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Corfu hiking

August 2022
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  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    Day 25

    Reflections

    August 30, 2022 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Time flys and as I sit in Johannesburg and reflect on the last month there are so many memories, experiences, thoughts and knowledge that have been packed into the last few weeks. I now wonder how to tie them all into the last post of ambulatory.
    Ambulatory : “related to or adapted to walking”. That’s the meaning and it really was that when I look back, a pertinent word to describe the adventure of 220 klm walking through the month of August. Shirley and I shared so many moments together and with my followers.
    So for the good and the bad here are some reflections:
    HOT 🥵. The word is so descriptive for us . It was hot vey hot! as in night 25?and day up to 40 plus at midday or is that 3 in the afternoon . The girls in string bikini”s and guys with fit strong bodies they were hot 🥵
    SHOCK ⚡️ wow made worse by the weakness of the rand.the prices of everything was a shock a Coffee at R 100 and especially food in a Taverna like basic at R700. Litter so bad worse than bad and so much discarded plastic. The volume of tourists just so many all lying on sun beds on stony beaches
    SKILL bus drivers who navigate narrow roads with clearances of millimetres from buildings and other busses, taking corners too sharp for a bicycle. The cooks who spin out Gyros.
    SAD. Dogs on chains or in cages Birds 🦅 or the lack there of because of hunting. Almost no sea life on rocks or fish swimming. Deserted crumbling old buildings TASTE: fruit stolen when walking in sunshine Gyros with crispy chips Cold beer on a hot afternoon. Air conditioner at the end of a walk.
    BEAUTY: crystal clear turquoise blue water. White buildings with blue eyeshadow. Ancient huge olive trees. Siesta when the sun is most hot. Majestic marble columns and statues. Sunsets at 21h00. Deserted forest paths 500 m from town.
    AMAZING: crystal clear Bar pools open to the public. Small villages stuck in time. A bus system covering the Island Mansions on slopes near the sea. White cliffs with grey clay seams washed by blue Med water. Little or no fresh ground water
    But most of all amazing that we walked and explored an Island and then Athens that Shirley found places to stay where non existed. It’s amazing what a place to visit and something that should be on everyone’s bucket list
    Amazing how good it feels to be home and how fantastic our country is. Amazing because we don’t know how good we have it here.

    So thank you Shirley for booking this amazing adventure three years ago You are the star that makes them happen    Read more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    1
    Day 24

    Separation

    August 29, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    The program for today was set and we needed to get a lot in before the team was to be separated . Scott and Fran were to head for the airport at 11am to catch the flight back to London so Another early start was needed. We decided we could get in two historical sites before 11. The streets of Athens at 7 am are deserted and quiet and cool, a really good time to stroll down the middle of the road looking for an open coffee shop.! We found a small bakery just warming the ovens with unpacked chairs outside . We had to wait for the coffee percolators to warm up but the fresh 4 Euro coffee was worth the wait. The first stop was the old cemetery although Keramikos was not readily recognised as such. The tomb stones that survived are eroded and damaged the marble blocks scattered about but intact There are statues and carvings and Columns intact making the walk enjoyable. The cemetery was later on in the century used as a meeting place of the people and leaders. To get an idea or mental picture of what the area once looked like, requires an overactive imagination. In many places a barren piece of ground with three or four marble blocks could be a throne room and a long line of marble half buried might be a wall in bygone years. Two broken legs on a block is a god of the past and the rivers run underground. We wondered through the weathered marble and wondered at the many tortoises 🐢 that are the remaining inhabitants of the ancient marvel. We headed to the ancient Angora where majestic columns of marble are the few remaining pieces of a jigsaw puzzle all broken up The picture is brought to life by historians and archeologists . We visited the museum where a huge hall housed lots of different ancient items like rusted spears broken pots spindles and even old coins that have been excavated and preserved . Scott and Fran had left us and we visited the temple dedicated to Thor one of the most preserved buildings in Greece. It was last used to welcome the young King Constantine in the late 1920’s. Time to head for some breakfast and a fresh orange juice. The sun was overhead so a siesta was mandatory. The evening walk was up “ the hill of the nymphs” where we watched a young man propose to his very excited new fiancé. We were first to congratulate the pair who had chosen a great position in the shadow of the Parthenon under a Sky painted red by the sunset. The way to our apartment was through the bustling flea market packed with tourists. It was an uphill climb but happily knowing that tomorrow was at last our flight back to home Sweet homeRead more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    Day 23

