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  March 04 Corfu News

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Greetings from Greece. We are having a fantastic winter here in Corfu although a cold one. Early one morning I went outside to investigate why we had no water. The icy wind woke me from my slumber and I soon realised that 'frozen pipes' were the cause. What in Greece I hear you cry?  Our elderly neighbour lamented - I have never seen a frost in the village - let alone frozen pipes! It was no laughing matter. Some villages were without water for nearly a week - they had to wait for the mains water pipes to defrost before the water could flow again!

January the 6th (Theofania - Literally 'appearance of God' or Epiphany) was the coldest any local could remember. Many went down to the Church at Kouloura for the blessing of the Cross in the Water.
 

Only one local lad was brave enough to endure the icy waters and retrieve the cross!

Fortunately since then, then weather has steadily improved and now we are back to warm spring days and the occasional shower.

Olive Tree Preservation

One can hardly visit Corfu without commenting on the number of olive trees. Their verdant green, carpeting the island and protecting it from the searing summer sun.
 

Local life for generations has been dominated by olives. Their crop essential to survival. It is estimated that on Corfu there are over three million trees and has been suggested that at their peek they provided nearly 1% of the worlds olive oil!

Recently though, the importance of olives has lessened. The market value of olive oil has weakened and tourism has offered alternative ways of earning a living. Many are now deciding that collecting olives is simply not worth the effort.

Recent bans concerning aerial spraying have not helped as they have reduced crops. Pests such as the 'Olive Tree fly' have ruined harvests. Alternative methods of controlling this pest have yet to be implemented by governmental authorities.

The results, in some locations have been devastating. This grove located on the main coastal road between Kassiopi and Acharavi was decimated. By the olive fly? No! The owner simply decided that he would not collect the olives anymore and would sell the wood. Currently, the cases are few are far between. But they are being fuelled by the increase in value of the timber. This problem was brought to us by Jim and Lorraine Webster:

The wholesale cutting of hundred year old olive trees in Corfu may result in an ecological catastrophe if it isn’t stopped soon. Despite protests to various levels of government and articles in the English language press, the devastation continues. The timber bought is sold to contractors who bring in large crews to cut the trees. When approached, they claim they are pruning the trees. It is well known that the proper way to prune established olive trees is to reshape the tree to reduce the density of foliage and allow sunlight to penetrate into every part of the tree. Cutting and leaving a one or two meter stump is not pruning.

There are many environmental consequences of removing large groves of olive trees. The reduced tree cover ceases to moderate the natural cooling effect which will increase energy consumption. Fewer trees reduces the natural nesting places for local and migratory birds. Storm water runoff is increased with the consequence that severe erosion takes place as the root system of stumps is not as effective in water retention as that of mature trees. This is a particularly important hazard in Corfu as the winter rains are particularly heavy. Lastly, whole systems of native shrubs, herbs, flowers and delicate orchids that flourish in the shade under the tree canopy will be lost. The Corfiot reported: “Even disregarding this damage [to the ecosystem], the cruel cropping of trees destroys the characteristic feature of Corfu’s landscape – one of the features which distinguishes the island from other holiday destinations.”
 

What can we do?

Due to the complexities of this problem. We plan to spend March seeking and investigating the answers to the following questions:

• How extensive is the problem?

• Where is the wood being sold to and for how much?

• Is this 'pruning' or simply for the timber?

• What is the legal stance - can you simply butcher an olive tree?

• What other options are available for locals?

Once these questions have been answered - we will file the report in next months newsletter, then we can decide what action can be taken.

How can you help?

At this stage, please not not become too concerned. Currently the cases are small and isolated, but we feel that they need to be nipped in the bud. If you would like to contribute your thoughts, then please follow this link:  Olive Tree Preservation: Forum
 

Albanian Adventure

Report by Angela and Graham
It was 1989 when we first had the opportunity to visit Albania. I remember someone saying on the boat as we sailed over, how privileged he felt to be making this trip. The captain of the ship explained that he had persuaded some Albanian officials to try and bring some tourism to the area in order to bring in some foreign currency which was badly needed. It was still communist at this time, a year or so before the uprisings and overthrow of the Albanian government. We were not allowed to take any written material into the country and had to list every currency note that we had on us including the serial number. We also had to sign to say we were not concealing any video cameras, televisions or washing machines!!

