Corfu

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Beautiful Kastoria and Granny’s pasta sauce with spetseriko

GO HERE TO SEE THE PHOTOS

Happy people, happy waterfowl

I am telling you, I had the most serene walks in Kastoria. Sitting on a bench and gazing out at the stunning landscape became my number 1 favourite pastime during Greek Easter, earlier this month.

And I envied the locals so much, for having these alluring paths to walk on, at the edge of Lake Orestiada. The lakeside front is 15-kilometre-long!

Out of town, the lakeside path is often pedestrian, beckoning as an earthly paradise to nature lovers. Plane trees everywhere, the bird song rich, and the ambiance is magical.

Kastoria is a town in west Macedonia (northern mainland of Greece) and it is famous for its fur merchants. It is a town of vast history. Firstly inhabited in neolithic times, it was first conquered by the Romans, then the Byzantines, the Bulgarians, the Normans, the Franks, the Serbs, and the Turks, before finally becoming part of Greece in the beginning of the 20th century.

The old quarter is called Doltso and it is built on a hill. Its lanes with many antiquated estate mansions and old buildings with black wooden beams made it a pleasure to explore.

Sadly, our tour saw us out of town in the mornings and back to Kastoria in the late afternoons every day at a time when the folklore museum and other places of interest were closed for the day. But we did manage to visit the town’s aquarium, which is the largest freshwater aquarium in the Balcans. It exhibits fish and other organisms that are indigenous, endemic or foreign to Greece, living in lakes and rivers.

I will post photographs from the aquarium and the tiny yet quaint and historical Monastery of Panayia Mavriotissa another day. Both are situated on the lake.

We missed the chance to visit the ‘Dragon’s Cave’, a cave by the lake with rich stalactite and stalagmite decoration, underground lakes, halls, corridors and tunnels.

Oh well, I am not all that gutted, though, since we managed to visit the neolithic settlement by the lake that depicts life in the area some 7,500 years ago! It was enthralling to visit the little huts, some of them on stilts over water. Inside, there were human figures made of clay and replicas of everyday items that have been found at the excavation site nearby.

Enchanting and educational stuff. Go here to check out my post about this amazing place!

Just like Granny Antigoni used to make…

I’m still amazed. Last weekend, I managed to recreate my Corfiot granny’s pastitsada! It tasted just the same with Spetseriko and a couple extra spices. Pastitsada is a traditional Corfiot dish made with pasta, beef and carrots in a tomato sauce.

I went for spaghetti instead of the traditional pasta number 2, though. A personal preference, and it was just as yummy. I’ll have to make it again with the proper pasta and blog the recipe for you, guys. Watch this space! And, see below for more info on the secret spice mix from Corfu!

Here’s something you may not know…

There is a secret spice mix dating from Corfu’s Venetian occupation days, and it is called Spetseriko! It is delicious and aromatic in tomato sauces, such as in pastitsada, and also in pastichio.

This secret spice mix used to be made by the pharmacists on the island, and there is one pharmacy in town today that still makes it from an original recipe!

GO HERE to read my post about Spetseriko. It contains a recipe to make it at home too. And, if you plan to visit Corfu town, you’ll get to hear which pharmacy you need to go to to get your own bag of genuine Spetseriko!

 

 

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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. Visit Amazon

 

Kelly ran a marathon in Nafplio and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with tantalising clean romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Kate has a guardian angel. She just doesn’t know it. Plus, she’s falling for him. Delightful paranormal romance set on the idyllic island of Sifnos. The descriptions of Greek food will make you feel ravenous. Don’t read when hungry. You’ve been warned! OOOPPPPAAAAAA! Get it now on 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!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

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FREE books, a rare spectacle and pumpkin soup

Now, I wish I could say these were my shoes and that these photos are mine, but I can’t. I found this photograph online, overcome with a deep sense of jealousy!

It’s not often that the Northern Lights are visible from my country and never in my nearly (ahem!) 60 years have I had the excitement to see them with my own eyes.

But the people living in the north of Greece were lucky enough to see the sky and everything under it seemingly on fire with this vibrant red color on the night of November 5! People posted them on social media from Salonica, from Serres and other parts in the north of my country.

There were talks beforehand that Aurora Borealis might be visible from Corfu αs well, but I found no evidence to attest to that.

