The Liston:
Between the Liston and the New Fortress are a series of pedestrian-only (and the odd motorbike) lanes and alleys that are jammed with shops selling everything from haute couture clothing and accessories to cheap tourist baubles.
I was intrigued by a rough sign that advertised olive wood products at workshop prices, which was placed on some stairs leading into an alley. I insisted that we go to investigate. We found the workshop of Tomas, a woodworker who has been making things from olive wood for over 30 years. He was oiling some bowls made from 400+ year old olive tree roots when we arrived. He showed us his workshop which was basically a 10' by 10' room situated off the alley and filled with raw wood and in-progress pieces. We all bought something and to show his appreciation he gave us all an olive wood ring.
Tomas, the friendly woodworker:
In the evening we had dinner at the Black Cat Cafe, located just below the Hotel Konstantinoupolis. We shared salad and a special local pasta. What we didn't enjoy was the rank sewer smell wafting out of a grate in the adjacent road. In fact, it's hard to get away from the smell here in Corfu Town. Every day, at some point, you're going to get a nose full of stink.
On our second day (the 9th) we went on a day cruise to Paxos, the Blue Caves, and Antipaxi. We didn't realize that it takes over 4 hours to get to Paxos and back, a full half of the day's agenda. Nevertheless, the town of Lakka was gorgeous and I absolutely smitten with the harbour filled with sailboats and the clear green water. From Lakka we went to the Blue Caves, named for the glowing aquamarine waters in the caves. I positioned myself on the bow of the boat and got a magnificent view of the caves.
The harbour at Lakka:
The Blue Caves:
Our next stop was one of the most beautiful beaches on Antipaxi. The ship anchored and we were allowed to swim in the waters around the ship, but we were not allowed to swim to the beach. I was one of the first people in the water and I dolphined around the boat for close to 45 minutes. Mom and Simone didn't feel confident enough to go swimming and enjoyed the view instead.
Now we're talkin':
Our final stop of the day was the village of Gaios on Paxos. The harbour at Gaios is unbelievable - it's more like a canal in Venice than what I would call a harbour. At least 200 sailboats and yachts were stern-tied along the canal/harbour, with dinghy's running back and forth between the boats and the shops.
Yachtville in Gaios:
We had lunch at an Italian cafe then walked around town. We cuddled a couple of cats and took lots of pictures, then reluctantly boarded the ship for the return to Corfu Town. Our reluctance was deserved, because despite signs and announcements in five languages people were continually plugging the toilets with paper. (For those who haven't yet visited Greece, you can't put toilet paper or feminine products into the toilet. You have to put them in the covered basket beside the toilet. Failure to do so results in an instantaneous and colossal blockage of the entire septic system.) So, not only could we not use the toilets, we got to enjoy the smell of the blockages.
We arrived back in Corfu Town around 7:30pm. I went to the hotel for a shower while Mom and Simone stopped at the travel agency to inquire about the cruise to Albania. We discussed the trip over dinner at the Cafe Bellissima. The group decision was that we didn't want to go on another 8-hour "cruise" or "tour" that involved over 3 hours of transportation to the site. So, sadly, no Albania.
Dinner at the Cafe Bellissima was wonderful. We'd had lunch there the previous day and discovered that the owners lived in Toronto for many years. It's obviously a family-run business, with the grandfather clearing and setting tables, the son taking orders and delivering food, his wife keeping the kitchen in order and occasionally taking orders, and the granddaughter chasing pigeons with a neighbourhood boy. We loved the family atmosphere but we were head over heels with the good food and fair prices.
Night at the Cafe Bellissima:
Simone was planning to go for a walk after dinner but it was so late that she packed it in and walked home with us. On the way home we enjoyed the sight and sound of some traditional dancers performing in the streets and in a small square. Mom and I had a good chuckle over the sight of a local toddler clapping his hands and trying to dance to the music. When the show was over we all headed back to the hotel and straight to bed.
The lanes and alleys at night:
Today we had breakfast at the Black Cat Cafe. We decided to sit right in front the restaurant this time to avoid the sewer smell. Unfortunately, we chose a seat near the window to the kitchen. Mom had the joy of smelling stale and somewhat rotten grease while I got to watch the kitchen staff pick their noses, scratch their heads, and smoke while preparing food. As Simone said, obviously they haven't taken the Food Safe course.
After breakfast we walked around town. Simone had seen some shoes two days previous that she really liked and we backtracked until we found the correct shop. She tried a number of different shoes on and settled on some strappy high-heels. From there we wandered along the main street and in and out of various shops. Simone found another pair of strappy high heels that looked great and were a bargain.
The moat around the Old Fortress:
We found ourselves near the Liston and I suggested that we visit the Old Fortress. We wandered around the base of the fortress - which even has a moat! - and then climbed 100 to 200 stairs to the top of the fortress. By then we were all sweating like pigs, so we were less interested in the view than we were in finding a cafe where we could sit and have a cool drink. We found just such a place at the side of the fortress overlooking the north side of the harbour.
The inner wall, with an ever-present pigeon:
How hot is it? Really, really hot:
It's 4:25pm now and we're back at the hotel and enjoying a break from the sun. We'll head out for dinner in another hour or so. We're heading back to the Cafe Bellissima to try sofritos, the local specialty. Tomorrow we're heading to Glyfada Beach so I can swim and Mom and Simone can lounge in the shade.
No comments:
Post a Comment