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Postcards from Corfu by Angelos Giallinas (and Corfu nature walks and hikes)

Monastery of Palaiokastritsa

Today, I am thrilled to share an original article by a gifted and highly knowledgeable author and journalist, Hilary Whitton Paipeti, who I am honored to call a friend.

Also, let me ask you. Do you enjoy Corfu walks and hikes? Scroll to the bottom of this article for an unmissable tip!

Hilary gave me the most beautiful gift when we met this summer – a bunch of reprints of old Corfu postcards by legendary artist, George Giallinas. It is a gift I will cherish forever.

I have chosen a couple to share with you here, and I will let Hilary tell you in her own words why these postcards and this artist are so special.

For one, I am enchanted by what I see in these paintings – a Corfu that is long gone since the emergence of organised tourism that irreversibly changed village life and the look of many of the island’s iconic locations.

Without further ado, enjoy Hilary’s article:

Benitses

Postcards from Corfu by Angelos Giallinas

By Hilary Whitton Paipeti

The best postcards of Corfu ever produced were reproductions of Angelos Giallinas’s gorgeous watercolours. They were printed in Corfu by the Aspiotis-ELKA printworks, which operated in a large building, now a school, located behind the Ionian University on Kapodistrias Street. The postcards featured mainly village scenes, and are now collectors items.

Angelos Giallinas (1857-1939) is generally regarded as Corfu’s foremost watercolour artist, and his paintings, immensely popular during his lifetime, command high prices. Transparent and full of light, they capture the charm of Corfu. Much imitated (though never matched), his work remains popular up to the present day. Giallinas travelled extensively in Greece and Europe, painting and exhibiting as he went. Among his most famous works are his views of Athens and its classical monuments, and a series featuring Constantinople; but his Corfiot landscapes remain the best loved. And it was these that he made into postcards.

Their publication, which date from the decade of 1910 and onwards, was a clever commercial move which netted the artist a good income. It was the heyday of the Angleterre Hotel (Bella Venezia), where Europe’s aristocracy comprised the main clientele. The hotel was located above the Orpheas Cinema on Zambellis Street, next to the existing hotel of the same name (it was destroyed by German bombs on the night of 13 September 1943). The Aspiotis-ELKA printworks was just over the road (and the artist’s town house faces the Esplanade nearby), so the Giallinas cards would not have far to travel to the individual who commissioned them!

The Old Venetian Walls (Mouragia), Corfu town

At the time, these cards carried the ‘wish you were here’ message out to Europe. How many people visited Corfu after receiving a card featuring one of Giallinas’s lovely views? Vlaherena with Pontikonissi behind… Paleokastritsa’s bays and hinterland from the Monastery… The Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George… a vista taking in Karoussades and the vale behind… rocks at Paleokastritsa… the Mourayia bathed in morning sunlight… the Peristyle of the Achillion with its statues… the Church of Agia Barbara in Potamos… view from the Pelekas summit… View of Pelekas village… the twin peaks of Pantokrator from the sea… the Old Fortress at dawn… Benitses (my own favourite)…and many more.

Agios Varvaros Church, Potamos

Giallinas almost destroyed the art of watercolour painting in Corfu. His paintings were so gorgeous (and popular) that every subsequent watercolorist tried to copy him. Problem was, Giallinas painted light, and the later artists couldn’t, however hard they tried. The trend led to a marked lack of unoriginality as no-one in this medium dared to try anything new.

Due to the printing process, the postcards really don’t capture the wonderful light of the originals.

Another artist whose work was reproduced on postcards was Vikentios Bocatsiambis (1856 – 1932: an almost exact contemporary of Giallinas). Also printed by the Aspiotis printworks, these cards appear to date from the 1940s and 50s, after the artist’s death.

In contrast to the landscapes of Giallinas’s cards, they feature portraits of peasant ladies in costume, and serve as a record of the island’s lovely national dress. At the time when Bocatsiambis was painting, the costumes varied substantially from village to village; now, on show at touristic ‘Greek Nights’, it is almost completely restricted to the Gastouri wedding outfit.

Hilary is pictured at the centre in this photo. Image source: https://walkswithtsb.blogspot.com/2018/06/no-blogs-for-couple-of-weeks-as-we-have.html

Hilary Whitton Paipeti, a resident of Corfu, writes for the FREE Corfiot e-newspaper, The Agiot.

She also enjoys taking tourists on group walks and hikes around the beautiful countryside of the island. You can visit Hilary’s sites, Corfu Walks and The Corfu Trail, for more information.

To check out her e-book, In the Footsteps of Lawrence Durrell and Gerald Durrell in Corfu, as well as her forthcoming publication, visit this page.

THANK YOU FOR READING! MAKE SURE TO DOWNLOAD MY 3 FREE BOOKS BELOW 🙂 YOU WILL RECEIVE THEM INSTANTLY WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO MY FUTURE POSTS.

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Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. The story is inspired from the author’s love for Moraitika and its people. Now, also available as an audio book! Visit Amazon

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters! The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind! Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes! Visit Amazon
 
For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out my  FREE guide to south Corfu!
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Haunting family memories from Corfu, captured in a short read

My Corfu Love Story is a book very close to my heart. It started as a short story, “My Holiday With Granny,” where I tried to capture the feeling I get every time I stay in my Corfiot grandmother’s house in the old quarter of Moraitika village, now that both she and my grandfather have passed away.

This tiny house in the old village quarter still talks to me, and I can hear their voices, I hear their laughter in every corner. Sometimes, the memories come flowing into my mind like an avalanche, and it becomes overwhelming.

Hence, it is an odd experience to stay in that house – it makes for a summer holiday that’s both delightful and sad each time, I guess, but this a price I pay with gratitude for all the love and care I have received from my grandparents since infancy.

I spent many three-month-long summers in that house as a youngster with my grandparents, and it is this hauntiness that I experience in their home now that has inspired so many of the scenes in My Corfu Love Story (just as it happened with my largely autobiographical novel, The Ebb, of course).

My Corfu Love Story is set in Moraitika and Messonghi in south Corfu – two quaint villages that still remain my corner of heaven on Earth. This short read is one of my most popular reads to this day, and it goes to show that clean stories about family still touch people out there.

So, what do you think? Would you like to escape to this blessed island for a couple hours, if only with your mind?

Hit the button below to check out My Corfu Love Story now!

VISIT AMAZON

 

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A clean romantic suspense short read with an unreliable narrator that’ll keep you guessing!  Visit Amazon
For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
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A personal account, pertaining to an obligation toward my late grandmother from Corfu

Today, I am pouring my heart out, folks, to share a personal account about my late grandmother. Those who have followed me for a while or read my novels, know what she and my late grandfather meant to me.

This summer, like we often do, my husband, Andy, and I spent a little over a week in Moraitika, Corfu. As always, it was a mixture of different things. During that short time, you try to do what you can – you don’t always relax but rather live on the clock. We managed to see only precious few people out of all those we wanted to see, in between trying to get one swim a day and to shape up my grandparents’ crumbling old house as best we could.

This tiny house in the old quarter of Moraitika on the hill is where I used to stay with my grandparents, Spyros and Antigoni Vassilakis, as a young girl, mainly in the 80s.

I aspire to be able to stay there for longer periods in future and make it a comfortable place to stay in. We hope to manage it as of next year when my husband retires from his job. Luckily, me being a writer means I can take my work anywhere.

This summer, Granny’s old fridge packed in from the first day. It was an interesting experience, if anything, to have to shop daily so we could cook and consume the food in its entirety each day.

But, on top of everything else, this odd vacation will forever stay indellible in my memory because I brought to Corfu with me my granny’s old bones. Yes. Literally. Her bones.

Last year, when I visited my father’s homeland – the island of Limnos – I brought Granny’s bones along with me back to Athens in a special metallic box. I kept it in my mother’s grave here all winter.

 
 

Granny had passed away in 2016 while staying with my parents on Limnos and was buried there, despite her wish to be buried on Corfu. It was a terrible time for my family, the timing of her passing truly abysmal. Basically, my granny suffered a fall and was commited to hospital on Limnos just as my mother got diagnosed with cancer and had to rush to Athens to start chemo.

I guess, if I ever wrote this in a book people would hound me. They’d never believe these things can happen, and yet they do. At the time, I lost the earth under my feet and felt like the whole world had conspired against me to make sure I would be away from my granny when she needed me the most… I had to be here in Athens for my mother.

And thus, Granny died alone on Limnos while in the care of strangers. The day she left Athens, I even had a premonition I wouldn’t see her again, and as it were, I never did.

All I got as a goodbye was to manage to speak to her on the phone a couple days before her passing. Her blood had been infected after the fall, and she didn’t communicate well verbally. She mumbled that day on the phone a lot, and I couldn’t understand a word she was saying. But then, just as I lost hope, as if it were an act of mercy from Heaven, she spoke a single coherent phrase that I will always cherish:

“May you always be well, kyra mou, may you always be well.”

(“Kyra mou” means “my lady” – it’s a popular term of endearment in Corfu.)

I knew then that Granny was saying goodbye. She had also told my mother a couple days earlier, “Don’t come visit me on Monday, I won’t be here. I’m going to Corfu.” I knew then, too, that she was getting ready to go.

In the evening of Easter Monday, my granny passed away alone in a room having been fed her last meal by a stranger. I can only imagine how sad or afraid she must have felt, despite her confused mind at the time.

But I console myself with the thought that my grandfather, her dearest Spyros, if not her beloved parents too, had come to escort her on her journey to Heaven at her dying hour.

My parents were on Limnos at the time, planning to leave two days later to resume my mother’s chemotherapy in Athens. In record time, they could only arrange for a quick funeral at the village of Lychna, near our family home there. Transportation of Granny’s remains to Corfu was going to take time, effort and personal attendance there – for all of us, at the time, these things were impossible because of my mother’s illness.

Tragically, my Corfiot granny couldn’t have died any further from Corfu since Limnos is on the diametrically opposite edge of Greece – in the northeast Aegean, opposite the shores of Turkey.

Granny, who adored her home in Moraitika and her island, literally used to say, “I don’t want to leave my bones on Limnos.”

And yet, she stayed buried there for eight difficult years, while I took care of my mother in Athens, then my father too, who both suffered greatly with cancer.

Finally, this blessed year, having lost them both, I was able to fulfill my obligation to my granny, this time, to return her bones to Corfu so that she could be buried in the family tomb with my grandfather, who died back in 2010. This was where she wanted to rest.

I placed their wedding wreaths in the grave with them, fullfilling her wishes to the letter.

My inability to complete this task all these years had been a longstanding thorn inside of me, and as it’s all dissolved now, I feel I can share this painful account with you all.

I thought it might provide comfort to anyone who may also feel guilty after the loss of someone dear to them, for whatever reason. Really, we always do what we can do. And no one, not even God, ever expects us to do the impossible.

But even so, after the passing of a loved one, we can still do a small act to honor them and to provide rest for their soul, not to mention solace to our own.

Which brings me to this glass jar that has been very important to me since Granny died…

 

At the first opportunity after Granny’s passing, I left this jar at her grave on Limnos. Inside it, I placed a handwritten note, as well as dirt and pebbles from various places my granny loved on her island, such as Corfu town, Moraitika, Messonghi, and even from her front yard.

In my note, among other things, I expressed my wish that these contents would help her find comfort in that foreign ground until she could lie with Granddad in Moraitika, as she wanted.

This summer, my trip to Moraitika has been healing for me, and I like to think that it was the same for her soul too. Granny “spent” two nights in her home, the home she always longed to return to, until the priest of Moraitika called me to perform a blessing at the grave where Granddad was buried.

After that, we put Granny’s remains inside.

Once it was all done, the relief I felt was tremendous. I didn’t know what to do with the jar, which I’d brought with me to Corfu. I wanted the contents to be released into the world in a meaningful way that I could remember forever with equal relief.

After much deliberation, I poured the jar contents at our favourite spot on the beach in Moraitika, where Granny used to take me and my sister swimming. Most of the pebbles I had taken from there, anyway.

As for the note, I took it in the water with me folded up in my palm as I swam on my last day. Once it soaked into nothing, I simply opened my hand and let the tiny bits sink down to the seabed. Truly, it made my heart sing, as this jar had become the symbol of my unfulfilled obligation to Granny, the symbol of my pain in a wound that kept gushing open for so long.

And with that, I’ll explain why this is important.

You see, the Greeks have a history of honoring the bones of their dead.

When the Asia Minor Catastrophe took place in 1922, the Greeks who fled from the now Turkish shores (Greek towns at the time), took with them, along with very few belongings, the bones of their dead. They didn’t want them left behind, the graves desecrated by a non-Christian, barbaric enemy.

In the same vein, there are people today who bring back home the bones of their ancestors, who died as emmigrants in faraway lands, even as far as the United States or Australia.

