We’re first off the ship! How did that happen? Pretty bizarre after yesterday, especially considering that there wasn’t anyone else behind us, or anywhere around the gangway. Funny.
Oh, well, we’ll take it. The Azamara Quest is here too and we don’t want to waste any time getting to our car and getting out of the city, since we know it will be crazy around the island with 2 ships in port.
We walked to the port terminal (no need to wait for the shuttle – it’s a 5 minute walk) and walked up to the car rental where they had our name hanging on the window. Cool. Paperwork signed, money exchanged, the rental agent gave us a map and told us the best sights to see – and we were outta there a little after 8:00a. Yes!
First stop, gas – there’s only 1/4 tank and we don’t want to have to worry, even though they told us there is a gas station every 2 minutes – and they were right! have never seen so many gas stations. 10 Euros later and we’re ready to take on the Grecian roads through the hills over to Paleokastritsa – where there is a monastery and “the best views in the whole world” (according to our rental car agent!). We were not planning on going there because we knew that tours were going there too – but since we were so early out – we took a shot.
Up through the mountains we go, on little windy teeny one lane roads, that are supposed to accommodate 2 way traffic. Yeah, right! Oh and not to mention the crazy Greek drivers (crazier than Italians even) who are constantly riding your tail then passing where there is little room for just one car. Geez. And the buses do this? Yikes!
The scenery is gorgeous though, all green and lush – a cross between typical forest and Tuscan hills (the same pine trees are here, just interspersed with the traditional deciduous trees).
Down through the little lake village of Lakones we go, the up again on the windy – literally one lane – road to the monastery. At the top – darn! There are already 2 buses there – from Azamara. Pooh! Oh well, we wind up to the teeny parking lot in front of the monastery and at least only have to contend with 1 tour (as the 2nd bus was loading when we arrived).
It is beautiful up here –the view of the water and surrounding mountainsides make it picture perfect. The Monastery is pretty cool too with courtyards and walkways lined with flowering bushes and a tiny little church that is very different.
We don’t linger long, knowing that more buses are on the way, we want to get down that darn road first. So, even though we really want to stop at the monastery café for cappuccino, we choose to try our luck in Lakones instead. Down we wind, beeping our horn at the corners. We almost made a clean escape! Only one bus encounter, and one time we had to back up the mountain to get to the wide part of the road. Phew!
Back down at sea level we checked out a couple of restaurants, settling on a hotel café by the lake. Unfortunately they didn’t have any electricity, some project “up on the hill” made them lose power, so no cappuccino. Just Nescafe. Oh well, we’ll try at the next stop. And just as well. The lot where we had parked was now open for business, and we sure didn’t want to have to pay for parking for a cappuccino! Plus we still had to go through a lot more windy narrow roads, so leaving quickly might help us avoid more bus encounters.
Our strategy worked relatively well, only one bus on the way out – and we didn’t have to back up! So off we went, navigating the windy little roads to try to find Glyfada beach. Alice, our GPS, was of absolutely no help. She didn’t have a clue where she was – the only thing she could tell us was that we were driving on a road. Very informative. Nice. Thanks! So, CPS was hard at work – and hard work it was too! You have to be quick with the signs, especially because some have both Greek symbols and Roman letters (don’t even talk to me about the ones with just Greek symbols!).
We actually made it to Glyfada without a hitch – and found ourselves at the Golden Beach restaurant/bar/mini market. There was a parking lot, a restaurant sign, and we were in need of caffeine. Done! Unfortunately, we’re so early that no one seemed to be there. A local that got off the bus as we were arriving said they might be in the bar. As we were wandering around up in the open air restaurant the owner, Maria, came up from the bar (at the beach) and we chatted about the weather – and how crazy it is now. There was a huge storm here 2 days ago – she said it was a storm like they’ve never had on the island, and 2 months of rain before that. We’re lucky we are here today – it’s bright and sunny and nary a cloud in the sky.
Once again we ask for cappuccino, only to be denied again! too early, the bar will have it but not for another 1/2 hour. Sigh. Maria offers us Nescafe and we partake this time. What the heck – it’s actually not that bad, I quite enjoy it as an alternative to some of the ready brew stuff. We enjoy our coffee with slices of homemade sweet bread (maybe date bread?), while basking in the warm sun overlooking the beach. Nice break.
Back on the road we point ourselves in the direction of Achillieon (the palace) and the beaches south of there. We are trying to find the “red” roads (marked on the map as red, meaning bigger roads) and avoid the “yellow” roads (basically donkey ruts). We quickly realize it doesn’t matter what color the roads are on the map, they are all pretty dastardly! Narrow, winding, not in the best condition (pot holes, ruts, gravel, you name it) – with those crazy Greeks flying around you like nobody’s business. Ed’s getting his work out today in this car – that’s for sure.