As we sailed up to the harbour in Saranda, it was quite a strange sight to see a wide curved bay with a sandy beach spread out in front of us. It had a lovely promenade with palm trees, but there was no one on the beach, no sun beds, sun umbrellas or beach bars that you would expect to see on a beach on the Ionian sea. Built into the rocks on the harbour side of the bay was a swimming pool, it was full of children, hundreds of them. There was a great lack of colour, everything was very drab, especially the clothes that the people wore. Two high speed armed patrol boats were moored along side the harbour and armed guards stood on the dockside. They just looked at us as we walked past, to the two buses awaiting our arrival. Not a very friendly welcome. There were no private cars, only army vehicles and old local buses with broken windows, the few shops that existed were empty there was nothing to buy, literally nothing!! We were taken to the archeological site in Butrint and passed soldiers in their concrete bunkers at regular intervals along side the road as we drove through the countryside. We passed donkey carts as we drove and saw many people working in the fields.

After our visit to the archeological site of Butrint we were taken to the only hotel in Saranda where we were served the most enormous meal with so many courses it went on forever, whilst we watched the local folk dancing. We were not encouraged to go out into the town, hence the large meal, but we did manage to get a quick walk around, before we returned to the boat but there was very little to see, only poverty.

In September this year 2003, we returned to Albania on the same trip as we took those 14 years ago and what a different place we saw. The trip on the boat was very straightforward although a visa is still needed, there were no restrictions on what we could take into the country. The armed boats had gone and the swimming pool in the rocks had gone. When I told the guide of the children I saw on the previous visit she explained to us that the children went to the swimming pool at the weekends to swim and play at the beach whilst their parents were working in the fields. She said it was very sad to see them in those days, on their own, the parents so busy working in order to get enough money to feed them that they had no time to spend with them. The town is very pretty and this time there was much more colour. The buses that met us on the dockside were much improved and as we drove through the town, we saw shops with goods in them, many new hotels and new buildings everywhere. Many of these new buildings are empty hotels, waiting for tourism to take off. The hotel we were taken to was very clean and modern and a big improvement on our previous visit. We again visited the archeological finds in Butrint. We drove through the fields, and a village, where there were new houses and a great deal of building taking place, a hotel on the beach (with sun beds and sun umbrellas !!) and continued alongside the huge lake where the mussles are farmed.

The lake spreads all the way along to the site of Butrint, an old Roman township that was visited by Julius Ceaser. It is amazing how much of the ancient buildings are still intact. It is now a world heritage site and is considered one of the most important archeological sites in Europe. Much of the work to uncover these historic buildings is funded by large donations from Lord Rothschild and Lord Sainsbury and much more of it had been restored than on our first visit, it is a site really worth visiting. It is in a beautiful area where the plains stretch along to the sea facing Agni bay in Corfu, and the mountains stand high at the back of the plains where in winter they are covered in snow.
 

We returned to one of the hotels for a rather late lunch, nothing like the size of the one we had 14 years ago! We visited a few of the shops and bought hand made lace mats and tablecloths from the ladies selling their goods along the promenade and outside the hotels. There are now a few tourist shops selling souvenirs and many people on the tour bought cigarettes and tobacco which I believe is even cheaper than in Greece.

The whole day was full of interest and passed very quickly and it was sadly time to return to the boat to go back to Corfu. I will always remember the relief on returning to that boat on our first visit. Although the visit was interesting, it felt very unwelcoming and frightening seeing soldiers with guns everywhere, it made us realise the freedom we have in our modern European countries and I was glad to be back on that boat.

This visit was very different and that uncomfortable feeling was no longer felt, big improvements have been made and it is quite remarkable how much has been achieved in about 10 years. I believe the country has a long way to go yet to reach today’s European standards, a little paint would go far and a rubbish collection service is long overdue, but there is a vast improvement. It is not dangerous to visit this part of Albania, although the British Home Office does issues warnings about Albania, this is a day trip to a seaside town in an area that belonged to Greece until the second world war and holds non of the dangers of the capital city. It is quite safe, the people are friendly and pleased to see you, the guns are gone and the communism with it. Do take the opportunity to visit and support these people that are trying so hard to make a decent standard of living for themselves and their future generations.
 