However, while searching, I bumped into a very interesting superstition on the island of Corfu concerning the Northern Lights. A Corfiot posted on their Facebook page an old text recording this phenomenon as being visible from Corfu back in 1530. According to that text, the phenomenon was visible for two consecutive nights and it colored the sea, making it look like ‘a basin of blood’.

Three years later, in 1533, a great famine plagued Corfu and according to the locals, St Spyridon, the protector of the island, appeared in an apparition before the crew of a boat. It was filled to the brims with wheat, sailing past the island, headed for Italy. The saint commanded them to change course and dock in Corfu and this is what they did, awestruck by the sight. This miracle is celebrated to this day as the wheat fed the starving Corfiots. Back in that time of utter ignorance, the Corfiots, mystified by the earlier sign from the heavens, connected the two events.

This superstition was solidified in their psyche when in 1940, the Northern Lights amazed the Corfiots in the sky once again, and then WWII began! Furthermore, the bombs falling from the sky during the air raids didn’t hurt the city but kept falling miraculously into the sea instead…

To this day, the Corfiots see the Northern Lights as an omen for either an impending intervention from St Spyridon or a catastrophic event.

Which means I am not sure if I am deflated or relieved that they didn’t get to see it this year, LOL!

I am Greek, so I don’t really celebrate Halloween, but I live with a Brit who likes a little something to mark the day 🙂

So, once again, I went for a pumpkin meal to do just that.

And this year, I made the best Hokkaido pumpkin soup ever. The boiled chestnuts and the cheesepies went down very well with it.

Get the recipe here

 

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a plethora of FREE kindle books! Check it out!

 

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Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

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!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.
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A boat trip from Corfu to Paxos and Parga

Pleased to share today photos from a boat trip my husband and I did last August during our stay on the island of Corfu. The excursion boat you see in the photo took us to the island of Paxos first, where we had a cooling swim a short walk away from the port of Gaios. The quiet little bay where we swam was as magical as I remembered from our first visit there in 1998 during our honeymoon vacation on Corfu.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

The water is so crystal clear in that tiny bay that you can see every detail on the sea bed. And the rustle the water makes as it laps on the shore and scrapes the shingles makes this pleasing sound to the ears that I can never have enough of… Here is a short video I took to show you, guys. Have a listen!

You’re welcome he he 🙂

After our swim, we barely had time to grab a quick bite to eat before it was time to leave. Leaving Paxos, we set sail to the seaside town of Parga in the mainland of Epirus.

The beautiful architecture of Parga and the picturesque island at a short distance away from the shore made up a perfectly quaint landscape that just begged for photographs. Parga is such a stunning town for a vacation, with beautiful beaches nearby that can be visited by boat. I regret to say we didn’t have time to visit the island or the castle. We only had time for a quick lunch at one of the many tavernas on offer and a quick wander around the beautiful lanes before it was time to head back to Corfu.

Though the boat trip was fun, filling our senses with sheer delight, it was rather exhausting. We spent a good part of the day on the boat as the distances are great.

What I really wanted to do was visit Parga and head straight uphill to visit the castle, but as I said, there was no time. Plus, it was 3 pm by the time we arrived and the sun was hammering. What can I say? I am just a Greek – haha. So I ran towards the nearest awning for shelter. At this time, I normally have a siesta 🙂

By the way, if you visit the south of Corfu often and a boat trip to Parga is of interest, here is a tip: I checked a few of the local agents in Moraitika where we were staying in Corfu but no one was offering a boat trip just to Parga.

Towards the end of my stay in Corfu, though, I bumped into a friend, Soula Sakadaki, and she informed me she’d opened her own travel agency earlier this year. Soula is an awesome lady and a seasoned pro in the business.

Go pay her a visit if you’re visiting Moraitika and the surrounding villages and see what she has to offer to you. She is hoping to offer Parga as a single destination by boat next year and I cannot wait! Her agency is near the roundabout and it is called Soula’s Corfu Travel.

 

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Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf
Emilia wished to be young again… and then, it happened. This supernatural romantic comedy features angels from The Amulet!  VISIT AMAZON    DOWNLOAD A FREE SAMPLE

 

Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

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!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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Beautiful Corfu town and… spetseriko, Corfu’s secret spice mix!