Why? Because in Christian Orthodox belief, the bones are alive–or, rather, have the potentiality to come alive again.

This is a deeply rooted belief in the hearts of the Greek Orthodox.

For one, we believe that from the bones we will rise again at the Second Coming. This is why burial continues to be the number one choice at funerals in Greece and why very few (non-believers, mostly) choose cremation.

We also believe that the dead do not find peace unless their bones rest where they wanted to be buried.

Here, I think it’s apt to refer to the vision of Prophet Ezekiel (chapter 37). During the vision, the prophet walked through a valley filled with dry bones. God spoke to him, and intructed him to talk to the bones and bring them back to life.

Soon, the bones began to come together, nerves and flesh covering them, and then skin formed around them too. And then, came The Holy Spirit and blew life into the bodies, and they rose, alive anew.

A reference to people coming alive from their bones is also made in the Book of Matthew (27:52-53). The moment Jesus died on the cross, an earthquake caused saintly people to rise from their graves, enter Jerusalem and begin to walk among the living.

So, yeah. Bones are important according to the Greeks. Just as the dead are still very much themselves and alive, just not in the physical.

From the plethora of accounts of visions, miracles, and even near death experiences that I have listened to all my life, I actually believe that, in the spiritual realm, the dead are even more alive than we are, and way more powerful than we’ll ever be.

 

Since the day when I fullfilled my long-standing obligation to my grandparents, I had a dream one night. I was walking to their house, and when I got there, they welcomed me together.

Just as they’d done hundreds of times before, they hugged and greeted me, and kept on laughing with exceptional gaiety. I then looked down at myself and was shocked to find I was naked from the waist up. It caused me great shame to think that on my way there people had seen me in that state, but my grandparents seemed amused by my shock, as if my shame was unfounded, as if they couldn’t see my nakedness.

Needless to say, I awoke with a light heart that morning. The dream signalled to me that they’re happy and I no longer need to feel bad, ashamed, or guilty towards them because they had to wait for so long to rest together, or because I wasn’t there to hold Granny’s hand on her last days.

 
 

Finally, now, they lie together as they wanted. And now that I’m back in Athens, I think of their grave on that serene mountainside of Moraitika, and for the first time, I can smile…

To read more about my grandparents and to see old photos, you’re welcome to visit these posts:

A Lifetime of Corfu Summers

Remembering my Grandparents

And, in this post, you can read more about the beliefs (and the Orthodox rituals) of the Greeks pertaining to their deceased:

What is Psychosavato (Soul Saturday)? Learn all about the Greek Orthodox traditions and beliefs about the dead. Wheat berry offerings, the knots bracelet, the soul’s journey to heaven and more

 

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For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out my  FREE guide to south Corfu!
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A serene walk around The British cemetery of Corfu town. Victorian graves and fallen heroes.

A shady and quiet part of town that was immensely interesting to explore

During my short vacation on the island of Corfu this summer, my husband and I visited The British Cemetery of Corfu for the first time. After a delightful but increasingly uncomfortable wander around the old town and its marvelous lanes because of the extreme heat, my notion to head to the cemetary for some shade and serenity, away from the crowds, proved to be an excellent choice.

The British Cemetery of Corfu is situated on Kolokotronis street, near San Rocco (Sarocco) Square, about a fifteen-minute walk from Liston.

At Sarocco, we stopped to ask for directions, and, lucky us, the woman we asked randomly turned out to be an Irish lady who lived in town. She eagerly provided directions, and even gave us information of the cemetery’s current, and rather unfortunate status. But I’ll tell you all about that in a minute. Let me start by giving you an idea of the place, and a bit of history…

 

The British cemetery of Corfu was opened as a military cemetery in about 1855, while the island was under British occupation. During the First World War, the island was used as a naval base, both by Great Britain and the United States. The cemetery contains 13 First World War burials and 16 from the Second World War. The latter are mostly casualties from two H.M.S. destroyers, Saumarez and Volage, that were mined by the Albanians in the Corfu Channel, off the coast of Albania, on October 22, 1946 (The Corfu Channel Incident).

I found the burial site from these two naval catastrophes particularly moving (see the top two photographs among the four above). A contemporary color photograph of four people, probably, all related to each other, lies inside a frame at the bottom of the memorial plaque. It makes it obvious to think that the heroes buried there are still being honored and remembered to this day by the later generations of their families. You can see a wide view of this burial site above, on the first set of photographs (I am pictured standing before it).

At this particular burial site, the Christian inscriptions at the bottom of many of the tombstones were particularly moving to read out–using beautiful rhymes, they express sentiments of heartache, and a hope for peace – both for the deceased and the living. Here are two of them:

“Time cannot change or even dim, the loving memories we have of him.”

“Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away, in Jesus keeping we are safe and they.”

Other than the burial site with the casualties from these two lost destroyers, the cemetery also features a collective grave of unidentified victims from the collision of H.M.S. Orwell in 1903.

We were surprised to find some German graves in the cemetery! No idea who and why, so if anyone has any info about this I’d love to know more. They were laid out together, about four or five of them. They weren’t marked by gravestones but by big wooden crosses, dating as far back as 1897.

Also, I’d like to mention that there is a small ossuary in the cemetery (see above, it’s the edifice on the lower part among the four photos, on the left).

 

 

“Sacred to the memory of…” was the beginning of most inscriptions I read from the 1800s. It was heart-breaking to read about the loss of so many lives at a young age, including those of newborn or small babies and of women losing their lives during labor. Such was the case for Sarah, the wife of Major Brandreth of the Royal Artillery. According to the inscription on her tomb (see above), she died “Beloved and Lamented” in 1819 during delivery at the age of 35, along with her baby.

 

 

In this photograph, perhaps you can make out the tiny frame at the bottom of the tombstone on the right. It contains the actual Victoria Cross medal awarded to the deceased, Private John Connors, for “conspicuous gallantry at the attack on the Redan” during the Crimean War. Connors, a private in the 3rd Regiment of Foot, died in 1857 “from the effect of a fall from the battlements at Port Neuf.”

At the bottom, the inscription reads, “Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. James chapter IV:14”

The remnant of the attentions to this hero by his surviving family members is hard to miss. If you look at the small empty tub that surely was once left at the grave with fragrant blooms inside it, perhaps you will see a spot of red color. It is a faded fabric poppy, the symbol of rememberance that the British still wear on their lapels once a year to honor their dead during the wars.

 
 

Other than the military graves during the two world wars, the cemetery also has a staggering 400+ non-war military and civilian graves.

Up until recently, the cemetery was still under the jurisdiction of the British War commission and it was well-maintained. Both flora and fauna thrived, and the gardens were well-clipped and lush.

Sadly, things changed back in 2023, when the British Ambassador to Greece announced that the complete jurisdiction of the British Cemetery was going to pass from the British War Commission to the Municipality of Corfu.

The latter committed to maintain the site and to continue to allow access to the relatives of the people buried in the cemetery.

However, once they took over, a ban on new burials was introduced with the exception of people who already had family plots there. Another newly applied restriction related to the visiting hours, which are now limited to 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, Monday to Friday, except for holidays.

This is particularly distressing to the British who wish to visit the graves and honor their dead out of this time window. Some of the Brits on the island who work are not able to visit on weekday mornings, and in general, the ban stops them from following some Orthodox traditions too, such as Psychosavvato (Soul Saturday) which calls for a blessing given by a priest at the grave, as well as other actions that honor the dead – i.e. lighting a candle at the grave, burning incense, or leaving some kolyva (wheat berry).

Note: To learn more about the tradition of Psychosavato and Greek Orthodox beliefs pertaining to the deceased and the afterlife, you are welcome to read this post on my blog.

Sadly, these are not the only inconveniences the British families of the deceased have to navigate. The place itself seems to be in a state of ruin and neglect these days compared to how it was before the take over. The situation is worse in the winter and the spring when the weeds grow waist-high and it becomes hard, if not impossible, to approach some of the graves. The British community on the island continues to push the Municipality of Corfu for a more effective gardening service, as well as for the care of the creatures that live in this beautiful natural space.

For many years, the British cemetery used to be under the care of the Psaila family, who lived in the residence inside the cemetery. The last caretaker before the take over by the Municipality of Corfu, was Mr. George Psailas, who took extra care of the orchids and other rare flowers in the gardens, as well as its living creatures, including many tortoises.

The cemetery used to be a paradise for the naturalists at the time. You may also be interested to know that some of the rare trees have been planted by none other than Mr. Theodore Stefanidis, the polymath and mentor of Gerald Durrell.

During my visit, I saw some cats at the lush, picturesque entrance of the cemetery, where the residence I just mentioned still stands. Outside, stood a friendly female council worker, who welcomed us cordially. In front of the building, I saw dishes with dry pellets left out for the cats and flower pots that were well-watered, so maybe some steps are being taken to the right direction.

Note: If you plan to visit the cemetery, please note that there are two entrances to it. The main one that has the sign with the opening hours was locked when we arrived. Thankfully, we noticed to the right another small entrance which was open and we used that to get in and out. Make sure to look for it if you also find the main gates closed!

Having visited in the height of summer, there were no weeds on the paths and the plots, though some of the graves in more remote parts could have been tidier. But, in general, the ground was clear. The two of us and the few other visitors we encountered wandered about on smooth ground. Sadly, all the trees (mostly, cypress trees) looked wilted, and, in some parts, so scorched, as if burnt by fire. Granted, it’s been a fierce summer, but hopefully, a more frequent watering would give new life to those poor old trees.

I hear the cemetery still has a tortoise population, but I regret to say I didn’t see any. Maybe, next time. I’ll definitely return to explore it further. The cemetery proved to be bigger than we thought and we ran out of time!

GO HERE to see all my photographs from The British Cemetery of Corfu.  

How to get there:

From Sarocco Square, take Methodiou street (toward the airport). Just before the junction, take a sharp turn left into Kolokotronis street and you will see the cemetery on your left hand shortly. If you’re coming from the airport or the bus station, you pass the legendary Villa Rossa on your right hand (which is currently covered by scaffolding, by the way – finally, some maintenance work?). The junction is shortly after Villa Rossa. Turn right at the junction and then sharp right again to get to the cemetery. It is situated a short walk away from Sarocco and about half a mile from the bus station.

Please note: I do not know if you can drive according to my directions. I always park away from the center in the area of Villa Rossa. There’s parking on the residential streets across from it and a free municipal parking area too.

A final note: Many thanks to my Facebook friend, Jan Manessi, who provided some of the information I provide here. 

THANK YOU FOR READING! MAKE SURE TO DOWNLOAD MY 3 FREE BOOKS BELOW 🙂 YOU WILL RECEIVE THEM INSTANTLY WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO MY FUTURE POSTS!

 

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The British cemetery of Corfu, a serene place steeped in history #Corfu #Corfutown #Corfuisland Share on X

 

3 FREE books for you! Sign up below to receive them instantly!

New! Clean Christmas romance. Two broken hearts. One magical holiday. A Santorini farm where anything can happen. 
Check it out on Amazon     Read a FREE sample!

Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. The story is inspired from the author’s love for Moraitika and its people. Now, also available as an audio book! Visit Amazon

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters! The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind! Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes! Visit Amazon

A clean romantic suspense short read with an unreliable narrator that’ll keep you guessing!  Visit Amazon
For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out my  FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

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Greek papoutsakia are the yummiest ‘little shoes’. Tastes like moussaka!

 

The most delicious ‘little shoes’ are made with eggplant (melitzana)!

Today, I am sharing yet another authentic, traditional Greek recipe.

“Papoutsakia” means “little shoes” in Greek, and it is eggplant stuffed with beef mince and topped with bechamel sauce and cheese.

Awesome sauce, right? Tastes just like moussaka sans the potatoes. Enjoy this step-by-step recipe that’s easy to follow and an absolute pleasure to devour 🥰

And, if you think it’s too calorie-dense for you, fret not! At the end of the recipe post, you will find my suggestions for low-calory variations.

No matter how you make papoutsakia, you’re bound to love it, so I hope you’ll choose to try it.

GET THE RECIPE

 

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Rushing streams with trouts and beautiful nature. Welcome to Planitero in the Peloponnese!

Hello, All! Today, I am sharing about the beautiful village of Planitero in the Peloponnese. It’s a lush heaven of rushing streams with trout and plane trees! 🍃

 

The village of Planitero is located 25 km south east of Kalavryta and north east to the village of Klitoria. Nestled on the southwestern slopes of Mount Chelmos (Aroania) at an altitude of 700 m, it is a quiet little place of rushing streams and waterfalls within a lush plane tree forest.

Other than the remarkable beauty and serenity that it offers, the visitor is bound to also be appreciative of the culinary masterpieces on the menu at the local tavernas.

Take the one I chose during my visit, for example. Planiteros Restaurant is also a trout farm, and the menu reflects that. I went for the smoked trout, which was absolutely amazing.

