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What a country. What wonderful people. The people are incredibly friendly, natural and relaxed. Many speak English, some German and occasionally French. And without too much tourism, but its just May. Our modest Greek vocabulary is slowly growing, to the delight or amusement of the locals. Natural beauty comes from within. Nature is an eye-catcher and it smells good. Mountainous landscapes, lots of greenery and clear waters at the anchorages are plentiful. The beaches are mostly stony or pebbly, rarely sandy. The distances are incredible short, we can reach our next destinations in hours. We hop from islands to the mainland and back. As beautiful as the land and people are, the actual sailing in the Ionian Sea is not the best. There is mostly little wind, usually for a few hours in the afternoon. Unfortunately, our engines work much harder here than in the Caribbean. Clearing in into an country is an annoying skipper duty. And particularly confusing in Greece, as there are plenty of contradictions. Not even the diligent port officer who checked our stuff in Gouvia knows a contact address. There is also no data source to show whether the yachtie has paid his dues. As we were from outside the EU, we had to go to the ferry terminal in Corfu Town, 8 km away, to have our passports scanned. Would anyone have cared? A trip to Albania within sight should be avoided with your own boat. The effort is absurd. There are provisions everywhere and we no longer have to buy in bulk. If there was coffee as beans somewhere, we bought 10 kg or 30 liters of milk. Here, a packet of Greek mountain tea or one jar of honey will do. It will be interesting to see how long it takes us to realize that we are back in civilization. Back in Gouvia, our friends Valerie and Markus joined us on board. Our first visit of the season. We made short trips between Corfu and the Greek mainland. Taverna hopping. Without wind, but with quiet nights at anchor. This is a charming series about a British family who settled on Corfu in the s. Anyone would want this villa immediately. Our first anchor dropped in the bay of Corfu Town, just below the fortress. You can easily visit the town by dinghy, either mooring on the shore of the bay, in the small marina or through the channel in front of the fortress recommended. There is room for many boats in the bay and the anchorage is excellent, allowing a carefree visit to the town. Corfu castle bay — nice spot for a swim, Ka in a taverna, Old castle views. This town is fun, especially when there are no cruise ships. The atmospheric old town is car-free and you can stroll through cobbled streets and alleyways to the next square, which is covered with lush flowers — mostly bougainvillea — and trees. We felt reminded of Cagliari and a bit of Palermo, only cleaner. Corfu Town is an absolute tip in May. The next day we motored 2 hours further to Petritis , a small fishing village in Lefkimins Bay in the south-east. A little further south than the village is the opulent garden of the Panorama taverna, with a fantastic terrace and delicious food. What a pleasant surprise Greek cuisine is. The next day and a 3-hour trip took us to the mainland, to Syvota. In the bay of Karvouno Beach, you can moor for free on a small jetty if you eat in the restaurant. Good food, but much more expensive than usual. Syvota is a small tourist town with a small harbor, quite ok for a stop. Back in Corfu, our friends left us. A strange occurrence. StarLink sent us the message that the tariffs would soon be doubled. This was probably too embarrassing for our StarLink router and it died. Back online and with two of us, we continued our journey south. Our anchor is currently lying in the sand of the small island of Paxos. An absolute blast. Griechenland hat Euch ja anscheinend mitten ins Herz getroffen! Handbreit herzlichst, Tom. Weiterhin viel Freude beim Entdecken auf den vielen Inseln. Your email address will not be published. Corfu and the Ionian Sea What a country. Clearing in Greece Clearing in into an country is an annoying skipper duty. Friends on board Back in Gouvia, our friends Valerie and Markus joined us on board. Corfu castle bay — nice spot for a swim, Ka in a taverna, Old castle views This town is fun, especially when there are no cruise ships. Corfu town live, the canal at the castle The next day we motored 2 hours further to Petritis , a small fishing village in Lefkimins Bay in the south-east. Panaroma Notos The next day and a 3-hour trip took us to the mainland, to Syvota. Karvouno Bay, beach and dock, once typographer always typographer Back in Corfu, our friends left us. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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Calm sea, no wind

Syvota buying powder

First full day in Corfu … a do nothing day. To my surprise we both woke up at am after sleeping straight through. The bed is super comfy but my back says otherwise sadly. Breakfast is an extensive buffet, something to look forward to each morning. Quite the balancing act. I have a new appreciation of wait staff, lol. After another filling breakfast I headed off for a short walk, past the large olive trees, the Italianesque hedge garden, the relics of old farm equipment from back in the day… towards the herd of goats and the white horses at the barn. Hard to believe we are only 10 km away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Corfu Town. Our day slips Out of Africa into Paxos. Our room Zanzibar is definitely quirky. Shared with two other fellas not Norm you will meet in the photos. Not sure how I feel about the other two fellas. Our sunny weather has mostly left us and rain clouds will hover over us the next few days, or so they say. September 