white with a caff that was closed. Came down to find James had swum into a jellyfish's tendrils and now looked like he had been in a fight with red weals across his eyes, face and neck. With antihistamine applied he went straight back in the water to chastise his devils. Good for him.

Then a 'quick' drive north to find Agios Beach down cracked and collapsing roads, zigzagging through olive groves and squeezing through narrow villages (Pagi being a scarily prime example). Beach turned out to be a bland, raked stretch of sand lined with tired holiday businesses. Stayed five minutes before braving the return route.

Played table tennis with James in the evening. Turns out we both had played when we were younger so worked up a sweat with diving slices and mad (mostly missed) smashes. James won 4-1 but most games were close and it was good fun.

Monday 29 April

Hotter day. Heledd and James drove off to a beach somewhere while Eleri and I wandered into Corfu town. Strolled around the Old Fort including scaling the highest tower from which splendid views over the town and along the coast were to be had.

Walked out to the new port in sweltering 30 degree heat, stopping only for water and cheese pastry at homely bakery along the way. We were looking for a day trip to Paxos, but it turned out these started for the summer in the following week. Sigh. The ferry before this is only 10 euros but leaves in the afternoon, necessitating an overnight stay.

So back to town. Stopped at Skalinada restaurant in Filarmonikis Stefan Dousmani for coffee, swept in by the charming George (seems like a popular name for men of a certain age there). We came back several more times, as you'll find below. It's a quieter, shaded corner off the main Nikiforou drag and great for a relaxing pause in the busy day.

Tuesday 30 April

Headed east through interesting backroads. The GPS on the iPad had been proving invaluable though it had a worrisome tendency to suggest short-cuts along various narrow, crumbling and potholed backroads. Eventually got to Gianadis mountain village, a bitsamitized for tourists with easy access for coaches (which are not welcome when they meet you coming the other way then hang off your wing as you gingerly back up. Pleasant place anyway and relatively deserted beong early season.

Backtracked to Theotoky winery we passed along the way. They opened up just for us, giving us a private tours of rows of vats, barrels and endless wine barrels in the cool, dark stores.

Then back up to Lakones to George's for oil and wine, all done by George. Greeted like old friends and had a tour of the wine and olive oil shed around the back. I also had fun photographing a crumbling red pickup that was quietly fading in the orchard.

Parked this side of Lakones to rather pink cafe overlooking bay. Then back and clockwise around the coast road, stopping at Kassiopi for a bit of a stroll down to the harbour. It was all rather resorty for us so we carried on around and back to the hotel.

Wednesday 1 May

Headed towards Achillion but got turned around in Corfu town so ended up heading NW back to Barbati beach. Had coffee in lovely cafe at northern end of beach where we found their beach loungers were free until the high season started the following week. Lay on these on the stony beach at edge of almost flat sea, reading. Went for photo walk along beach. Read some more. Got up to move lounger as shadows lenghtened.

Back via olive wood place on Paleokastritsa road. Stopped for pootle in Corfu Town. Beer in the delightful George's then back to hotel for quiet evening.

Deliciously lazy day.

Thursday 2 May

Last full day. Walked to town for extended pootle. Eleri bought jewellery and olive bits. James and I meandered and ended up back at the splendid George's restaurant. Scooped with the offer of a free glass of wine, we provided him with warm bodies to show an active and desirable place that would attract other passers by. It seemed to work as more customers soon followed, including Eleri and Heledd who joined us for spanakopita and more plonk.

Walked back to hotel in midday heat (goodness knows how hot it will be in high season). Meandered down around headland with camera looking for pictures and ended up chatting to another tripod-wielding chap. Costas was an architect from Athens where business has largely dried up. The islands, with their oil and tourism economies seem to be surviving better and we saw little sign of poverty.

Walked back into Corfu town for dinner at the superb Tsipouradiko restaurant on Prosalendou street, behind the courthouse in the old port area (look out for the colourful gingham tablecloths). We were probably the only tourists there, making it a properly local experience, yet we didn't feel like intruders. The place filled up with families and friends relaxing in the cooler evening air.

It was a defining aspect of Corfu that we never felt threatened, even walking though and out of the capital at night. The Corfiots are a relaxed and friendly people who accept tourists as valued guests rather than irritating invaders, as you can get elsewhere. Perhaps it is a part of the Greek character. Perhaps also the magnanimous freeing of the island by the Victorians helped, after Britain inherited it after defeating Napoleon in the early nineteenth century.

Friday 3 May

Up early, pack and head home to Wales, dropping Heledd and James off in Ealing along the way.

 

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