The vaulted street of Liston in Corfu town was modelled after Rue Rivoli in Paris

Hello, All! I am back from Corfu, where I spent 10 wonderful days, and I am thrilled to share with you today a few photos from the old town. Also, I am about to spill the beans on Spetseriko–the traditional, delicious AND secret spice mix of Corfu! Below, you will find out where you can get the real deal while in Corfu town AND how you can make it at home on your own too! Sounds good? Let’s go!

A sea view from the grounds of the Old Palace

My husband and I spent a sunny morning around the capital of Corfu, visiting the old quarter.

Our day started with the must-have coffee at Liston–the famous vaulted street which was made during the French Occupation of Corfu. The French modelled it after Rue Rivoli in Paris. The old town quarter with its stunning antiquated buildings and the large square of Spianada remain silent witnesses to the history of Corfu.

In succession, the island was occupied first by the Venetians, who made the Old and the New Fortress, then the English, to whom we owe the beautiful greenery at the Old Square (Spianada) as well as the cricket green before Liston where the Brits taught the Corfiots how to play cricket!

Finally, the French, the last foreign occupants on the island, decorated the Spianada with gorgeous architecture. I’ve already mentioned Liston, which they constructed, and they also made the round edifice with the colonade all around it that still stands at the end of the square beyond the bandstand.

Speaking of Liston, did you know that in the old days there was a thing called Libro D’ Oro which is Italian for ‘Golden Book’? The names of all the aristocrats were listed in it. And only people whose name was in the Libro D’ Oro were allowed to walk along the street of Liston! Talk about keeping the riff-raff away, LOL. Things were pretty strict back then!

Anyway… During our visit, we enjoyed the generous sea views from the garden of the Old Palace such as the one you see above. All around these grounds, there are marvelous vistas that compel the visitors to use their cameras. This summer, there were two art exhibitions housed on two different sides of the palace. Buying one ticket gave you access to both, and they were delightfully diverse, which was a bonus.

My favourite was a homage to the Greek Revolution in 1821 which depicted in paintings mostly prominent figures from that time. The other exhibition involved paintings of contemporary themes by a single lady artist. I loved the flowers she painted especially. Stunning stuff. I don’t know for how long these exhibitions will be at the palace, but if you are on the island, they are well worth a visit.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK

 

Sssh! I am about to disclose a secret! The secret of Spetseriko!!

During our day in town, we made sure to visit this old pharmacy… to buy a spice mix for pasta!!!!

During my long summer stays in Moraitika in the 1980s, my granny was forever taking my sister and me for a walk around Corfu town and for a spot of shopping too. She never missed visiting this old pharmacy just off Sarocco Square. It’s situated on the right side of the road, just after Sarocco, heading towards Liston and the old town quarter.

I hadn’t been in there for many years, but I never forgot Granny referred to it as ‘the Pitsilos pharmacy’. As I stood at its facade, I realised at once it had been heavily renovated and guessed it was under new management too. Going inside, I saw the antiquated cabinets I recalled from the old days where no longer there, but I have to admit the new decoration was just as beautiful and paid homage to the pharmacy’s long-standing tradition on the island.

Before I knew it, I was asking the owner about the name ‘Pitsilos’ and he didn’t seem to know it in relation to the property. Then again, he was very young, in his 30s I would think, and if my granny was alive today she’d be 99 years old. So, she probably had seen this place change hands more than once during her lifetime. The kindly owner, other than selling me a large sachet of spetseriko much to my delight, told me that, as far as he knew, the pharmacy was owned previously by a lady called Carmella. When I asked around later on, other locals confirmed that name and some still refer to it as ‘Carmella’s pharmacy’.

None seem to have heard of the name Pitsilos, though, but since Granny had a sharp memory till the day she died at 92, I can only give her the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it was owned by a pharmacist called Pitsilos much earlier in time. After all, the place was founded in 1915 according to the writing on the facade. And a website I found claimed it was in operation back in 1850!

Chatting with locals on Facebook about this place, I found out that a few decades back, at least one doctor used to work from this pharmacy in the evenings. I can only guess that every day people didn’t have easy access to doctors back then. Visiting a pharmacy and getting some advice from a doctor rather than having to visit a remote hospital or a costly private surgery, may have been easier to afford and provided many with prompt access to medical care.

Apparently, in the old days, all pharmacists in Corfu made spetseriko and they were called ‘spetsierides’ because of this. The word ‘spetseriko’ has Venetian origin. It is derived from the word ‘speci’ which means ‘spices’. Every pharmacist had their own recipe for spetseriko back in the day, and, at least this specific pharmacy I visited, which still seems to make it, keeps theirs a secret to this day.

