Advertisement
Published: October 3rd 2016
Edit Blog Post
The ship has overnighted in Corfu. It's a bit tough getting up, as we have an early tour and we have lost one hour in a time change overnight.
The weather continues to be perfect. Our tour guide is a delightful, bubbly personality named Alexandria, who almost instantly becomes our best friend. Our bus heads out of the city of Corfu, headed for the more rugged northern part of the island. It takes about 45 minutes to reach Paleokastrista, an area known for its natural beauty. We have been steadily climbing and the roads are becoming more or more narrow. Our driver is a wizard who somehow is able to negotiate hairpin turns and various obstacles in our large touring coach.
Our first stop is the Monastery of the Virgin Mary, founded in 1226. It is small but beautiful inside, with a stunning gold iconostasis. It also boasts beautiful gardens with a variety of flowers and citrus trees.
Our next stop is a small town nearby called Bella Vista, perched on a hillside above Paleokastritsa. It features sheer cliffs, rocky promontories and hidden beaches boarded by turquoise water.
The bus continues to climb and eventually stops as
Paleokastritsa
Island of Corfu, Greece close as a vehicle can get to the peak of island's highest mountain. Here we enjoy a fantastic view back through the the heart of the island all the way to Corfu far to the south.
We now start to return south. On the way Alexandria keeps up a lively flow of information on a variety of topics, including: basic Greek, the proper use of olive oil, the four keys to a healthy life (one is olive oil), parts of Homer's Aeneid, how to determine the sex of cyprus trees, and the fine mess that Greece's political leaders have gotten the country into. We pass through or near a number of small villages, perched high in the mountains. Alexandria mentions that there are relatively few coastal villages because the coast is so rugged and because of the historical fear of invasion.
Bypassing Corfu for now, our next stop is the Achillion Palace, built 100 years ago by the Empress Elizabeth of Austria and later owned by Kaiser Wilhelm II. Adorned with fabulous statuary and mementos of its former owners, it has a tragic history too long to relate here. In the extensive gardens surrounding the palace are two
Achillion Palace
Island of Corfu, Greece statues of Achilles: a gigantic statue called Achilles Triumphant, with our hero raising his spear in victory overlooking the town of Corfu far below; and Achilles Dying, a life-size depiction of our hero dying in agony from the poisoned arrow lodged in his heal.
The bus takes us down into the town of Corfu. We stop at an area known as Kanoni for a distant view of the Convent of Vlacherna and Mouse Island in the sea below. We are also overlooking the Corfu airport here, with its single runway for takeoffs and landings. A short ride brings us to a restaurant where we enjoy a terrific Greek buffet, rounded off by four different kinds of baclava.
Final stop in the heart of the town of Corfu. There are two ancient fortresses protecting the town. The one near us on the main public waterfront is Venetian. We walk through Esplanade Square, planted with palms and eucalyptus trees. Alexandria explains that most of the buildings surrounding the square were built by the English. They include the Palace of St. Michael and St. George, in front of which is a cricket pitch.
We have some free time to wander
the streets and shop for souvenirs. We knock off clothes for the three grandkids. ("My grandparents went to Greece and all they got me was this cheap t-shirt!" No, just kidding.) Back one last time on the bus for the short trip to the peer.
It's been a long day, and we're happy to get back to the ship to wash up. Our table mates for supper are a lovely couple from Edmonton. We catch a couple of sets from the BB King Band before retiring. They are so good.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.08s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 10; qc: 27; dbt: 0.0587s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb