Corfu

---

Joining Edwin and Joke from our ship we took a five hour tour of the Island of Corfu with a driver, we drove around most of Corfu stopping at the best view points including a very scenic spot for lunch at a local bakery to have fresh lemonade and feta cheese on their terrace before continuing our tour around the island.

Our driver took us to his traditional village where we walked around the small winding streets, we saw his beautiful small church and a museum displaying the history of olive oil manufacturing. We found the island very green, with olives and cedar trees everywhere, we learnt how to own olive trees was profitable for people, as they not only harvested the olives but also could sell the timber which was very hard and burnt well in the winter to warm their homes. We learnt the history of the olive trees commenced with the venetians who gave ten gold pieces for every grove of 100 olive trees planted, and when they left it is said the islanders had nearly two million trees. Today there is said to be 3-4 million olive trees and olives remain one of the main agricultural crops on Corfu.



Our driver told us he often drove Camilla and Charles and they were currently holidaying on the island, he pointed out the speedboat they had just transferred to their villa on. We enjoyed a cold beer with Edwin and Joke in old Corfu town before boarding for our next port Gythion.

---