 Taverna Agni News

This winter, we have been very busy with improvements to the Taverna. The kitchen has been completely remodeled and enlarged, resulting in a new working layout. Part of the kitchen was dug-up to remove a step - or split-level, so now the kitchen is on one level. Underneath the floor, we found the original floor constructed out of huge hand-chipped stones. We carefully removed each one so that they can be reused in another property.

The work has now been completed and new equipment is on its way - Eleni is now keen to try it out!
 

Sarava

Jeremy had been in Corfu for a week, doing work on ‘Sarava’, by the time I flew in from Bristol. I only had hand luggage so sped through the airport and out into the morning light, the air was warm and smelt of foreign lands; damp earth, pine trees, fresh coffee, cooking and strong tobacco.

Amazingly the first person I saw in the doorway was my friend Yiannis, who had been my faithful guide and driver since my first visit to Corfu. Looking very chic in a navy blue shower-proof jacket he grinned at my surprise. He was very pleased with himself for being there so early to meet my flight, he did not know I would be on that one but, remembering I would be there that day he decided to be there in case. To the chagrin of the other taxi drivers queuing for fares he walked past them, chatting merrily, climbed into ’K9’, the official number of his cab, and sped away .

When I arrived at the marina I found ‘Sarava’ incredibly tidy, Jeremy had obviously spruced her up for my arrival, normally everything is everywhere during his spring maintenance schedule, cupboards turned upside down, hatches open, carpets up and tools all over the floor. He leads a sailors bachelor existence when alone, living on bacon and eggs or pasta and sauce until I get there. We eat out most nights and revel in trying different restaurants before the tourists arrive.

The next day was blue and white, the sun strong with a cool breeze falling down from the hills. I went into Corfu Town early and pottered about, seeing friends, enjoying a Nescafe Frappe under the trees of the Espianada. The Mediterranean swifts with their elongated, arched wings were gliding and swooping overhead, their high-pitched whistles filling the air. The cricket pitch was emerald green, soon it would revert to scorched orange-brown earth until the first rains of autumn. It was delightful to take my time, read a paper, write some postcards and not rush around as I do during the summer months when family and friends on board need feeding and ferrying.

The following day we moved the boat to Mantouki, pronounced Mandouki by the locals, not a breath of wind rippled the water, surprising as the night before we had been woken by a particularly violent thunderstorm. The owner of the boatyard, Dionyssis, was waiting to guide ‘Sarava’ onto the partially submerged lift and waded chest high into the water. He had to make sure she was secure before putting the machine into motion. We were pulled gently out of the sea onto the slipway and although at an angle, sloping backwards towards the water, it was comfortable on board. We enjoyed wonderful views, with ‘Sarava’ resting on her twin hulls we were twenty feet above sea level. We looked towards Ipsos and Pantokrator on one side, the distant mountains of Albania and the islet of Vido on the other. Like a sentinel watching over the New Port and its visiting cruise ships, Corfu town rose majestically, its lovely multi-tiered buildings glowing pink in the evening sun.

Next morning I took my folding bicycle into town, feeling very brave and adventurous as I have always used a taxi before . I am not a brilliant cyclist and had to dismount frequently to allow more knowledgeable drivers to go first. Following the main road as far as the port I headed up the hill on the sea side and noticed a tiny bay with a very pretty miniature church wedged between two buildings, one of them a café. Chairs, tables and umbrellas overlooked the water. I went down a very steep slope, again prudently wheeling my bike as the brakes definitely needed attention, passed under a huge, ancient stone archway and chose a table. While I sipped my coffee I enjoyed a marvellous view of the Old Fort and Palace. Under the pine trees in the Palace gardens there is a narrow wrought iron spiral staircase enclosed within a cage-like construction to prevent its users falling off onto the sharp rocks below. I wondered whether this had been used to facilitate sea-bathing by Greek royals in the days before the King Constantine had been exiled. When I put this idea to Jeremy he suggested a more logical, if less romantic, explanation; that it was an efficient means of escape, in times of trouble, to a waiting boat.