09, - Zakspitaki, Paxos to Lefkada, Theolos villages. Depending on your place on the world clock! Woke up again to the warm hug of the sun embracing the Ionians. This is the Greece I know and love! Another relaxing day watching the sailboats go up and down the harbour. All of a sudden it was pm. Rather than a long drive to the west coast of Lefkada we chose to find a swim at a nearby beach, a few kms away. So beautiful and peaceful! Still there were umbrellas and a little canteen. I can only imagine the summer crowds! Seems pretty reasonable. But we chose to seek shade under the pine boughs instead. New protocol, scan the water for jellyfish before entering. Apparently there is a species of jellyfish, the Purple Jellyfish which is becoming increasingly more visible in the warm Ionian islands. I swam again while Norm napped … so easy to fall asleep with the caress of the sun. Besides we had an early pm dinner reservation at a more expensive waterfront restaurant. We arrived after an hour and a half ferry ride from Lefkada and a 10 minute car ride to our accommodations North Point Rooms. Beautiful room … and facilities. Linda … all day yogurt and fruit, Bill … all day large cups of espresso plus decaf espresso … so good, like Italy. Really happy with our choice. Old habits I guess and the fear of hunger. But a gentle but firm no sends them on to the next table. No problem for me, they just move on. But if only the wasps took no for an answer. But with the smell of burnt Greek coffee in little dishes, the smoke wafting in the air, they reluctantly scattered. The true pests here! Last night we went to the local Taverna that even though we had a reservation … yes, a reservation at a Taverna! Fortunately Norm spoke up and asked for, and received, another much better table. The Taverna quickly filled, mostly English voices filled the space around us. I was pleased with my choice of grilled veggies with a little Halloumi cheese and balsamic. Not oily at all … I am always reluctant with grilled veggies with the liberal use of oil. But these ones were perfect. Norm chose a traditional meat pie. The house wine was very good. September 15, - Kefalonia, North Point Rooms Cephalonia experienced a massive earthquake in Many people left, but those who remained rebuilt Cephalonia from this tragedy from the ground up. Mid afternoon we toured the nearest village, Fiskardo. Beautiful spot with its softly painted houses and turquoise harbour filled with yachts. September 16, - Kefalonia, North Point Rooms Uh oh someone, not Norm not me broke the coffee machine…so we had the back up coffee of the Nespresso machine. Still very good. Would have been a good photo of myself when I dozily went for my first cup and there was none…or so I thought, lol. September 18, - Kefalonia, Olivemare. Waking up to a beautiful morning! Sleeping is a little rough … air con does not work despite a repair yesterday, ceiling fan remote was broken by the previous guest, thus it was pretty hot. So we have now returned to letting the sounds of the country filter in … oh those roosters!! Yesterday was a do nothing day. A swim in the pool. A glass or two of afternoon wine. A required nap. And as darkness fell out to the village for dinner, no reservations. The nearest village, Katelios, was once just a fishing village that now has become a tourist spot too over the last 20 to 30 years. We chose to drive but likely an easy 15 minute walk. We got lucky in getting a prime table at the edge of the beach. My zucchini fritters were delicious, the oven potatoes … mushy and with a taste of chicken broth. I ate some but left the rest. Norm was very happy with his traditional Kefalonian lamb and vegetable casserole dish. We headed home under the dark night sky filled with twinkling stars. September 19, - Kefalonia, Olivemare. Hallelujah to our working ceiling fan! A good sleep despite the charming sounds of the country. September 20, - Kefalonia, Olivemare. So I thought I was being smart and did the blog the night before … but somehow I lost everything. Morning has broken, but where is the sunshine? What are they? Where is the delightful warmth of the morning hug from the sun? Yesterday we changed our routine and got up and out earlier. Definitely an island we would return to. So the first priority is the beach of the day. Looking at the map we chose our destination. Now it was certainly not my favourite beach … stony and pebbly. But the warm beautiful turquoise water is pretty much the same everywhere. There was another secluded beach close by but only assessable by a crude, rough path it seemed. This beach was just along the roadside so easy accessible. A wonderful swim for us and a stone massage for Norm. I decided that at every beach possible going forward I would like to do a two minute garbage pickup. So I chose a small area and very quickly filled a large brown paper bag full of blocks of styrofoam, coffee cups and water bottles. It felt good to see this small area looking much more pristine. It got me to thinking about if we all did this, what we could achieve. Maybe I will do a post on a Greek travel group encouraging others??? The beach we would have liked to go to but not possible for us. After our swim we drove inland through a small gorge with towering rock faces , then through the pine, cypress and olive tree forests, to a small cafe recommended to us. The Olive Garden is a real Mom and Pop operation. Mom bakes the pies and works the kitchen while Dad serves. We decided on a spinach pie and a Greek salad to share. It was a lovely cool place to sit at a rustic old table and chairs underneath the shade of the surrounding olive trees. The lemon pie with ice cream was a delicious finish. I ordered an iced cappuccino which to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed. Then