By the way, the owner of the pharmacy today is Mr Skiadopoulos and the address is Georgiou Theotoki 56, Sarocco Square – in case you wish to have your own sachet of spetseriko!

I put my recent purchase to the test the first time I made Bolognese and it was as divine as I can remember. I cannot wait to try it also in Pastichio like my granny did too. She also made the best Pastitsada with spetseriko. I urgy you to try it if you cook any of the aforementioned meals, or in any tomato sauce for pasta.

Just use very little at first, and see how you go. Perhaps 1/4 of a teaspoon at first. I once made a mistake of putting 1 teaspoon in my Pastichio and it made me VERY ill. Do not try this, folks, unless you’re sure you have the system to take a large amount. As it was proven, I don’t 🙂

And, hey, did I say you don’t have to visit Corfu to get spetseriko? As it turns out, there are recipes online! I found a Greek blog that shares an easy-to-follow recipe. I’ve translated it into English for you. Enjoy!

10 gr ground clove

50 gr ground cinnamon

50 gr ground nutmeg

70 gr sweet paprika

50 gr ground cumin

20 gr spicy chilli powder (i.e. spicy ‘boukovo’, ground)

100 gr sweet chilli powder (i.e. sweet ‘boukovo’, ground)

20 gr ground allspice balls (i.e. ‘bahari’)

30 medium laurel leaves (ground to fine powder)

25 gr ground black pepper

Mix the ingredients together well, and keep in a sealed jar in a cool place.

Sources for the recipe: SecretKitchenandTravel.gr and AtCorfu.com

Note: I found other recipes too, and each one had more or less the same ingredients but with different measurements and proportions, but it’s worth saying this: All the others I found omitted the laurel leaves and just advised to add 2 laurel leaves in the pot with the spetseriko. I would go for that option, personally, but it’s up to you!  

Interested to see more of Corfu town? Check out this older post of mine. Magnificent vistas in Garitsa & Anemomylos, the stunning old quarter of Campielo, and a traditional soap factory. Enjoy!

 

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YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Beautiful Corfu town and... spetseriko, Corfu's secret spice mix #corfu #corfutown #Greece Share on X

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

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!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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FREE books, a beach vacation in Corfu and more Greek summer fun

Yowza! I had a hit of bad luck last month. I went on vacation to my granny’s house in Moraitika, Corfu for my annual summer break to find the old metal pipes had rusted and there was not a single drop of water! To cut a long story short, my intended 10-day vacation in Corfu (staying on my own for the most part at the house) ‘shrunk’ to the precious total of just 3 days staying at a hotel.

My husband, Andy, was planning to leave on the weekend anyway as he was starting work on Monday so I decided to return to Athens with him. At least, we know the house will be ready for us by next year as the plumber who informed us of the problem committed to changing the pipes for us this fall during our absence.

Best silver lining: We were lucky to get a room at Romantica at high season. Incredible! The owner, an angel of a man called Leftis, made us feel right at home. And he even gave us precious parting gifts of his own making. Low-acidity extra virgin olive oil and a skin cream made with organic herbs. A man of many talents!

We’ve enjoyed staying at Romantica so much that it actually makes me feel sorry to know I won’t be going back again. And for anyone who knows how much I value my granny’s little village house where I’ve been staying almost annually since the 70s that says a lot, LOL!

In the 3 days of our stay on the island, we had a couple swims in perfect, (jellyfish-free!) waters, including one in Messonghi, and enjoyed dinners at Jimmy’s (in Moraitika) and Bacchus (in Messonghi). Both, highly recommended if you visit the area.

GO HERE TO SEE NEW PHOTOS FROM THESE ALLURING CORFIOT VILLAGES THAT INSPIRE MY STORIES!

If you haven’t checked out my insider’s guide to the villages of Moraitika and Messonghi in south Corfu, go check it out now! They’re both small, idyllic and perfect for families and quiet couples. Lots of fun to be had, and they’re great starting points for exploring other wonderful areas too, even by pleasure little boats!