I spent the rest of the day in luxury lazing by the pool of the Corfu Palace Hotel. This is an annual treat, the boat being out of the water and in the dusty chaos of the boatyard, my day of 5 star pampering . The gardens overlook the sea and are scented with freesias, roses and jasmine, heaven on earth. I read, swam and dozed on my sun bed until the sun disappeared. I cycled back to the boat, changed, dragged Jeremy away from his work and we rode off together across the main road and up the hill on the other side to try an new restaurant. We followed our noses and the smell of olive-wood smoke and cooking led us to the beautifully converted olive press, ‘La Bonita’, a traditional Corfiot building of one story with a tiled roof and mellow golden stones. We propped our bikes at the gate and went inside. It was a real surprise, a huge glass door welcomed us to a gracefully decorated interior. Sea-grass floor covering, softly upholstered chairs, designer linen tablecloths and napkins, the ceiling sporting an enormous silver tube like the body of a Chinese carnival dragon. It was the 13th May, our 21st wedding anniversary. As we walked in the heat hit us, it had been a very hot day and the olive-wood fired pizza oven was alight and ready for action. The manager apologised profusely for the fact that the air-conditioning had broken down, he was just waiting for the electrician. He duly arrived and, as we ordered a bottle of Champagne, was busy fixing it. The room was beautifully cool in minutes. We were very hungry and ordered paper thin prosciutto with juicy honeydew melon to start, followed by our pizza, cooked to order, with parmesan, rocket, more prosciutto, fresh basil and black olives. The base was thin, crispy and definitely the best I have ever tasted, delicious, ‘nosteemos’. As we rode back, luckily downhill all the way, the night sky was littered with brilliant stars. Toad and frogs in the gardens were competing with each other for the loudest croak. Amongst the bushes, under the lemon and orange trees, the cool darkness was sparkling with thousands of fireflies, their acid greeny-yellow lights flickering and dancing everywhere. I could have watched them for hours. Every patch of grass became a fairy grotto.

The mattress on the double bed in our cabin had sunk in several places, deep indentations which made it uncomfortable every time you changed position. It was made of solid foam, common in most boats, and very hot during the summer months. Consulting our ‘guru,’ Yiannis the taxi driver, we paid a visit into town. He parked the car and led us towards the church, Agios Theodoras, daintily decorated in marzipan yellow and white, looking just like a birthday cake. Wondering if he had totally understood what we were after, or if he thought we should ask for heavenly guidance for our quest, I casually asked him, “Where are we going Yiannis-moo?” (Dear Yiannis) It looked a highly unlikely location for a bed shop. “Ella,” he used the magic word which means many things in Corfu; ‘come here’, ‘come on’, ‘come here’, ’look’, ‘here you are’, ‘there it is’, ‘lets go’ and so on, one hears it all the time. On one of our earliest October half term visits to the island we brought one of Miranda’s best friends for the week. Everywhere we went we thought she was being called; her head turned every few minutes to the exclamations of the locals, in typical Greek banter, shouting her name, “Ella!”. (My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel now responds faster to “Ella” than to his own name, ‘Burberry’!)

There, under the shadow of the grand church in the little piazza, among the tourist shops brimming with olive-wood bowls, wooden spoons and ornaments, wobbly metal display stands jingling with hundreds of wind chimes and cheap jewellery, was the improbable bed shop. In comparison with all the glitz and glamour of its neighbours it looked rather drab and boring. No decoration or sparkle here. The ugly duckling amongst the swans. It had only a plain window and a doorway and was slightly gloomy inside after the brilliant white sunlight in the square.

Shelves on the left of the doorway were stacked high with pillows in polythene bags, looking like dozens of marshmallows. There were beds of various sizes and with Yiannis’ help as interpreter, bed- tester and mattress expert, we chose ours. “What size do you want?” asked Maria, “What sizes do you have?“ replied Yiannis before we could open our mouths. He rolled his eyes at us as if to say ‘stupid question’! Maria patiently explained that we could have any size, thickness, softness or hardness we required, as well as our choice of filling and springs. The factory was nearby and would make to order. Jeremy groaned thinking this would take months. The last mattress we bought in England was ‘off the peg’. We were not allowed to have the one we chose because it was the display model. We were forced to have an identical one ordered; it took four months to arrive and was not as soft as the one we had tried. What sounded like and argument followed between Maria and Yiannis then he said, “It will be ready in two to three days and they will deliver,” with a triumphant grin.