the dogs started, lol. On to Ithaca Tuesday afternoon. It is wonderful leaving our baggage in the trunk of the car as we travel island to island. September 21, - Kefalonia, Olivemare. On the road again, on the boat again. Cruising to Ithaca. You never know what surprises are in store for you when travelling … and certainly experiencing an earthquake was not one of them. The thought process of our brain rationalizing this strange event is most probably different for different people. Everything shook in that brief time … I did too. Somewhere in that 3 to 5 second event, the brain has processed it … an earthquake. All four of us at breakfast looked at each other wide eyed, ready to flee, but glued to our chairs in fear. Our host appeared shortly after and confirmed what had happened. While little tremors may be a common occurrence, larger ones like this, are not. Our thoughts drift to the Big One here in Kefalonia that killed more than people in , and the most recent large one in Morocco causing much devastation and loss of life. Back through the silver green olive groves and the lush cypress forest, to Sami where we were to catch our ferry. Then on to crescent shaped Anti-Samos beach for a very quick swim. It was so beautiful … best of all the sunbeds were free! But no time for that. The beach was covered with slippery white rounded stone, the warm water seemed extra turquoise, and clear. Of course I wanted to stay but only time for a quick dip … or so we thought. Back in the car after the quickest dip ever and to the port. Getting to the ferry we seemed to be early…not much happening. As it turns out the ferry was 40 minutes late and not in any hurry to get to Ithaca, our next island. We easily found our way to our little house where Helen was waiting for us to show us around. I think we will really enjoy the outdoor space … our own good sized infinity pool, two balconies, and lots of seating … if the weather cooperates. That is a big if. Remember Ithaca is a green island. Supper was at Vathy, the closest town and the port town. Pretty town it seems ringed with restaurants around the harbour. Still enough tourists around. We needed to buy some groceries but the bigger market had little that we wanted. We ate in a traditional Greek taverna but missed our seat directly by the water by 2 seconds. Oh well the food tastes the same wherever you sit. Norm was craving for, can you guess? If you guessed lamb or octopus you would be wrong. Linda would have been in envy of this village sausage. Never have I ever seen one so big and so long, lol! Juicy too apparently! I even left some wine behind unfinished. Good morning Ithaca or Ithaki! From our main balcony we are surrounded by thick green forests of mostly cypress, pine and olive trees. Since we are as high as the birds fly we can see the calm waters of the cove below us, not yet turquoise in the early morning sun. Our beach looks like it could be sand but I doubt it. Which suits me, the non-napper, just fine! A little uninhabited islands sits alone in the bay. Off in the distance there appears to be several restored windmills likely converted to living quarters and one crumbling windmill or perhaps an ancient look out tower at the very top of the hill. Directly across from us is a more barren version of Ithaki with its patchy green mountain and our no service, cell service towers. We wave to the towers and send a message…please restore! No one listens. A few fishing boats are still in the bay, but now headed home. No sailboats yet. No wind. Around the next by is Vathy, the main town. Not just a tourist town where everyone returns to Athens for winter but a well lived in town. A few cars drive by but all is quite quiet at this time except for the faint chirping of the little birds. So peaceful, so idyllic! Now I can make my own. So worth it when we got there though. Gorgeous white rounded pebble beach, stunning bright turquoise water. In the clear water I could see several colours of different fishes. The black coloured fish were definitely nibblers, lol. We returned for a quick shower before heading to town for a pizza supper. We chose a restaurant right on the water. Lots of red checkered tables available. While the view of the harbour and pastel coloured houses was wonderful … the pizza was not up to par. Toppings were fine but the cardboard like crust needed a new recipe. Back at our little villa Norm enjoyed a limoncello under the stars. My turn to fall asleep. September 23, - Ithaki Eumaeus Ithaka Villas. Woke up this Sunday morning to internet on our upstairs balcony. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts and if it lasts! Kalimera Ithaki! Sure is nice having your very own refreshing pool! Two shots of espresso lungo with heated milk, coming right up. Now if only he had a pastry chef, lol. But we did get pastries the day before. Greek yogurt too. Followed in due course by a swim,. Eventually we decided to go for a short drive to scout out some beaches. Gorgeous mountain scenery with the indigo and turquoise blue sea far below. We then travelled a very narrow one lane dirt with loose rocks and a drop off where there would be no coming back from, no guard rails and only a few places to pull over if another car was coming. Would Linda really like this death defying road we said? But she would surely like the view. Not a photo of the road. No beaches were accessible to us so it was back to a roadside beach we had seen earlier. The beach was stony with stands of seaweed, not the best…. There were different little fish scurrying about. We were lucky enough to watch schools of little fish jumping in choreographed unison, their silver skin shining like metal for a brief second. So why would fish just jump out of the