    Comrades

    August 28, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Today at 5h30 the 98th Comrades marathon got underway. Still in Athens Shirley had a bit of FOMO but we did have a full itinerary ahead of us. The early start was a short 2 klm walk to the ancient Olympic stadium where the plan was to run 🏃‍♂️ on the track. The stadium is so impressive in exceptional condition and completely made out of marble. The stadium is huge and holds 80000 spectators. The bends at the two ends are shorter meaning the straights are a lot longer giving an oblong look to the perfect track. we had fun running and standing on the podium. The museum of the Olympic stadium was not fully open when we arrived. The impressive main auditorium, accessed up a tunnel carved into the rock, has private rooms leading off it, each dedicated to each 4 year games event. The story of the distance of the marathon was interesting, it was Originally 40 klm long and the distance decided by the distance run by the Greek soldier in 490bc. Pheidippides ran in full armour from Marathon to Athens to tell of the Greek victory over the Persians and then dropped dead from exhaustion. At the 1908 games in London the Queen wanted the start to be at Windsor Castle, which added the extra distance to make the race 42.195 klm. Shirley stood at the top of the podium. Great start to the day, we had a coffee and headed to the free 3 hour guided tour. The guides name was Stefan a French man exported from Paris to Athens as he puts it. The walk was filled with excellent commentary and information from this lively little man, What a great way to explore a city Changing of the guards was precisely executed but it’s the background info that really makes it memorable. The Guards are all doing their national service. Being a ceremonial guard is a one year stint and it’s considered very prestigious. The guards stand absolutely still like a human statue for 1 hour at a time. They may not move a muscle and stare straight ahead, if the guard wants to make a report they stamp their rifle and the commander then approached,stands in front and asks questions. The guard answers by blinking 1 is yes 2 is no and 3 is I don’t know. The 8 klm guided walk covered so many sights and went by quickly. 🤨 midday heat and a short rest was followed by wine and beers on an iconic hill, Areopagus, watching the sun set and the Parthenon lighting up. Our first home made meal of the weekend was a toasted sandwich and then falling into bed .Read more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    1
    Day 22

    Food

    August 27, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Saturday morning of history and gods is behind us . We are all ready for the food tour . The early start and long walk in the homes of gods and kings has left us HANGRY.,……. The Greek food of Athens has many ways of increasing the activity of our saliva glands. The amazing conflicting aromas are all over and in every street. The economy of Greece seems totally dependent on the tourists that frequent the Tavernas, Bars and Restaurants and buy tickets to see broken weather worn rocks of the long dead. So good food is important and essential. There are streets for shops selling spices, prepared meats and artifices, clothing There are meat and fish markets . Coffee shops everywhere. The bakeries have bread cake croissants ice cream. You can get a beer or a coke on every corner. We started at a coffee shop making traditional Greek coffee roasting the strong syrup in hot sand. I learnt by unpleasant mistake that bottom of the cup must be avoided as the grounds are like mud. The butcher was like a shop in a colourful movie, displaying Salami’s handing from the ceiling and displays of cold meats of every description. Sitting in a cozy 5 table sampling nook at the back of the shop we ordered a platter with cold local beer. Sadly we had to go out into the noon 🌞 far to soon. The market was streets products from fresh fruit to fish. The butchers section, with the owners using cleavers on cutting blocks and whole animals hanging in the windows is not recommended for Vegetarians and the fresh vegetable and fruit section alive with colour and greenery would turn a carnivores tummy. There were trays of Octopus, Squid, prawns and all types of fish on ice. The quantities are huge and variety almost to much for choosing. The plan was lunch at a special place that chooses the best in the market and then prepared it but we were tasting at every different store and there was no space left for lunch. Home for a late afternoon siesta was now the priority. After a shower a trip to the docks and then a takeaway Gyro for dinner ended a huge dayRead more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    Day 22