Needing some new pillows I asked Maria to extricate some from the pile for me to feel. Most were filled with polyester which I will not have but she suggested I try one special variety which most Corfiots used. It was firm but springy, I had never felt one like this before. Maria explained that it was filled with pure sheep’s wool, in a cotton casing, cool in summer, warm in winter and it would never go flat. I bought four and they have been marvellous. I reached in my handbag to give Maria our address and phone number but Yiannis whipped a smart business card out of his jacket, with the dexterity of a conjuror, and told Maria to all him when it was ready; he would instruct them when and where to deliver.

On Saturday morning Jeremy and I were up at six to visit the agora, the outdoor market. We carefully climbed down the 20ft metal ladder, wobbling slightly, walking passed Dionyssis’ work shed - a concrete box with a corrugated iron roof. On a rough plank of wood, propped on two oil drums as a makeshift bench, was a plastic crate filled with dozens of fresh sardines on a bed of crushed ice and partially covered with a colourful teacloth. The box sat neatly between the tools of his trade and assorted tins of paint, an early morning present from his friend the fisherman.

Lohagou Spiro Vaikou Street leads from the port road to the market. The hill was steep, it was already very warm, so we dismounted and pushed our bikes for the last hundred yards. Walking gave us the chance to admire the enormous stone walls of the New Fort, particularly the carving of the symbol of Venice, the winged lion of St. Mark.

By 8.30 the market was a colourful sight, bustling with local shoppers and traders. It was very noisy and fragrant, the scents of fresh fruit and vegetables mingling with wet fish and dried herbs, with just a tinge of exhaust fumes from the constant stream of slow-moving traffic passing into the town centre. Each stallholder loudly extolled the virtues of his wares, trying to outdo his neighbour in volume. They will often call out, “Kalimera Kyria!” (Good morning Madam) so you feel obliged to return their greeting out of politeness and this, naturally, leads to further conversation.

“Would you like some beautiful tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes?” and so on. “Not today, thank you” is usually followed by, “Where are you from?” my blonde hair and fair skin being an obvious giveaway that I was not from the island, despite my best efforts at speaking Greek.

“England,” I reply. “Ah yes, I thought so, I have been in Manchester,” he would announce with pride. “Oh dear,” you think to yourself, “how sad, what a pity he did not get to Devon, The Lake District, Cornwall or Scotland.”

“How nice, next time try to see the Westcountry where I live,” and you edge slowly away only to be accosted by the next stallholder. Not wishing to be rude to such friendly people, a trip to buy a few supplies can take a long time. Luckily, half-way up the thoroughfare, squashed between stalls is a tiny kafeneion, (café) the white plastic tables and chairs covered by a makeshift canvas roof, one ‘wall’ formed by the side of a van, the others by bits of polythene sheeting. The ‘hut’ at the back is just big enough to house the necessary crockery, a till and a calor gas hob. We were the only foreigners amongst the early morning customers, I was the only female. However, we were greeted warmly and served delicious Greek coffee in miniature white cups, glasses of iced water alongside.

Refreshed and energised, the caffeine kicking in quickly, we went to the olive oil vendor. We bought a litre of the golden-green oil which he decanted from a large earthenware jar into a re-cycled plastic water bottle.

“Real oil, fresh from press, no chemicals”, the farmer told us. We also bought a bag of pistachio nuts, pink tinged, which showed how fresh they were, he also had huge, plump sultanas, the size of size of ripe grapes, which had been dried on his flat roof in the Corfiot sun; half the price of the shrivelled ones sold in polythene packets in the shops. As I squeezed the bottle into the basket on the back of my bike Jeremy said I should be careful not to confuse it with an identical one already on the boat which he had filled with ‘2 stroke’.

We bought some lemons, the size of baking potatoes, a bunch of crisp, dark green rocket, peaches, tomatoes, a melon, some tiny new potatoes and a gigantic cucumber. No chilling for weeks on end, genetic engineering or irradiating here, just sun, fertile soil and harvesting after the produce had ripened naturally. I am always tempted to buy too much but storage for fresh produce is limited on the boat and things deteriorate rapidly in the heat. We treated ourselves to some wild strawberries, sold in white plastic yoghurt pots lined with vine leaves.