water? Later, near the shoreline, we witnessed why…chased by a much larger fish trying to gobble up the little ones. By travelling in very shallow waters it was much harder for the larger fish to navigate. It was gulping down a few before heading. We headed home for a shower and a quick turn around to our restaurant for internet and wine before ordering dinner. We watched the coming and goings of the yachters and sail boaters. There sure are a lot of rich people in the world. It must be very expensive to rent a good sized island hopping boat. So many people doing it though or bringing their own boat to Greece from elsewhere. Not knowing anything about sailing but it would seem the Ionian islands would be a good choice…less wind, more protected perhaps, and several islands in close proximity. But what do I know? We met a family from Australia where the Grandpa was from Ithaki originally. Over his lifetime he has only returned 4 or 5 other times apparently. September 24, - Ithaki Eumaeus Ithaka Villas. I had a lovely blog prepared and then poof it was gone! Trying again. Did the gods of sailors and wind want to prove me wrong about my comment regarding little wind in the Ionians? Well it was true for us … until last night. When the God of Wind arrived … there was no sleeping for me as the shutters to our little house were banging and clanging. Did the God of Sailors take offence to my possible deduction that many of these sailors were more like day sailors than adventurers? I do note that despite the good winds today many sailors continued to motor instead of hoisting their sails. Not sure why of course. But freedom called our name and we listened. The swim was wonderful! Going freaky in frike … seemed appropriate! The wind was picking up by this point but still not yet strong. We had a few appetizers Roamed around the internet a bit then headed back home on a spectacular road. Ithaki reminds us somewhat of Amorgos only more forested. Dramatic mountain scenery, spectacular drives, lots of goats, and a wild and free spirit. But there are still a lot of sailors out and about! While the sound of a progressive dinner sounded appealing we bailed. Watermelon and breadsticks for a late night snack before a night swim in the cool pool water. September 25, - Ithaki Eumaeus Ithaca Villas. We chose to swim in another area of the island at a roadside beach. Not my favourite but easy access, clean with beautiful gorgeous water. Some people, no facilities. No fish to speak of really either. And no biters! I swam and swam while Norm napped and napped. I even threw pebbles at him gently … he was off in dreamland no doubt with a Greek Goddess, lol. He did not awake until I finally said … we need to go … but really I meant I need to go. So it was back to the little stone house and a shower. We noted the white caps forming on our pool. We could feel the weather changing. Before heading to the restaurant we decided to do the short hour long loop around the mountains and sea on the far side of Ithaki. The views were outstanding, the after sunset colour were not. We missed sunset as we were exploring one of the old villages and slowly making our way along. Still trying to process that one, lol! But you like, what you like … The restaurant with its beautiful hillside view of the bay could easily accommodate us, which was a pleasant change. So many boaters in town, and tourists in the other islands it seemed reservations for the most part were the best idea. Ithaki is such a gorgeous island … but must love pebble beaches for the most part. We think we may of had a more sandy beach that we could see from our little stone house but the beach for us would have entailed a bit of a walk the way the parking was. We both fell in love with Kefalonia and Ithaki and would return in a heartbeat. We really liked both Paxos and Lefkada but both being smaller seemed to have so many tourists. Very beautiful too though. Paxos in particular had lovely villages. Jury is out on Corfu … verdict later. September 26, - Ithaki to Corfu Merchant's House. September 28, - Corfu Merchant's House. September 30, - Corfu Merchant's House. October 01 and 02, - Corfu Town Siorra Vittoria. Greece Welcome to 'Life in a Hammock', a capture of Gayle's daily 'real time' eBlogs of our travels. Shorter than our Travel Blog but more literary with somewhat of a different perspective. First impressions … Corfu is a very green island, and a busy bustling place around the airport. It even poured rain around 9am. Very pleasant temperature … warm with a breeze. Not as hot as I expected given that it is still August and in Greece Out in the countryside, quiet and oh so relaxing. Lots of trees although definitely Mediterranean vegetation too. More like Italy. A glass of Prosecco upon arrival went down so smoothly! Stopped in for dinner at the restaurants where the nice folks there helped us find our way to our unmarked country estate. Purposely left unmarked. A large country property…a beautiful vestige of the Corfu past. A Greek salad, grilled lamb and Saganaki cheese was dinner. The wine was wonderful. Followed by a huge piece of baklava that we shared. The new Norm! Norm is now shamed into completing the blog … guess our drive is not going to happen today. August 31 - Pelecas Country Club, Pelekas, Corfu After another filling breakfast I headed off for a short walk, past the large olive trees, the Italianesque hedge garden, the relics of old farm equipment from back in the day… towards the herd of goats and the white horses at the barn. This specific kind of olive tree is holy! Could have used a place to pray to the patron saint of roads. By that I mean has lots of holes as it grows. This is the 1, year old tree. So back to Stavros Taverna where the young waiter from the other night was