    Recovered

    August 27, 2022 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☀️ 39 °C

    We noticed quickly that there are no skyscrapers in Athens in fact there are no really high buildings over 4 or 5 story’s. I found the reason was all about the Parthenon 🏛 you weren’t allowed to block the view of this iconic Athenian masterpiece. A trip to Athens is a trip back in history and of course it’s all about visiting the Parthenon and so Many other archeological sites. In fact the whole of Athens is one large archeological site and almost any new building work uncovers ancient artefacts that lie under the layers of mud that the ancient city is buried under. Scott had done his homework and we had pre-bought tickets and a historical commentary of each location. These two things make a difference as we missed ticked queues and had great information. We were up early and buying a Coffee walked to the entrance of the Parthenon. We were first there but 15 Minutes later while waiting for the gates to open, the first tour bus arrived dropping its cargo of people. There were many more busses were lining up and Within 30 min of us entering there were long queues and a crush of humanity. The commentary on our phones was invaluable and the stories and history of each feature were brought alive. The whole story of Athens and Greece, it’s gods, it’s wars, it’s grandeur and it’s tragedies is compelling and is like something out of the imaginations that created Starwars, Avalon and other fantastic mystic tales. The site of the birth of democracy the amazing statues and carvings of teachers, like Socrates, Plato Aristotle and Alexander the Great. There are stories of Architects of temples , stone masons artists and sculptors so much history. The old and new mixed together makes Athens so enthralling and it’s history of destruction and rebuilding shows in both excavations and in the present Architecture. The buildings of the city are all white and the windows framed in blue as if the eyes of the structure. Everything and everywhere seems to be marble all originating from mount Pentelicus which provided the marble for the Acropolis. Make no mistake it’s not easy to be sight seeing in an ancient city, it’s almost overwhelming and you definitely get your steps in for the day. We explored the Parthenon for over two hours until a very hot sun and the crush of the crowds packed like sardines in a smouldering cauldron drove us too head for other The Museum. Our early start seemed to keep
    Is ahead of the bulk of the crowds. You really need a virtual or real guide to enjoy and appreciate the museum. The overwhelming message is there are gods for everything war peace air wind gods of gods Demi gods. The actions of the gods could be ruthless, terrible, cruel like cutting up children and feeding them to their fathers and then also loving,supportive, and godly avoiding war. The Museum was impressive and is a stunning design. Glass floors mean you can see the excavations from on top as well as walking next to them ( uncomfortable for ladies in skirts when people look up maybe a job for Solasafe) there are hundreds of revived artefacts but at the same time this is quite repetitive with half revived broken statues cracked and eroded petroglyphs the main items on display. It’s information overload Part one of a long day was done Lunch time approaches now for the food tour    Read more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    Day 21

    Athena

    August 26, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    It was up at 6 and goodbye Corfu our walk across the island was completed, now for a chance to experience some Greek mythology in Athens. The incongruities of rules were waiting at the airport. We checked in and I was told to take my backpack to the oversize counter ( and pay) needless to say I ignored this and walked to the security check carefully removing the flight tags in order to carry on. I was stopped and told to unpack : a small jar of honey a gift tin of olive oil, bottle of water ,some sun block and two jars of Shirley’s makeup cream were deemed unsafe and confiscated but my leatherman knife was ok. Crazy. The metro trip from Athens airport to city centre was 55 min and cost 13 euro we then bought a 5 day all transport ticket for another 8 each at last a rand bargain. Our apartment in central Athens is spacious and central and having a washing machine (with powder ) meant a real clean for our 3 sets of clothing. Scott and Fran arrived and a visit to Lycabettus hill was planned. Lycabettus hill came to be when Athena a Greek god who was helping build Athens, dropped a rock and it landed outside Old Athens. The two gods Poseidon and Athena were competing to be chosen as the god of choice by the people. Athena offered a olive branch and Poseidon a bowl of water and Athena was chosen hence the name Athens. The hill is the highest point in Athens with a 360 degree view of the city and is favourite for sunsets. Couples often climb the steps to propose as the sun hits the horizon. The spectacular sight of Athens from the top is breathtaking. There is a small chapel ( and a very expensive restaurant) at the top the chapel is dedicated to Agio Georgious., the saint whom the two towns we visited in Corfu were named after. There are many steps up and many steps down. Halfway down sitting on a low wall watching the orange ball of the sun sink, accompanied by an Athens feral cat was a great place to share a bottle of red wine.Read more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    Day 20

    Corfu town.