On the other side of the fruit and vegetable market, past the corner where an open-sided van sells socks and enormous knickers, are the fishmongers, their stalls dripping with melting crushed ice, probably supplied by the tiny shop along the waterfront by the New Port sporting the sign, ‘ICE IS MADE’. Their catch lies glistening on the ice, dead eyes staring at the sky. Almost every type of fish can be found, salmon, tuna, mackerel, swordfish the size of dolphins, shiny, green/black mussels, red mullet, whitebait and sardines, cockles and lobsters. The live prawns which are described in Sainsburys as ‘Madagascan Crayfish’ are as long as your hand. They are commonplace here, we like them barbecued on the aft deck while at anchor in a secluded bay somewhere.

I decided to take a few photographs, I had always been in too much of a hurry before, with family and friends on board, waiting to set off on another adventure. I only have one, taken by Miranda last summer, of me with a gigantic swordfish on the slab behind me. I have the awful feeling that once ‘Europe’ gets its hands on these lovely islands, places like this market which have gone on happily for thousands of years will simply be swept away under a tide of bureaucracy and ridiculous ‘Euro-law’ and disappear forever. The olive oil vendors were delighted to pose, I tried to take a casual shot of them chatting and gesticulating but at first sight of the camera they lined up regimentally, shoulders back, chests out, grinning widely.

Another general shot took in a plant stall with its array of multi-coloured roses, pelargoniums, pots of bougainvillea, jasmine and hibiscus, tin cans full of pristine arum lilies cut from gardens before dawn; the market being up and running by 6.30 every morning except Sunday. What I first mistook for unusual yellow flowers turned out to be courgettes with their frilly blossoms in tact, pretty enough to put in a vase. Giant tomatoes glowed in the early morning sun and dried herbs tied in neat bundles filled the warm air with edible scents. Lettuces of all shapes and sizes sparkled with water droplets,the farmers sprinkled water on their produce regularly to keep it cool and fresh. Kos is called ‘Corfu’ lettuce in the ingenious way that Turkish Delight became ‘Greek Delight’ after the Turks invaded Cyprus in 1978. Nearby was a display table with more than fifteen varieties of olive from tiny black local ones to plump Kalamata, huge green Queen olives and others mixed with herbs and spices. We were encouraged to try them all, a good ploy, especially as we were peckish; we ended up buying a kilo. Needless to say they bear no resemblance to the hard, dry, woody ones, tasting of brackish cardboard, available in English supermarkets.

“I suppose buying fresh food like this, straight from the farmers and fishermen, with the odd fly or bee buzzing about, will soon be sanitised by Europe,” said Jeremy glumly, “it will all end up in jars and packets along with everything else.” In Devon we always bought our clotted cream straight from the farm, a practice now banned thanks to blessed Brussels.

My last purchase was half a kilo of bright red cherries. Baskets full we headed off for another coffee at the fishermen’s favourite café by the port. Jeremy went into the chandlers and came out with a glossy brochure full of pictures of dinghies, he had also bought a crusty loaf of village bread, still warm. We can never resist buying fresh bread whenever we pass a bakery. It is the smell, of course, we always have too many loaf-ends in the galley as nobody can resist starting the new one. The fish in the waters around our boat are very well fed, probably obese and in danger of sinking. I suppose this irresistible aroma is the reason supermarkets in Britain waft the chemically produced scent of fresh bread electrically from the entrance; hungry people buy more.

When we got back to the boat Dionyssis emerged from his little shed, scaled our ladder and handed us a blue plastic bag. “For your lunch,” he said, “they are all cleaned and ready to cook, just fry in a little olive oil.” The bag was full of the sardines, carefully beheaded, we had seen on his workbench earlier, he wanted to share his bounty with us. Spiro, the engineer, had left us a bottle of his village wine and his wife had donated a home-made loaf. We waited until the evening to prepare our banquet, “It’s like the miracle of the loaves and the fishes!” quipped Jeremy. Sitting in the cockpit, a vase of wild flowers on the table, the coral sun sinking behind the mountains, we raised our glasses to the kindness and generosity of our Corfiot friends and felt truly blessed.

Jani

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It's carnival time!

The Greeks like to celebrate at almost every occasion possible. Now as it is nearing Easter, everyone is celebrating with parties and family get-togethers.

In Corfu town they have three weekends of celebrations prior to 'Lent' or 'Clean Monday'. This year it started on Sunday 8th February with a small procession in Corfu town, and then on the 15th February, more people had got costumes and faces painted to join in the fun. The big crescendo was this last Sunday 22nd February with floats, bands and people in fancy dress costumes all following the carnival through the flagged and colourful streets of Corfu town.