working … guess what his name was … you got it … Stavros! But when the live Greek music started, the dance floor was all his. He not knowingly entertained us with all his dance moves. So adorable. He danced the night away before he was summoned for bedtime. The restaurant was now quite packed in the outside area. Very few tourists, all locals it seemed. We imagined perhaps there might have been some impromptu Greek dancing as the night wore on. But for us we had to be up and out early for the hour and a half drive to the port to catch our ferry to Paxos. No problem … we found a good road to get us there. A smooth crossing in a small ferry boat only took about 45 minutes or so. Helen met us at the port and helped us find our car rental. No sign. No person. We arrived at Zakspitaki , our quirky bed and breakfast for the next 6 nights. We are transported to Zanzibar, Africa the title and decor of the room. It is now nearing pm. Wherever does the day go? Photos: Our roommates; This guy is always ready for action; The other guy is a pervert … always looking for what he can see in the bathroom … there is a spy hole in the door; Notice the blue Vespa like moto. Outside our room before we step into colonial Africa; Loggos harbour; The most polite cats in Greece! At our taverna; The trio of talented musicians. September 05 - Zakspitaki, Paxos. Yesterday was a do nothing day as it rained. But just around dinnertime the rain stopped and we were able to take a chance and eat outside. By the end of our meal, the place was packed outside and tables were at a premium. Lamb cooked on a spit…Norm was a happy man! The rustic crusty bread was delicious. Mama was hand peeling potatoes. And the tomatoes came straight from the garden our waiter said. The cats were less polite here causing one of our neighbouring tables to take a hissy fit … the people not the cats, lol. But we had no problem, just with a firm no. Thus were Paxos and Antipaxos created as separate islands where Poseidon could retreat with his mistress, Amphitrite. A dolphin came across Amphitrite and convinced her to marry Poseidon. As a reward for the dolphin's help, Poseidon created the Delphinus constellation. September 06 - Zakspitaki, Paxos. September 07 - Zakspitaki, Paxos. Rained out at the beach without a swim, at the far end of the island. This may be the shoulder season but there sure are a lot of people here and a lot of yachts! Our wine get-together was wonderful. Between all of us 6 we polished off two bottles and after the bread, cheese and tomato tapas Helen made we were quite full. September 08 - Zakspitaki, Paxos. It was all day and the captain was in no hurry to get us back. We even got a third swim in the aqua waters just before we docked. We got to see a few dolphins along the way too. As well as a long visit to the popular sandy beaches with their azure turquoise water of Anti-Paxos. Works of art in their uniqueness I thought. Most often when I have ordered it in Greece this is how it is. Not here it was very fresh with heaping veggies, potato, red peppers, zucchini and eggplant cooked in a cherry tomato sauce. Sprinkled with fresh herbs. Very delicious and very filling! At one of our swimming stops we moved onto an alternative as we all could see countless jelly fish in the water from the side of the boat. They are quite beautiful to see but not to encounter! Norm got a slight sting from one on one of the beaches, but luckily it was not a bad sting! But it looked welcoming and quite delightful! But despite having no reservation we were welcomed and seated immediately. On one hand we felt bad for the others still waiting, but on the flip side we felt like VIPs, lol. Of course we hoped for more entertainment but it was not to be during the time we were there. Wait until you hear the baklava story The next morning we had our last breakfast Helen had prepared. So much delicious food! I felt it was one of our best, most comprehensive non-buffet breakfasts. Such a special spot underneath the hanging wisteria and grapevine arbour looking out at the blue sea. The grapes just forming and the lavender blue wisteria flowers almost finished, their pea pod shells hanging and swinging in the gentle breeze. It was off to the boat for an hour and a half easy ride over to the mainland where we will pick up the car and continue the journey and drive to the next island Lefkada. Lefkada is connected by a causeway to the mainland. Still its smallness met everything was close, and its villages so pretty. Still its smallness ensured that everything was not far away. Being that it is such a small island there was always the possibility of running into someone you met earlier. A beautiful island.. Nevertheless our Zanzibar room was unforgettable! We had a great time on the last island Paxos despite the not-so -good weather of the first few days. We heard so much music, it was so great! Our second last night we were treated to an impromptu concert of 3 bazouki players and 1 guitarist. Just a family get together. Norm was taking so many videos and photos that I think they thought he was a real photographer … certainly they must have felt like they were celebrity musicians and Norm felt like a VIP. Facebook connections were made, more wine on the house was passed around and we all closed the restaurant! So much fun! Such beautiful swimming opportunities! Except for the occasional jellyfish. Unfortunately Norm got a mild sting from a close encounter. At another spot we go to see hundreds of them … they certainly are beautiful from the boat. I wonder what you call a bunch of jellyfish? Must look that up! We are now on Lefkada for the next 3 nights. The easy drive to Lefkada from the mainland took an hour and a half on a good road. Scenic in places, mountains in the