After only one wrong turn, we end up finding our way to the Palace site. Now, as it has been renamed by us, better known as the Tourist Hell site. Oh my God! The people! Hundreds, dare I say thousands? Don’t know, don’t care – but they are everywhere. Remember we are on this little narrow twisty road, and all of a sudden cars are parked on each side of the road at every angle, in every nook and cranny. Buses (30??? At least!) are everywhere – disgorging passengers, picking them up, getting stuck on the road because the dummy car drivers didn’t park far enough off the road for them to get by. People are walking in the road, beside the buses, in front of cars, not paying any attention to the fact that a car might actually be moving…you know, as cars in the road typically do….it is a zoo. We had sort of thought about stopping to waste some time, but ha! That flew out the window way before we became stuck in the 10 minute traffic jam at the entrance to the Palace waiting for a bus to squeeze past one of the aforementioned parked cars.
Get us outta here!!! Seriously – it took at least 10 minutes to move a couple of feet down the hill, then we inched our way down, passing a ton of buses on our way that had let passengers out up top, but that now has passengers walking down the middle of the road trying to find their bus to go home. No way – and you paid for this? I think not!
We managed to follow a bus all the way down to the shore road, which actually was a good thing since he pretty much cleared the way of oncoming cars – we just followed in his draft (so to speak). Finally out of that mess, we cruise the coastline looking at the small holiday towns along the shore. They are all tourist central – all advertise “Full English Breakfast”, nothing in Greek, typical holiday towns. We’re a little disappointed, because we really wanted to stop at a traditional taverna for lunch, but since we’re not going back up into those mountain roads – we’ll have to settle for resort fare.
We end up in Benitses which looks to be about the biggest town on our return journey to Corfu town. It’s a long stretch of shops and restaurants directly across from the beach. The first few restaurants don’t look promising – all crepes and breakfast and take away items, but the third in the row has Octopus on the menu and the owner comes up to talk to us, that’s all we need to make our decision! The restaurant is named after the owners, Tony & Alex Taverna Restaurant (Tony runs the place here, Alex their other restaurant in town called Oil and Vinegar), and it’s perfect for us – grilled octopus for Ed, Feta cheese with spicy tomato sauce and fried eggplant for me. And beer and wine of course! The weather is lovely – cool breeze, shady sidewalk. Nice lunch out on the shores of Corfu.
Back in the car, we navigate to Corfu town so we can wander the old town and try to find Oil and Vinegar for a drink (what the heck – might as well keep the money in the family!). We make it up and around the town to the parking area without incident – passing the airport where the runway ends at the road, literally. Wow! We luck out and find a parking space on the road – you still have to pay the guy sitting in the booth on the sidewalk, but it’s better than in the lot where we’d probably lose our car – it was so packed in there!
All the buses are on this road too – so we get to see where the expensive shuttle lets you off. If you don’t mind walking, you can walk into old town. It’s not all that long a walk for someone fit. Plus, the shuttle didn’t even come pick you up at the ship, you had to either walk or take another shuttle to the port building where you then picked up the ship shuttle. Joke.
So, anyway, we head into Old Town with thousands of others – local, tourists and the like. Wow – it’s crazy crowded in there. All slick cobblestone and some steps and hilly areas – it’s hard for me to walk in my sandals (the stones are really quite worn down and slippery). On top of that, it’s really ticky tacky touristy in there. Every store that isn’t a souvenir shop (with those typical tacky gifts, pot holders, magnets, same t-shirts but with a different town name) is a high price designer bag or shoe or jewelry store. Reminds us of the Caribbean and Diamonds Unlimited. We spend approximately 10 minutes walking around – and then decide we’re out of there. We stopped in a shop to ask if they could help us find Oil and Vinegar (Tony only had a business card in Greek to give us). The shop owner was very sweet. He told us the card didn’t have an address on it, so he called them! After a long time, they finally picked up and told him they were in New Town, not Old Town. By the Millennium Bank. The shopkeeper told us it was about 10 minutes away. In the opposite direction of our car. So, we ditched that idea. Next time! Ha!
We skedaddled out of there and decided to explore the authentic Old Fortress instead of the synthetic tacky tourist shops. The old fort sits majestically at the end of the Old Town, towering over the walls, guarding the inhabitants from invaders. It’s really a gorgeous example of architecture and history. There are little museums inside it’s walls, and towns of paths and stairways that allow you to navigate all around, and up into the fort itself. We wander about a bit, but it’s getting hot in the sun, so we give up on reaching the top of the fort and the lighthouse and settle for a refreshing cold beverage under the large awnings at the restaurant overlooking the bay of Garitsa.
Thirst quenched, body cooled, we head back into the melee to retrieve our car and head back to the port. As we are leaving, an Azamara tour bus is leaving as well, so we quickly follow it out of old town and down into the port (it’s easy – one road, but heck, we know we won’t get lost following the bus!).
Back in the port, we eschew the free shuttle to the ship, and wander down the pier, taking in the Seabourn Spirit who berthed after we had left on our island tour. Nice small luxury liner, funny that we have small, medium and LARGE ships in port today!
Sailing out was quite pretty actually – lovely scenery and an incredible sunset.
Tomorrow is our first – and only – sea day. Time to get caught up on the blog and our rest!
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