There were streamers, horns, confetti and loud music everywhere. Even though it was cold and rained all day long, the show still went on! With smiling faces on frozen bodies. What an atmosphere!

You were surged on with the crowd, umbrellas bumping into one another, but it was fun. Once the carnival was over, it was a mad dash to find seats in the cafe bars on the Liston for cups of coffee and hot chocolate, to warm up those fingers and toes.

You don't have to go to the expense of hiring or buying costumes. A lot of people made their own or just wore something silly to join in the fun. Men dressed up as women, complete with tights, high heels and hand bags! Not surprisingly , many had masks over their faces to hide their identity!!

There were stalls in the town and on the 'platia' selling toys, spray foam, horns and pop corn all to add to the enjoyment and atmosphere.

Clean Monday (23rd February) is the start of 'Lent' and that means no more meat until Easter for the Greek people. Mum and Eleni had been busy cooking in the kitchen for a grand feast. We had : taramosalata, squid, octopus in vinegar, fried prawns, garlic rice and prawns, lagan (special flat bread), salad, gigantes beans in tomato sauce and mussels, all washed down with dads home made wine.

The dessert was 'Halvas' which is a sweet made of almonds, sesame oil, sugar and then a flavoring: chocolate or vanilla. It is very sweet and sometimes best eaten along with a little bread.

Normally we would take all the food picnic style to St. Spyridon's beach and eat together as one family, then later, flying kites from the cliff tops or on the beach below, but as we have had so much rain over the past week, we decided to picnic indoors around dad's open fireplace.

The evening before, Theo and I joined Nathan, Eleni and Aphrodite in a local bar/restaurant for the fancy dress and pre carnival party. What fun we all had eating our 'mezzes' as the open fireplace roared in the background, the music and dance started and out came the fancy dress costumes, whistles, confetti and streamers.

Even Nathan made an attempt - black hat and confetti! He just loves the chance to dress up !!

Here are a few of the costumes, see if you can guess the real identities.

Later in the evening Theo and I joined our friends at another party in Kassiopi, danced and had fun until the sun came up!

Lynn - Agni Travel
 

Agni Travel

As the summer season 2004 is drawing even nearer, why not have a look at Agni Travel's properties on Corfu and treat yourself to a small piece of heaven.
 

Villa Thea, Temploni Sleeps 4-8, from 1330 Euros per week
	A modern, well equipped villa with private pool. Villa Thea is located at the center of the island, offering an idea base, to explore and find the most secluded beaches on Corfu. More>>

Kaminaki Olive Press, Kaminaki Sleeps 4-8, from 1225 Euros per week
	This enchanting old Olive press has been so expertly restored, that only those with a complete disregard for traditional beauty could possibly resist its captivating charm. More>>

Boat Storage Services

WHAT ARE WE ?
For some time now, it has become apparent that there is a need for a management service of private boats on behalf of semi-residents and annual visitors to Corfu. By semi-residents we refer to many Greeks and foreign nationals who own a second home on Corfu, and generally reside there for varying periods of time, mostly during the summer months. Whilst property management has long been established on the island, boat management facilities to store, clean, care for and prepare motor boats, for these semi residents, are few and far between. There are also a number of annual visitors to the island, who do not own property but own motor-boats for use whilst on their vacation.

What essentially we wish to offer is a facility to safely store these motor- boats and their equipment in the owners’ absence. We would also offer to have boats fully serviced and ready for use on the arrival of the owners and remove boats from the sea and relocate them to storage on the owners’ departure. Obviously the biggest advantage to owners of such a service would be the ability to maximize the use of their motor-boats during their stay on the island, and to avoid the loss of the first few days of holiday with troublesome engines, cleaning and launching. There are also several auxiliary services that we can offer and they are listed in detail below.