background, with blue sea not far away. Many beaches along the way but not necessarily visible. A few forts too perhaps from its Italian invaders past. Once we crossed over the causeway to the town of Lefkada we could see how popular this island is with sailors. Mostly sailboats hundreds of them packed in rows, 10 boats or so in each row all along the shoreline at one point. Lefkada is relatively close to Athens 6. We found our hotel complex easily, about 25 minutes away tucked off the busy strip road. Theolos Village, our hotel complex is quite sprawling with different types of accommodations. We have what they call a stone apartment and share 2 large pools with the other apartments. Great views of the pine forest and harbour. Really nice. We even get breakfast made for us! This is the type of place which just a few weeks ago would be packed with families, kids everywhere. But right now it is quite quiet with only a few families with young children. There was a terrible situation, somewhere in Greece a few days ago, where a late passenger was running to catch his ferry … jumped on board just as it was leaving and was pushed off by a crew member and just left. Just awful it would seem! Video has surfaced. Not sure if the recent strike has anything to do with this. Whenever we are in Greece we realize things may or may not not go as to the plan. So we will stay another night here. Fortunately we really like our apartment with a gorgeous view of the Ionian Sea! It had been a long day and despite being a little tired we headed out for a quick pizza. The pizza crust was different but delicious as were the toppings …a no-meat Greek Pizza with mozzarella, Gouda and feta, tomato, peppers, olives and oregano. We watched the kids, mostly boys, at a likely birthday party still having a blast and it was 10 pm! Yes Arsie was named appropriately, lol! We noticed a few license plates marked with R for Romania. They told us Greece was quite popular with Romanians, especially Northern Greece. I almost feel like we are in Italy instead of Greece. The Ionian Islands are certainly very green and loaded with sailboats! This crust seemed more like a baking powder crust than a yeast one. But it still was very nice. They were having a blast with no signs of tiredness when the party was finally over. Yesterday was a do-nothing-day. We now have an extra day here due to the unexpected ferry strike. With our ferry now booked on the 14th, one hotel reservation added and one night hotel reservation decreased, at no cost. Then our day was free to just enjoy. We swam in the pool, lounged around and watched all the Sunday sailors come up the channel. Dinner was at a taverna where we way over-ordered and came back with 5 containers of leftovers. Not exactly sure how that happened, lol! A great place for people watching! September 11, - Lefkada Woke up again to the warm hug of the sun embracing the Ionians. The restaurant was definitely a favourite amongst the cats in the neighbourhood. We were seated at one of the small number of waterfront tables, as we requested. We watched the sailboats moored in the harbour, some people into shore for dinner and mused what it would be like the sail the Aegean. I suspect far more romantic in thought than reality, at least at times. Our conversation also led to comparisons as to the different island groups but more specifically to Cyclades vs Ionian. Our observations so far and I stress … so far. Busy with tourists in certain areas. Lots and lots of sailboats. Cyclades architecture … thumbs up. More Italian-like in the Ionians. Corfu … too much uncollected garbage. The barren dry Cyclades have their own special beauty too. Said to be warmer than the Aegean but not personally sure. Beaches tend to be longer than little coves so far. Not necessarily where we swam though. Paxos beaches were fine but not outstanding. Anti-Paxos had 2 beautiful long sandy beaches … but developed for day use. Jellyfish … never saw them in the Cyclades. Not windy generally. Temperatures in the 30s here in Lefkada. A little more choice due to the Italian influence. Lots of cats … no one seems to mind or chase away. Lots of smokers. Lots of wasps at times. Norm …you could also weigh in with your comments. Overall, so far though I will still always love the Cyclades. Super glad to be visiting the Ionians though … they are beautiful! Norm was particularly interested in the menu, me not so much. I played it safe by just ordering a Greek salad amongst their other salad offerings. Nothing appealed to me. I was not disappointed with my choice. And Norm thought his traditional beef dish was superb. What will today bring? We will just follow the sun. Our plans include a drive through the mountains to a few villages and to the west coast for a swim. Note …. September 12, - Lefkada ' Lefkada Road Trip! After pretty much 2 days of doing not too much, but always in the gaze of the deep blue Ionian Sea, we decided to head to the west coast of the island. Norm surprised me with the possibility of a 'lentil lunch' at a small mountain village, Eglouvi. Eglouvi is famous for their lentils, even having a lentil festival in August. We found a little cafe out of the blazing sun and under the shade of surrounding trees. The lentils were truly delicious! The lentil bowl was large yet I ate them all. We wound our way through the mountains with their lush vegetation and randomly chose a beach. As usual we were not alone. Many people also made this choice. It was 8 euros to park in the lot and very easy access to the beach. There was lots of parking on the roadside up the mountain but required quite a walk. I can only imagine how busy it was earlier. The beach was a fine white pebbled beach bordered by a little larger pebbles. The water was turquoise. I found