 

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books and the latest news from my life in Greece in a small seaside town near Athens. This time, I am sharing about a fun evening involving trained horses, an omelette made with 11,000 eggs, and a fab concert of Greek music. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face faster than you can say ‘spanakopitta’! Check it out!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, trained horses and an 11,000 egg omelette #funnews #freebies #Greeklife Share on X

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

 

Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

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!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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Old village-life photos #Moraitika #Corfu

The writing says: Cultural center of Moraitika, a calendar of memories from our village. 2020 wishes for health, love and progress.

Late last year, I was contacted on Facebook by Mrs Aglaia Anthi, President of the cultural center of Moraitika, Corfu. She said she’d seen some old photos on my website and asked for permission to use them for the 2020 calendar of the cultural center. I was thrilled and, of course, I said yes.

Last January, she sent me a copy of this beautiful calendar which I am thrilled to share today. I meant to do it back then but, sadly, I was in a bad place at the time, caught up in my late mother’s daily cancer fight. When I received the calendar, I took it to her bed to leaf through, and she cried to see the photo on the first sheet, which depicted her grandparents, Stefanos and Olga Vassilakis. She kissed their faces on the photograph whispering, ‘i nouna mou, o nounos mou…’ (the Corfiot words for ‘my granny, my granddad). The memory still causes my heart to twinge with feeling. My mother passed away on February 12, and I am comforted to think she is in her grandparents’ and her parents’ arms right now.

Without further ado, here is the calendar, sheet by sheet. I hope you will enjoy it.

January-February. Caption: The first priest of Moraitika and his wife (Stefanos and Olga Vassilakis).

My great-grandfather was also a teacher of Moraitika. The house he built for his family still stands on the hill near the church. Part of it was used as the village school at some point. He is buried in the church yard. For more photos and information, see my post about the two churches of Moraitika on the hill.

 

March-April. Caption: Kato Vrysi.

Or how the locals pronounce it, ‘Katou Vrysi.’ Loosely translated, it means, ‘The tap downhill’. It is situated on the side of the main road outside the dilapidated estate behind the Coop supermarket. There is also an ‘uphill tap’ called ‘Panou Vrysi’ which is at the edge of the village on the hill under a big plane tree. This is why the locals also call it ‘O Platanos’ (The plane tree). For detailed directions to Panou Vrysi, see my guide to Moraitika.

 

May-June. Caption: Old estate houses of the village.

The building on the left is the Papadatos estate house. This family also owns the little church of Agios Dimitris nearby (my great-grandfather is buried outside the main door of this church). The building on the right is the Koukouzelis estate house. Today, the grounds are used by the council for cultural events (concerts mainly). For more info and photos, see the same post about the churches.

 

July-August. Caption: Moraitika wedding of Kostas and Eleni Vlachos.

My uncle Kostas passed away a couple of years ago, but Aunt Leni remains active at her old age (born 1933), and still helps out at her seaside apartments of ‘Nea Zoi’ (beside Caldera on the beach). See my guide to Moraitika for these establishments. Here, below, follows an excellent commentary about this photo by my Aunt Leni as relayed by her daughter-in-law, Spyridoula Vlachos:

‘The wedding took place in 1953 in the village of Episkopiana. This picture was taken at the look out near the St Nikolaos church in Episkopiana that no longer stands. This is the area of the old estate home of Patsos that is now inhabited by the Tata family. After the wedding took place, everyone set off to Moraitika on foot, where the reception party would take place on the village square. On the front, walked the organ players and the priest who held the bible, then followed the bride and the groom, with everyone else behind walking them. Back then, the way to Moraitika was via the estate of the Kapodistrias family. In this photo, Stamatis Vassilakis’s daughter, Marika, is pictured beside the bride dressed in white. She had got married just a week earlier and was pregnant with her first child.’

Re my Aunt Marika (daughter of Great-Uncle Stamatis Vassilakis): She was one of my favourite relatives of the Vassilakis family. She had the heart and the soul of a child. I still recall so vividly the last time I saw her, visiting her in her house after a long while during my short stay in the village. It was a couple of years earlier, just months before she died. She was confused with dementia and didn’t recognize me when I approached her. Still, her good heart must have done, because she kept holding me, her eyes sparkling with love and delight while saying, ‘I love you! I love you!’ I’ll never forget her face that day; so innocent, so loving. Somehow, she is the only one whose name I didn’t have the heart to change in my largely autobiographical novel set in Moraitika, The Ebb.