The last time I had trout was at the village of Psarades, on the shore of the Big Prespa lake. The trout there was grilled to perfection and had been fished from the lake. We enjoyed it with a dish of locally produced broad beans drenched in a rich tomato sauce. It was an unforgettable culinary experience.

Having now had both the fresh and smoked variety, I can tell you that the fresh trout makes for a more hearty meal, since the fish can be huge on the plate, but the smaller-size portion of the smoked trout that I had at Planitero was simply mouthwatering.

We accompanied that with onion pie – a dish I had never tried before. I loved it so much that, since then, I tried to make my own onion pie at home, but of course, it was nothing like what the seasoned cook prepared at Planitero. I guess I’ll have to go back there for some more, probably to have the same exact meal again, LOL

On the grounds of Planiteros Restaurant, punters can enjoy a nice little walk around the pools where the trouts are grown. Beautiful swans and ducks float or waddle around, and in the enclosures at the edge of the green there are cockerels and peacocks too. For one, the kids seemed to have a whale of a time seeing it all.

The snow-capped mountains in the distance completed the idyllic scene on that sunny spring day of my visit. Throughout our stay, the sound of rushing waters remained rich in our ears along with the chirping of the birds on the ancient plane trees.

Planitero is a truly blissful little place, and I highly recommend it for a visit. You can easily get there from Kalavryta. As I mentioned earlier, it is only 25 kms away.

On the day we enjoyed the beauty of Planitero, we also visited a majestic cave that has many lakes in it (and bats!). We also visited a beautiful mountain village called Vytina, that had a road dedicated to youngsters in love! You can read all about these places and see photos in this post.

Tap here to see my photos from Planitero!

Go here for the short video I took at the restaurant to show you around!

 

In case you haven’t heard of Kalavryta, it is an amazing mountain destination with equally beautiful nature, and great places of interest within short distance, including the seaside town of Diakofto – dont miss out the opportunity to take the famous cog train (odontotos) to Kalavryta from there, by the way! The route through the mountains is breathtaking.

 
 

Other places of interest near Kalavryta include The Agia Lavra Monastery where the Greek Revolution was declared in the 1820s, and the imposing Mega Spileo Monastery–the latter is unmissable (see photo above). Having been partly built inside a rockface, it even contains a cave!

Last but not least, the town of Klitoria that’s on the road to Planitero from Kalavryta is a must stopover for meat eaters. Roasted pork is the famous dish of the town and can be enjoyed at every restaurant there.

At the end of September, every year, the locals at Klitoria organize a pork feast where dozens of whole pigs are put over the fire to be enjoyed to the sound of Greek clarinet (clarino) music.

Truly, the Peloponnese is a place of many radiant gems to be discovered, and I haven’t really been all over, but I feel blessed to have been to many parts already.

Have you ever been to the Peloponnese? Of so, which parts? Make sure to add a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

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Greek beach wildlife, gemista, and eggs in tomato sauce

I was spooked in the water by a sea turtle ! (but, in my defense, it was huge!)

If you’ve been following me for a while you must know that I live in the small seaside town of Nea Peramos (near Athens).

Our local beaches. and especially the popular one that I swim in, are graced by sea turtles.  I have repeatedly seen two together, but other locals say they have seen a whole family floating together.

In the recent years, we have been spotting a seal too. One day, it floated right past my husband and me in the deep waters. By the time we’d recovered from the shock it had swum away.

The seal has long disappeared from our area, but the sea turtles are still here. I see them on most days, far in the deep waters, mostly.

Their heads are so big they are easily spotted from afar.

The other day, one of them, a huge one, was splashing by a buoy in the deep water. That kept on for whole minutes. It was quite a show, and I seemed to be the only one who had noticed it.

I guess it’s because I always look out for them. That day, I could see its giant head and its whole fin as it splashed about, looking like it was having fun or hunting for something by the buoy.

And then, another morning, I had the shock of my life. I did a deep dive in fairly shallow waters, and as soon as I came out, about four-five meters away from me, I saw a huge sea turtle staring at me, its head fully out of the water. I froze. It had big black round eyes like buttons, and a green head covered with scales. Of course, I panicked 😨 and swum swiftly to the shallows.

As I neared four elderly women, I told them I just saw the turtle. Soon, a bunch of people gathered there, all of them looking out to sea to try and spot it.

By the time I got out to sit on the sand, I was laughing. They were all looking at a cormoran in the deep water (we have loads in the marshes of our area and they come over all the time to hunt in the sea).

The cormoran, as you probably know, has a long and thin neck, much like a swan’s, while the sea turtle has a huge, almost ball-like neck as seen from afar.

And yet, the locals were looking at the cormoran and going: “Oh! Look! It’s the sea turtle! Oh, how cute!”

Bless them, they couldn’t tell the difference. The funniest thing, though, was that the sea turtle was just to the left of them at the time, a fairly short distance away, but they never saw it. They totally missed it. They were focusing on the cormoran in the far distance instead.

This is what real-life comedy is made of, surely. I know I tittered as I watched the sea turtle swim near them totally unnoticed and couldn’t stop 😅

I was pleased to find these photographs online, taken by a local lady, who spotted the turtle while kayaking in the deep waters. These are the only photos I have of the turtle, but hopefully, more will follow. Just look at the size of that head. No wonder I panicked! 😛

 
 

Who enjoys cooking when it’s scorching hot?

I certainly don’t! This special, fried eggs recipe I am sharing today is my late Grandmother Antigoni’s. You will find many variations of it online with the names ‘kagianas’ and ‘strapatsada.’

Back in the 1980s, when I used to spend three months every summer on Corfu, Granny used to serve this often for lunch. She used ripe beef tomatoes and lashings of olive oil.

The sauce was divine and ample, begging for pieces of bread to be dunked in it. I remember feeling amazed every time. How could something made from just a couple of basic ingredients taste so heavenly?

I kept asking my granny to fess up, convinced she kept a special ingredient as a secret, but every time, she assured me she did not.

These days, I use much less oil than Granny did, seeing that when she treated me to that meal I was a youngster, but I am getting long in the tooth now, LOL. Still, despite the fact I serve it rather dry on the  plate now, it still has the same heavenly taste.

Following Granny’s advice, I only make it with summer tomatoes. Try it! Just make sure to serve it with fresh, crusty bread. It makes all the difference. Yum!

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My new, enhanced Gemista

Speaking of summer recipes, I had to squeeze in this one since I recently updated it on my blog.