a beautiful heart shaped larger pebble there which I gave to Norm. How romantic! So Norm collected a rock but in a different way, lol. Large boulders bordered the shoreline and in the aqua waters, provided not only shade but interesting swimming opportunities. I swam three times in different little areas. No jellyfish but other little non nibbly fish The beach with its rock formations reminded me of a beach in the Algarve so very many years ago, but with rocks not sand. When the Algarve was just a collection of fishing villages and not the tourist Mecca it is today. Tourists though have discovered Lefkada too, that is for sure. We caught a gorgeous red sunset on our return. Luckily no need for dinner. Although we had a fridge full of leftovers … just a glass of wine on the terrace and soon off to bed. September 13, - Lefkada ' Last Day in Lefkada! So this time we headed south. Hot and sunny once again, it was a great beach day. Parking here at one lot was 10 euros …just a place to put the car! Luckily we found free parking elsewhere. Mykros Gialos Beach. Next up was another beach about 20 minutes drive. The parking was a little easier this time. A multinational beach … besides mostly Greek cars which may or may not be rental cars, we see plates from Romania, Bulgaria and elsewhere. At this time we rarely hear English spoken. Shade at the end of the beach. Water so very clear. No pics of it emerald green as it was that further out. The water here looked an aqua marine colour from the shore but changed into emerald green when swimming at a little deeper depths. Just gorgeous! Little fish swimming all around us human swimmers. Ammoussa Beach. For dinner we went to a cute small village in the south, restaurants lining its boardwalk, sailboats moored all the way along. Clearly a low key tourist spot, lots of people around. Luckily we found a good place where Norm had a whole octopus for supper. I try to put the thoughts out of my mind as he enjoys it so much. He said one of the best, perfectly cooked ones he has had. I had Gemista … tomato and peppers stuffed with a rice and a few roasted potatoes on the side. Very good but not quite as good as my leftovers still in the fridge. Photos of Syvota, a lovely little touristed village. Easy parking early in the evening. We arrived home in the dark to eat some baklava and have lemon pie for Norm. And drink water, lots of water. It certainly has lots and lots of natural beauty. Really disappointed in all the organized beaches … not my thing. But the beaches themselves with their turquoise blue waters and little swimming fishes were stunningly beautiful. Loved our hotel, Theolos Village. Would return for sure. We left Lefkada with a load of wet towels and clothes that were left outside over night. But they sure are beautiful! Breakfast on the garden patio was delicious and we enjoyed chatting with an Australian couple on a 5 month tour of Europe. Looking forward to exploring the north end of the island today. Only 2 full days. Full of joyous anticipation of becoming grandparents next March! September 18, - Kefalonia, Olivemare Waking up to a beautiful morning! September 19, - Kefalonia, Olivemare Hallelujah to our working ceiling fan! Breakfast is a special event here, served still with Covid conscientious. The bruschetta with tomato and feta was exceptionally good the other day! The fava dip the day before that! Every day there are different choices. You fill out a form to determine your selections which can be as many as you want! No buffet. After a leisurely breakfast while chatting with our German neighbours we headed off to a beach. There are several around here. This beach was long and sandy, waves gently rolling. The water was the warmest by far we have experienced in Greece! Absolutely amazing! No jellyfish or other fish around. The same turquoise water just with a little wave action. While Norm napped on the beach I chose to walk the length of the beach. It was a very long walk, and likely a very long nap. Time stood still. I decided to change direction and give them their space. I really enjoyed it especially his half! But when I started drinking his retsina too, that was it. You would think I would have noticed, lol. Our restaurant, Anemos, recommended to us by fellow Olivemare guests was a 10 minute or so drive away. We were seated at a great table with a good view of the water. Note the adorable jellyfish light decorations. The Kefalonian bruschetta was delicious … creamy feta, olives, capers and chopped tomatoes. Norm had a big steak, so he was happy too. We had a nice conversation with an English couple at a nearby table. Three hours passed quickly and it was clearly time to head home. Photos: The wide expansive beach mostly sandy; A little choppy water so the colour not as exquisite close up. But a beautiful beach! September 20, - Kefalonia, Olivemare So I thought I was being smart and did the blog the night before … but somehow I lost everything. September 21, - Kefalonia, Olivemare 'Moving day ' On the road again, on the boat again. Photos: of Anti-samos Beach … also had a few tavernas with free sunbeds; The most beautiful turquoise water! Followed in due course by a swim, Eventually we decided to go for a short drive to scout out some beaches. Not a photo of the road No beaches were accessible to us so it was back to a roadside beach we had seen earlier. September 25, - Ithaki Eumaeus Ithaca Villas We chose to swim in another area of the island at a roadside beach. September 27, - Corfu Merchant's House. So atmospheric here in the oldest settlement in Corfu. During the day tourists walk about and visit the 6 tavernas here who seem to do a good lunch business. But after 4pm all goes quiet except for the song of the overhead chimes by my favourite chair. Baked