Back to the wedding photo: Great-Uncle Lilis, a teacher, stands behind Aunt Marika. Behind Aunt Leni, the bride, on the right, is the groom, Uncle Kostas. To his right, stand Aunt Olga, and Great-Uncle Kotsos with Great-Aunt Rini Tsatsanis from Messonghi. The girl with the frizzy hair beside them is Maria, Lefteris Kosmas’s sister (he runs Leftis Romantica). My mother, Ioanna, is pictured further right as a little girl with her hands on her waist.  

September-October. Caption: Group photo of members of the Vlachos and Vassilakis family.

My great-grandmother’s maiden name was Vlachos, and her wedding to Stefanos Vassilakis bound the two families together as one with great relations. This photograph was taken outside the Vassilakis house (late 40s to early 50s). She sits at the center dressed in black, as befitted a widow at the time. My great-grandfather passed away in 1944, and she did in 1953. The building shown in the background is the Koukouzelis estate house as mentioned earlier. The mulberry tree they’re sitting under still stands today and so does the olive tree on the right.

Pictured from left to right: Back row: Great-Uncle Antonis Vassilakis, Aunt Olga (Lilis’s daughter), Great-Aunt Irini, Aunt Dina (or Beba, Lilis’s daughter), Christos Vlachos, Tsantis Vlachos. Middle row: Great-Uncle Kotsoris (Kotsos) Tsatsanis, Great-Grandmother Olga Vlachos, Angelina Vlachos, Great-Uncle Lilis Vassilakis and his wife, Great-Aunt Fotoula. Front row: Great-Uncle Stamatis Vassilakis. Behind them, the children Petros and Sofia Vlachos. Petros used to run The Crabs restaurant on the beach (now Caldera, run by his son Christos). On the right of my great-grandmother, you can see Evgenia Vassilakis (wife of Stamatis) and her grandchildren, Vasso and Stefanos Moraitis (both, Marika’s children).

November-December. Caption: Washing in the ‘mastello (old Venetian word for ‘wooden tub’).

If my memory serves me well, ‘Forena’ is a nickname for the woman pictured  here. I think she lived or had a shop in the old days on the upper square of Moraitika where the Village Taverna is. This square was always referred to by my grandparents as ‘Foros’ (a Venetian word meaning market or square, in my understanding).

The rest of the caption reads: ‘Open-air barber shop (Pippis, Kapouas, Tatsos, Lopi, Sofia).

For more photos and info on the Vassilakis family and my old summers in Corfu, see this post.  To follow my blog and be notified of my new posts, go here.

This is it for now, everyone. I wish you a wonderful summer, and hope you’ll get to make lots of new and exciting memories – be it in Corfu, or your own corner of heaven 🙂

 

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Moraitika and Messonghi in Corfu: an insider’s travel guide

Messonghi river, Corfu
Messonghi river

Today, I am writing to spread the word about my favorite corners of the world – the stunning villages of Moraitika and Messonghi in Corfu. Having holidayed there most summers since the late 1970s, I’ve written an insider’s travel guide to spread the word about them.

My guide will tell you everything you need to know if you’re planning a visit, or if you’re simply hoping to do that sometime in future. ‘Cos who doesn’t like to daydream about beautiful exotic locations, right?

Messonghi beach, Corfu
Messonghi beach

In my travel guide you will find among other things:

Traditional Greek tavernas, recommended family hotels and apartments, the best beaches in the area, where to go for live shows and a great night out (lots of family fun!), the best boat trips (setting off from Messonghi river or Lefkimmi port), places of interest and fun things to do in the greater area and more.

Moraitika beach
Moraitika beach, view to the mountains of Chlomos and Martaouna
  • Moraitika Corfu
  • Moraitika Corfu

Did you know?

Moraitika’s old village quarter is nestled on a hill and is full of picturesque lanes you’ll love to explore and revisit. My insider’s guide will give you intriguing facts and history tidbits as well as offer tips on places of interest off the tourist trail.

And did you know there are three wonderful family tavernas up on the hill, all offering exquisite Greek dishes? One of them has this stunning view that overlooks the bay!

View to Messonghi and Moraitika from Spileo

Speaking of stunning views, there’s another taverna that overlooks the same bay, but this one is on the side of Messonghi. The taverna is situated on Martaouna, one of the two iconic mountains of both the Moraitika and Messonghi skyline. In the same building, there are also apartments that offer the same breathtaking view. It’s all in the guide!