WHO ARE WE?
NEBSS is run and owned by Harry and Louise Katsaros. Those of you who are familiar with the North East of the island may be aware of our other businesses in Kalami Bay. They are Harris Kalami Boats, our boat hire service and Sakis Water Sports who has been successfully teaching people to ski since 1986. We have over fifteen years of experience each in the boating business and for the past twelve years have been looking after our eleven motor-boats, three speedboats and various craft belonging to friends and family. Apart from the experience we have gained we are both fully qualified power- boat handlers to RYA level three standard and Harry to day skipper level. We are also both fully qualified British Water Ski Federation Instructors. Our love of the sea has encouraged us to take as many courses and qualifications as spare time will allow. To this end, so far, Harry has successfully taken part in powerboat racing and has also become a qualified lifeguard and deep-sea diver. What we can’t do ourselves, as the saying goes, we know a man that can!

WHERE ARE WE?
Our boat yard is located at Leondari, on the road to Agios Stefanos, to the North East of Corfu. The location is conveniently central being equidistant to the sheltered harbours of Kassiopi, Kouloura and Agios Stefanos.

WHY OWN YOUR OWN BOAT IN CORFU?
The main advantage of owning your own boat rather than renting one is that you are not restricted to boat rental laws. You can use your boat any time you like, even at night (providing you have the correct lighting) and you are not restricted in how far you can travel (other than safety, weather, boat limitations and equipment will allow). Just think how lovely it would be to visit Corfu Town, do your grocery shopping or visit your favorite taverna for your evening meal all by boat, avoiding the often stressful experience of driving on the Corfiot roads in high season! If you are already a boat owner in the UK, but spend time in Corfu every year, it might be worth considering bringing your boat out here permanently. Storage fees are generally cheaper and the weather definitely better ensuring maximum use of your boat.

FULL LIST OF SERVICES OFFERED
1.Storage of boats in enclosed, secure and insured yard.

2.Cleaning and dry storage of boat equipment

3.Servicing and winterization of engine
It is recommended that all engines that are brought to our yard are flushed through with fresh water and a desalination powder and winterized according to manufacturers guidelines.

4.Body work and engine repairs
Any body-work repairs, alterations or engine repairs can be arranged by us, using locally authorized, qualified professionals.

5.Re-licensing and updating of boat paperwork
We can renew licenses for any motorboat licensed in Greece, which by law, must have its paperwork updated every year.

6.Trailer servicing
To ensure the save delivery and recovery of your motor boat to and from the sea we would advise and offer the regular servicing of boat trailers.

7.Delivery of boat, fully operational, to sea on your arrival
To ensure the maximum use of your holiday time we will have the boat fully fueled, delivered and launched into your choice of Kassiopi, Agios Stefanos or Kouloura harbours, before your arrival. This will also enable us to “run” the boat to ensure all is in working order.

8.Removal of boat from sea and relocation to yard on YOUR departure
On the owners departure boats will be recovered from the sea and returned to the yard for storing, cleaning and servicing.

9.Boat Insurance
All boats, must by law, have a minimum, of at least, liability insurance. Arrangements can be made for this and full insurance cover, by us, through local insurance companies.

10. purchasing of boat equipment
Replacement or new equipment for the owners’ boats, can be arranged by us using local and national suppliers.

11.Advice and help with boat buying and selling
We can advise, help or act on behalf of anyone wishing to buy a boat for the first time, sell and or replace an existing boat.

12.General advice and information on local coastline and general international sea law
We can provide clients with and inform them of the latest requirements by law with regards to operating private boats in this area.

13.local weather report
Up to the minute forecasts on local weather can be provided on a daily basis to our clients.

14.boat handling tips on how to get the best performance from your boat
Whether the client is new to boating or wishes to try something different (like take the family water-skiing) we can provide tips and advice on how to do so safely and efficiently.

Whatever your requirement we will, whenever possible, endeavour to meet your needs.
 

NEBSS, Leondari, Sinies, Corfu 49083
Tel/Fax: ++3026630 91646
Mobile: 6944791634/6973836444
Website: www.corfuboats.gr
Email: info@corfuboats.gr
 

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 Local News

You may have noticed little shrines or even small churches that are dotted along the sides of the roads in Corfu. What are they for you may ask? Well, the locals erect them at the location of an accident! They are reminders of good luck, if the person survived, or monuments if they died. The shrines are tended by the local people or the immediate family. They are good reminders of narrow bends or accident black-spots and indeed have an effect of slowing drivers at these points! Over the last few months major improvements have been made to local roads and now most along the NE coast have been fitted with barriers and even a set of traffic lights at the sleepy village of Gimari!