I made a couple of changes that enhanced the meal, including the temperature it cooks on.

Also, I now add half a teaspoon of turmeric in the bowl that contains the raw rice, tomato, and herbs mix. This enriches the taste further, not to mention giving the potatoes this mouthwatering, yellow tint.

So, what do you think? You’re welcome to get the recipe and dine like a Greek!🍴

This meal is perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. It’s equally delicious served cold, so makes for great picnic food on the beach 🏖️

GET THE RECIPE

And don’t forget the tzatziki! 😘

 

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Swallow baby boom, hunting cats and glass stickers. A fun post.

 

Swallow baby boom

One swallow does not make a spring, they say. But what about two nests brimming over with swallow babies?

That’s right. Next door to me, on the porch of my parents’ house, swallows have come and gone for years now. Two nests remain there all year to be filled again and again every spring. Sometimes, they claim just one, and sometimes both.

I don’t know what happened this spring, but both the nests have been claimed and they are both filled with babies!

In the picture above, you can see one of the two nests on my parents’ porch.

The result? A small murmuration of swallows keeps busy flying here and there all day, bringing sustenance to the little ones. I can count 4-6 birds swooping over my head at any one time, whenever I visit the porch next door.

They have been particularly more daring this year, flying low over our heads when we are in the garden near the nests. Sometimes, they perch on cabling overhead, peering at us, whereas in other years they would fly off the moment they saw us approach.

One morning, I was milling about in the garden, really early in the morning, and I thought I’d go see the nests. It was about ten days ago when none of the babies had flown out the nest yet.

Well, to my surprise, I found one baby on the ground! And I am so glad I checked as I don’t normally do that, so early in the morning. It was a fully formed swallow, with its wings all perfect, but it was just smaller, naturally.

It was standing on the ground, totally still, and it looked pristine, so my first reaction was relief, seeing that I have two avid feline hunters around and a very inquisitive doggie–my parents’ dog, Gino, that I have ‘taken under my wing’ (pun intended) since they passed away.

Anyway, I went closer to catch the baby bird, and it hopped away from my grasp, moving toward a large table. I panicked in case it hid somewhere out of my reach, so on my second attempt I really went for it and caught it in time.

The moment I trapped it inside my loose fist it calmed down and totally stopped thrashing.

Thinking quickly, I then went next door to my house and took one of my cat-carrying bags to keep it safe. Putting it inside proved tricky.

The baby seemed too scared to let go of my hand. It had curled its little claws all around one finger and wouldn’t let go. I had to shake it off my finger gently while giving it a little nudge with my other hand to transfer it to the bottom of the bag.

Once it was secure in there, I put the pet bag on a table before the window, so the baby could see the sunlight. It sat calmly looking from behind the mesh.

And then, I got to work…

The problem was I needed help to put the baby back up in the nest. They are located really high, you see, on the level of a tall ceiling, and because of a health issue I cannot lift any heavy weight. That meant I could not move the really tall ladder needed for the task.

Plus, I didn’t want to wait till my husband came back from work in the late afternoon to do it for me, as I worried the baby wouldn’t make it without food all these hours.

A couple of phonecalls later, I found a kindly neighbor to come and help. As he lifted the heavy ladder to place it under the nest, he told me the swallow nests are considered good luck for the home in his country of Albania.

This made me smile, as my mother and father also thought that. They had swallows return for many years, not just to their house here but also to their country home on the island of Limnos where my father came from.

So, anyway, my neighbor first checked the nest from which the baby had fallen–I knew which one it was because I’d found it on the ground directly under it–but that one was so full of babies that it was obvious why it had fallen. It probably got squeezed straight out by its siblings. So, the nice man put it in the other nest that was luckily less full.

I thanked him and we both went our way, and I hoped the baby would be fed soon as I didn’t know for how long it had been on the ground. I was worried the parents might not feed it, as I understand sometimes wild creatures abandon the young that have been touched by humans. I hear we humans leave quite a stench to the things we touch–at least, to their nostrils 🙃

I also worried it might fall again, in case it had actually tried to fly while not being ready yet. Perhaps, I imagined, I was unlucky enough to save the most overconfident swallow that ever lived 😅

But, anyway,  I worried for nothing. In the afternoon, my husband and I witnessed the babies being fed busily by their parents in both nests.

A couple days later, the oddest thing happened. I was on my porch, putting clothes on the line, and one swallow came to perch on a cable near my porch, almost at eye level.

It just sat there watching me, not in the least skittish about me being so close and gazing back at it.

I like to think it could smell me, perhaps, and knew it was I that had saved the baby. Maybe, it had come to check me out, or perhaps, even to chirp a little thank you to me 🦜

What do you guys think? I could be imagining things! Or, perhaps, as my husband often tells me, I am humanizing, as always, the way I forever humanize the cats and the dog, by trying to explain their behavior in human terms. I do admit… I am guilty as charged!

 

This is an old photograph taken by my mother at the porch of their house on the island of Limnos, where they used to spend much of every spring and all their summers during their retirement.

As you can see, the swallows came for a visit there too, though these do not look like typical swallows to me, seeing that they have these striking white lines on their heads and these nice brown shades. The swallows we have here in my town are the common house martins–they have black on their backs, white underneath, and no white lines on their heads.

Anyone recognize these birds? I’d love to know what swallow species they are. I am guessing they are a less common species for Greece.

As it turns out, there are five different swallow species that are  common in Greece:  the red-rumped swallow, the barn swallow, the common house martin, the sand martin, and the Eurasian crag martin.

The first three species have mainly black and white colors while the last two also have brown or gray shades.

Four of these five species make nests high above the ground using mud and dry plant fibers. The shape of the nest varies among the species. The sand martin is the only one that makes holes in the ground to make a nest, usually near water.

Greek law forbids the destruction of swallow nests, and the punishment is up to 1,000 euro fine and 1 year in jail! Many people, sadly, mind the visit of these intelligent, minute creatures and heartlessly destroy their nests on their walls.

I cannot imagine ever being bothered by the swallows’ sweet and busy song. It is rich in my ears every morning when I go out on my porch. It’s the sweetest goodmorning ever.

The only thing that seems a little bothersome is the small mount of poo that gathers under the nests, but a sheet of cardboard or a scrap of old cloth on the ground fixes that. And if it is built over furniture, perhaps, then one could place a makeshift shelf underneath the nest using a plank of wood and fix this problem.

The swallows arriving in Greece fly across the Mediterranean from Africa and can even fly back and forth from Siberia. And, these delicate little creatures have quite the stamina. They can fly across the Mediterranean in just one day!