or scrambled eggs with feta too if you wish. So lovely especially when the wasps stay away. Everywhere on the Ionians wasps seem to come for breakfast too. So we did nothing all day, simply nothing. Walked in the village in different areas. The village is surprisingly big if you count the outlying areas. Evidence of the serious summer fires is all around, but yet there is still a lot of remaining greenery. Must have been terrifying though watching the brush fires not far from your doorstep! The Merchant House was thankfully spared, not everyone was as lucky. Marieke and David spent 18 years in the Middle East before purchasing this property at the beginning of Covid. He is from Australia, she is from the Netherlands. It was already renovated so all they had to do was put on their personal touch. Each of the 6 rooms was themed after what profession occupied the space at one time. Our room was once a bakery but is named after Gabrieli, a local character. A little lit display showcases the small oven. Furnishings are reproductions from the Venetian era when this town was in its heyday. Lucy our maid from Poland suggested we go to the restaurant her Greek partner works. We had the restaurant all to ourselves. We chatted with Vasilis about life in general. He like Paul had his struggles when younger. I wonder how well understood that would be in Greece. Now at 36 he seems to have found his way. Today we will drive to the nearest beach about 15 minutes away. But for now a few more photos …. Another day breaks up in the mountains of Corfu. We chatted with a very fit German couple who are spending a week just on walking journey through northern Corfu. Today will be a short walk for them only 10 km. We also chatted with David, one of the owners, about the trials and tribulations of owning and running a small hotel in Greece. So wonderful! I will have to show you a few of my favourite spots and my favourite TCWB … travel companion with benefits, lol. Not in a hurry to ever leave. So off we went to the coast in a different direction this time and scouted out several beaches. Surprisingly for our swim we were all alone in this tiny picturesque cove. The slight wind had stirred up the water so it was not crystal clear. The water had a slight chill but still very easy to get in. By this time the sun was beginning to dip behind the trees and the beach was quite shady. Why such a late swim you might be thinking? Would you like a table they said…an invitation? Food at The White House was quite elegant and not typical Greek fare. The Strawberry Gazpacho was unique and delicious, the fennel risotto lovely too finished with a glass of Corfu White wine. So good! A nice experience! Actually it was he who visited Corfu first then suggested his mother come there with the rest of the family. Still a very beautiful spot! The busy ghosts of Perithia now sleeping I suppose. Yet I heard lots of creaking sounds at night. About 35 minute drive each way. This beach was very sandy both in and out of the water, and much quieter! The water was so warm so I just stayed in and swam and swam, while Norm napped and napped. Although the beach was very clean I still picked up a small amount of various plastic and styrofoam. Eventually it was time to go, last swim of the trip sadly. We headed home, enjoyed a glass of Corfu wine while admiring the mountain landscape. So gentle! He was on his best behavior for me though rolling over and showing me his pearly whites, acting very cute and charming for an 80 pound plus dog. On the other hand the cats practically had a fight. Whose fault? The French couple beside us fed one particularly friendly cat then quickly two others came. No cats bothered us. I had zucchini balls with tzatziki and half of a saganaki cheese piece while Norm had meatballs followed by a lamb in lemon sauce. We finally met someone from North America. A young American lady, eating there, covered in tattoos. I dunno about this fad … a lot of money spent on body art. What will it look like as they age? Her travels will take her around the world before she returns to her work in Switzerland in a few months. Many guests are only day guests, enjoying an overnight stay while they trek onwards by foot. Yes I left a glass of wine unfinished again! We chose Bougainvillea Restaurant for our last trip dinner which was only a 5 minute walk from our hotel. A romantic spot tucked away on a town square. We did a quick review of our trip and concluded the Ionian Islands were fabulous! We certainly can see returning with a few adjustments, lots more to see and do or just press the reset button. So very much to love about the Ionians!!! We have now seen all the major Ionians minus Zakinthos. The only thing is there are definitely more tourists around … I was surprised. A lot of tourists coming for one week holidays, then leaving. Everything was open, nothing yet shut down … might be a different story in a few weeks though. Luckily for me I got to have a made to order vegetarian moussaka for dinner. I know it was freshly made as it was served in a crockery pot, hot and steaming. Their house wine while more expensive was definitely an upgrade to the usual. Nor could we resist that last piece of honey soaked baklava! Our flights were seamless, even got a few minutes lounge time! All was perfect except for our seat kicker in the back an adult … my seat was not back at all and then Mr. Sticky Fingers who liked to stretch and occasionally spread his grimy fingers over the top of my TV screen … seriously! Only small aggravating things though. The time went by quickly. Katrina kindly picked us up at the airport and drove us home! We caught up with her news! Ya ya, Ya ya!!! What a beautiful different Greek journey to hold in our hearts!

Syvota buying powder