    August 25, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    The long bus trip …… time not distance to get us close to the airport for tomorrow’s flight. No walking other than 2 klm to the bus stop then another 3 klm to our apartment. What luck , we were only to book in at 18h00, but when we got there at 13h00 we were put into a studio by the hostess who did not know one word of English. The host arrived later welcomed us and we settled into a really cozy room. Hot and sweaty means a cold shower and cloths strewn all over. A knock at the door 🚪 it was our host to tell us we were in the wrong room…… we must move quickly quickly and Hasty packing was done as the original tenants were waiting for their room. We plonked ourselves and our luggage on the veranda but our host was very apologetic said only check in at 6. But brought us a beer 🍺 then offered a free lift to the airport the next morning. Wow what a super man who had survived cancer. He escaped ( I think from his wife) each day to tend chickens on his small holding. He told us of his two big resident snakes that he fed milk and they in turn ate the rats. They did not mind him working there he said. We went for a last swim and had dinner at the end of the runway watching planes land and leave . Tomorrow Athens and a different journey in a city awaitsRead more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    Day 19

    Last Fling

    August 24, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Today is the last day of our Corfu walk but not the adventure. 220 klm behind us so a sleep-in was planned . Browsing over the map in the morning I spotted a peninsula we had missed Cape Drastsis. It had a ring to it and it was only 6 klm away. The day was cooler it was still early so on with the boots 🥾 The walk was through Sadari then up a long climbing road past some Tavernas and pool bars to the top of the mountain. The view of Cape Drastis was spectacular. It offered a steep decent on dusty white and grey clay roads to some small coves Towering white cliffs framed the turquoise water. There were inlets and half caves eroded by the sea into the cliffs. In places the whole side of the mountains had washed down into the water making multi-coloured islands. We put on goggles and swam around the area again almost no sea life. No fishes or rock life at all just blue water with excellent visibility. There were no crowds or beach recliners or umbrellas the long hard walk ensured only a few brave souls sitting on the clay slopes. One lonely stall was selling trips on a boat back to town and we decided to avoid the steep climb back up the mountain and spoil ourselves What a super surprise as we got some amazing views of the coast and the towering white and grey cliffs with a hair cut of forest trees on top. The boat dropped us and we strolled down the beach and across the bay. A last swim where we met Costa who in 2 minutes names about 10 grand eating places in Athens and we headed back to our apartment to pack .Read more

  • TravelerCorfu hiking
    1
    Day 18

    Stripes

    August 23, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    The temperature had eased a little into the lower 30’s and our time in Corfu winding down. We had heard of Afionas where land juts into the Mediterranean dividing the water east and west. Great for swimming and views and we had some unfinished business with Agio Georgious nearby. Early up and a walk to the bus stop where we found that there were no connecting buses directly to the west coast. We would have go through the central Corfu exchange 36 klm away. Over a tiny R60 cup of coffee at a local bakery we found that Taxis were not available and hiring a 4-wheeler bike not reasonable at R1200 for the day. The bus arrived so decision made we headed south to the terminus to catch a bus north to our planned destination. As is the way the bus stops and starts through narrow roads and it takes 2 hours. The overwhelming impression as you drive through the many villages is of an older generation clinging to a previous life, buildings locked in time,while the Younger people have moved on. A three hour layover was spent walking in Corfu, people watching and shopping, we did visit a small stall, that squeezed fresh oranges, twice. The bus trip to Gergious was through the olive trees forests past abandoned buildings and up windy roads. Agio Georgious is a very pretty bay with one side being the peninsula that is Afionas. It was hot and the sand burnt our feet so We dived in to swim in the clear cool water. We planned to walk home in the late afternoon about 16 klm but only when it got cooler. The walk started with a climb up to Afionas. A small village with beautiful views cobbled paths and smart looking stores selling olive oil, sweet Greek seeets and wood carvings. As usual there were lots of Taverna’ s. Our walk home was very bumpy up and down, we passed many small holdings and villages and saw more abandoned buildings. The country side had olive and fruit trees and folded into small homesteads with old buildings. We explored a deserted half built house, it had frayed curtains still hanging and all the appearance of the planned grandeur the builder seemed to have wanted but now lying unfinished. Our walk took several hours and when we got home footsore as we had covered 25 klm our longest day so our stripes earned.Read more

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