In contrast to other migrating birds, the swallows only fly in the day, and pause to rest in different places during their journey.

Last, you may be surprised to learn that swallows don’t feed from the ground, but only during flight, catching bugs mid-air!

 

I recently installed these stickers on my living room window. The flowers went in first, just for fun, and then, I got the hummingbirds too, this time for a specific reason. I wanted to protect the swallows and sparrows that are prolific where I live.

Earlier this month, a little bird, probably a sparrow, perhaps blinded by the glare of the evening sun on the glass, hit it hard mid-flight.

I was in another room at the time and came straight out to see what the thud was about. It was pretty loud. I hoped it wouldn’t be a bird, as this had happened twice before over the years, before I even had cats, and when I saw what it was my heart sank.

By the time I got there, one of my cats–the younger one, Sissi–had already snatched the poor soul. She catches birds with gusto, and she’s really good at it. So, as sad as I was, I wasn’t surprised…

I managed to catch only a glimpse of the birdie lying still in her mouth, and I couldn’t save it, as Sissi then ran off with the bird and there was nothing I could do about it.

It broke my heart so much I knew I had to do something.

Happy to report I haven’t had any more mishaps since installing the stickers. I really hope they will deter the birdies from flying that way again.

In the first day or two, my cats, Sissi and her mommy, Loulou, sat and gazed at the hummingbirds from time to time, and also raised their paws, trying to catch them. Now, they coexist peacefully, as you can see.

And, if they mind these birds are made of plastic I’d rather they feel a little peeved than snatch another birdie while I’m watching. It’s not always easy being a cat mamma!

Till next time, enjoy this glorious summer and reading awesome stories!😀

 

Interested in Greek wildlife and nature? Check out these posts:

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A majestic cave in the Peloponnese and a road for smooching

A visit to Kastria Cave (aka Cave Lakes)

Today, I am pleased to share photographs from the majestic Kastria Cave (aka Cave Lakes) in the area of Kalavryta.

The cave system is vast and only a small part of it is open to visitors.

We had an enthralling tour for about 30 minutes, exploring the small part of the cave that is open to the public. The main reason why the rest of it will remain out of reach is to ensure its preservation, as well as the survival of its fauna that thrives there for thousands of years.

There are ten bat species in the lakes, something I wasn’t exactly pleased to be told before entering🫣Immediately, my mind conjured up an image of Jim Carrey’s Pet Detective bolting out of a cave that was full of bats and guano and screaming!

Ha ha. Luckily, I didn’t have to do that. The tour guide said we might find droppings on the ground, and said not to photograph any bats if we happen to see them. Again, I was spared from any encounter of the sort 🙃

But, actually, the guano is useful in the caves, as it becomes food for other species, including three endemic ones: a scorpion, a beetle and a spider. These, along with an endemic cricket, have survived safely inside the caves for millenia.

More than 18,000 bats live in the caves. When I found that out I felt even luckier I never saw a single one LOL!

 

This was not my first visit to a cave. I have been to the impressive Lake Melissani in Kefalonia and the beautiful Diros Caves in the Peloponnese (both explored by boat).

But, entering the Kastria Cave, I was stunned. Nothing could have prepared me for the staggering size of the chambers. I’d never seen a cave before clothed in every way with such sheer magnificence.

I kept looking up and marvelling at the tall ceilings and the beautiful formations from that very first chamber we entered.

The walking tour lasted for about thirty minutes. Walking on artificial bridges over the serene lake waters and going up and down steps, we explored a series of majestic chambers of incredibly high ceilings.

Some of the formations were really impressive, such as a series of natural ‘bathtubs’ that reminded me of those stone bathtubs one can find in luxury hotels in Aegean islands, like Santorini, which imitate natural cavernous spaces. Or, the much larger natural Kolibithres in Mikro Papigo, Zagori, that are out in the open and people can actually swim in them.

But the natural ‘bathtubs’ of the Kastria Cave are out of reach to the public, of course, and can only be viewed from a bridge at close distance. The guide on site told us all of them stay full of water in the winter. They had little to no water during our visit mid-April.

There are 13 lakes inside the cave. The total length is 1.980 meters, but only 500 meters are open to the public. The cave system is laid out on three different levels. Visitors walk along a short, sloped tunnel to enter the cave which takes them straight to the second level.

There are heavy security doors either side of the tunnel to ensure they stay shut in order to preserve the low temperature in the cave. You feel the sudden drop in temperature as soon as you enter.

The exploration of the Kastria Cave took place between 1964-1965. In 1981, it was handed over to the Greek Tourism Authority, and it has been open to the public since 1988.

Across from the entrance to the cave, in a beautiful court with greenery and trees, stands a small, yet interesting, museum. Various findings from excavations in the caves are housed there, including tools, and remains of animals (even those of a hippo!) from the Bronze and Neolithic eras.

All in all, it was a memorable and exciting visit, and if you’re in the area of Kalavryta, I highly recommend you check out this wonderful site.

The nearby village of Planitero is the perfect place for lunch if you’re visiting the area. Planitero is a stunning little village with trout farms and rushing river waters inside a plane tree forest. I did go there for lunch on the same day and you can see photos and read all about it in this post.

Here, I’d like to thank Perivassis Tourism & Τravel Services and our amazing tour guide, Katerina Liontaki, for another wonderful day spent under her wing, and also for her sending me some of her own photographs to post.

GO HERE to see all the pictures from Kastria Cave. Some of them are posters mounted inside the tunnel and depict speleologists. These photos show the cave and the lakes in all their splendour!

 

Vytina, a beautiful town with many treasures…

On the same day my husband and I visited Kastria Cave on the coach tour, we stopped at Vytina for coffee.

Vytina is a traditional settlement in the Peloponnese that has beautiful stone buildings. It is built at the foot of the mountain range, Mainalo.

Go here to see my pictures from Vytina.

We had coffee at the square in one of the many cafes beside a beautiful stone-built church. Then, we looked around the shops that sell traditional products, including the local honey variety that has a striking yellowish color.

It is called Elati Vanilia, and it is a treasure to the immune system, and also beneficial for a number of health issues.

We also found out that the region also produces a variety of marble that is named The Black of Vytina. Truly, it’s a blessed little place, with many treasures.

But that wasn’t all we discovered there. Thanks to our wonderful guide, who tipped us off, we then took a downward street from the square, looking for love…

And love, we did find, just a couple minutes later, getting into the most serene little road lined by trees that has a very special name 😍

 

This is a photo of me on ‘The Road of Love’ (O Dromos tis Agapis) in Vytina. It has been named thus by the locals because, for many generations, it has been the meeting place for young lovers to take a walk in the quiet.

The road stretches out into the distance, as far as you can see, with beautiful tall trees either side. There are hardly any houses around, just grassy fields and more trees.

Back in April when I visited, the distant snow-capped mountains were the perfect backdrop. The birdsong was ample and sweet in my ears. The grassy ground was strewn with tiny white flowers, including chamomile.

It all combined to create a sweet springtime memory that I will treasure forever.

I am at an age when I need nothing in terms of physical things. Most of the time, I don’t wish for a present anymore on the big days but always go for a meal out, or a day out in nature to celebrate, instead.

Beautiful memories is the only thing I seek when I think of exciting new ‘acquisitions.’

It is a privilege and an honor to share my experiences with you. Once again, I’d like to thank everyone who writes to tell me how they enjoy reading about my travels. You give me encouragement to keep on traveling and sharing!

Before I go, to share my big news. I just finished writing My Greek Island Christmas! What I can tell you is it got me and hubby (who is my forever eager editor) in the same places!

This means that if we laughed or cried in certain scenes, chances are you will too 😃 But it has a nice balance of humor, romance and family drama. Oh. And lots of Greek food. That blessed girl cooked every day in that farm in Santorini, and she kept me salivating 😛

Anyway, I am really pleased it’s done! Another baby of mine born, and the feeling is amazing every time 💗

GO HERE to check out the book and download a FREE sample! The book is available on preorder in various stores 🥳

Till next time, enjoy summer and keep reading amazing books!

Interested in discovering more places in the Peloponnese? Check out these posts next!

A cruise through the Corinth Canal and fun facts  https://effrosyniwrites.com/2024/10/25/corinth-canal-cruise-and-corfiot-pastitsada/

A stunning fresco at the Isthmia Roman Baths, Nero, and a mollusc with a royal secret https://effrosyniwrites.com/2024/11/08/fresco-isthmia-roman-baths-nero-corinth-canal/

Majestic views in Lake Doxa and an old secret school… https://effrosyniwrites.com/2022/12/09/majestic-views-secret-school/

 

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New! Clean Christmas romance. Two broken hearts. One magical holiday. A Santorini farm where anything can happen. 
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For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
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Cervantes in Nafpaktos and the Battle of Lepanto

The stunning fortress of Nafpaktos, and the famous naval battle of Lepanto

Nafpaktos is situated in the region of Greece called Aetolia-Acarnania on the mainland. It is a short drive from the magnificent Rio-Antirrio bridge that stands between the Gulf of Patra and the Gulf of Corinth.

This historic town has a vast history and its beautiful old fortifications attest to that.

The Venetian 15th-century fortress of Nafpaktos stretches out from the top of the hill all the way down to a stunning little harbor. There, the fortress walls stand on the beach, a stone’s throw away from the water.

This quaint little harbor is a focal point for locals and tourists alike to take a walk, swim or sit in one of the many cafes and eateries.

My husband Andy and I visited Nafpaktos on just a 2-hour stopover during our tour to Epirus (Arta and Ioannina mainly) by coach so we didn’t have the chance to  enjoy the place fully.

We had lunch at the amazing taverna “Nikos” on the square across from the harbor. Then, we only had time for a quick walk around before we had to leave.

I am looking forward to a chance to visit Nafpaktos again, this time to stay, and explore it fully. On the mountain region nearby that is called Orini Nafpaktia, there are numerous villages of stunning beauty for the visitor to explore as well. This is another of the reasons why I am gagging to go back and when I do you’ll be sure to know 😉

Two war heroes honored at Nafpaktos harbour: Georgios Anemogiannis and… the Spanich author of Don Quixote, Cervantes!

As I walked along the harbor and read the numerous plaques mounted here and there, I quickly delved into the town’s glorious history, and especially The famous Battle of Lepanto, i.e. of Nafpaktos. Lepanto was the name of the town in the Venetian era.

The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7, 1571, and it was fought between the Holy League, i.e. a coalition of Catholic states, and the Ottoman Empire. The Holy League that was mainly comprised of the Papacy, Spain and Venice won the battle.

This victory had a great significance as it lifted the morale of the European Christian nations and, more importantly, it put an end to the Ottomans’ naval supremacy in the Eastern Meditteranean.

The Battle of Lepanto was also considered to be a forceful Christian retaliation, a grudge match of sorts, against the Ottomans, since the latter had shown extreme brutality in the way they tortured Christian heroes of the war that they captured and executed.

One of them was the Greek hero Georgios Anemogiannis, a statue of whom stands today at the harbor.

Anemogiannis (1798-1821) is depicted raising a torch as he stands atop the wall of the fort (see picture above). The reason is because he was a fire-ship captain, setting the Ottoman boats on fire. An almost identical statue of Anemogiannis  stands in Gaios on Paxos, the island where the hero was born. He was tortured and murdered brutally at the age of 23 having been captured by the Ottomans in Nafpaktos in 1821, i.e. in the year when the Greek War of Independence began.

Across from the statue of Anemogiannis, depicted as if greeting him back across the short distance, stands a statue of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616).

He is the Spanish author of Don Quixote, the first modern novel to be published in Europe, and one of the world’s favorite classics today.

Cervantes is depicted holding a feather in his raised hand, a nod to his great literary achievement. Cervantes drew from his own war experiences and chivalric romances of his time to write Don Quixote.

He enlisted in the Spanish Navy in 1570, serving as a soldier until 1575. When he fought in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 he was 23 years old.

Although he was ill with fever during the battle, he offered to take part saying he’d rather die for his God and his king rather than hide under the blankets. His heroic choice left him with three gunshot wounds: two in the chest and one in his left arm, which was then amputated.

Cervantes always said that the loss of his left hand served to glorify his right one, referring to his later literary work. For the rest of his life, he carried his wounds from The Battle of Lepanto with pride.

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As the sun began to set during my short visit in Nafpaktos, the views became increasingly breathtaking. The beach, right before the fortress gate, is beautiful and seems to be stretching out all the way to the Rio-Antirrio bridge in the far distance.

GO HERE for a short video that I took on the beach. The serenity, the dramatic sky and the sweet murmur of the sea are enchanting.

GO HERE to see all the stunning views of Nafpaktos that I was blessed enough to capture that day. Shortly after sunset, the Christmas lights came on everywhere and the dramatic sky made the snaps just perfect!

 
 

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