  • Moraitika water park
    Moraitika beach
  • Messonghi pier
    Messonghi pier
Messonghi beach
Messonghi beach

Moraitika and Messonghi are great destinations for beach fun! Moraitika offers some water sports, pedaloes and canoes for hire, and a water park that’s great for both adults and kids alike. The beach at Messonghi is quieter, with a greater proximity to the iconic lush mountains on the peninsula, and is graced by a weather-beaten, yet much loved pier that is a must to walk or sunbathe on, if only to marvel at the crystal clear waters under it.

Are you a Durrells fan? The guide will tell you how to book a great boat trip from Messonghi river that will take you to both Kalami (to visit the White House) and to Kontokali to see the film house of the Durrells TV show (from the boat). In the guide, you’ll also find out how you can book an exclusive guided tour (specific dates and times only!) to visit Danilia, where many village scenes of the show were filmed!

Moraitika and Messonghi are perfect choices for fun in the sun, whether you’re traveling with children, as a quiet couple, with friends, or even alone. It’s a safe place to be in and the locals are exceptionally friendly.

So what are you waiting for? Visit my guide now and start planning your perfect beach holiday!

VISIT THE GUIDE TO MORAITIKA AND MESSONGHI

Have you visited Moraitika and Messonghi? What did you think? Comment below or on my guide and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

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New Durrells photos and a quick chat with Kostas Krommydas

Yippee! Our TV screens are about to fill again with stunning Corfiot landscapes of sparkling azure waters and cypress green hills as the sweet chords of mandolin and the chirpy voices of our favourite TV characters delight our ears. Yes, the fourth series of The Durrells of Corfu is upon us, and nothing seems to dampen our excitement, even though this is going to be the very last one… But thank goodness for DVD, I always like to say, so we can watch it all again and again in perpetuity. The other day, our beloved superintendent in the show, Greek actor and author Kostas Krommydas, gave me a new bunch of behind the scenes photos and I am thrilled to share them below along with our chat. Enjoy!

Hi, Kostas! The fourth and last season of The Durrells is about to be broadcasted in the UK. How do you feel about it?

Excited, of course! And I am delighted that I could participate in the third and fourth series of this wonderful British TV series. Sadly, it has come to an end, but I will always think back with fondness at this amazing experience and my cooperation with the cast – both the British and the Greek actors. I certainly hope more similarly high quality productions will come to film in Greece in future.

Tell me, has anyone among the British actors you worked with read any of your novels?

*Chuckles* I have handed out copies of my paperbacks to almost everyone among them and, yes, some of them have read them. However, most of them preferred to read on their kindles so they downloaded the books from Amazon. I am pleased, because I’ve received wonderful feedback from them all, and this honours me because I am aware that the British read a lot, and quality books too.

Actually, I’ve discussed one of my stories with the Durrells production team and they loved it. It is probable that in future we’ll discuss the story again in more detail in the hope it might become a new tv series, or perhaps a movie.

Wow, that sounds wonderful, Kostas! What are your future plans as an actor and author?

My impeccable experience with The Durrells has whetted my appetite for more. Now, I am always on the lookout for new productions that involve filming in Greece and abroad. Other than that, I continue to write new material and, in the near future, will be publishing my seventh book in Greek, which will be translated into English to be published on Amazon later on too. Nowadays, writing is my top priority. Acting has taken a back seat – it is something I plan to do only selectively from now on.

Your forthcoming book takes place in Tuscany, if I’m not mistaken?

Yes, that’s correct!

*Eyes him mischievously* Is this the book you discussed with the Durrells production team, by any chance? Come on, out with it!

*Laughs out loud* You guessed it, Fros. Yes, that’s the one.

Oh, super. No pun intended! *giggles* And I’ve heard some wonderful praise about this book from your beta readers on Facebook. I can’t wait to read it… Now, back to the last series of The Durrells. Can you tell us what to expect?

All I can tell you is that I appear in the first episode. A lot! And that the ending of the series will be very moving… The production has done a marvellous job to create the perfect ending that will remain unforgettable to the viewers.

Oh brilliant! I understand your novels are currently discounted on Amazon?

Yes! They’re all only 99c/99pp for a limited time.

Ooh. Great timing with the series! I’m sure your fabulous Greek tales will keep the readers happy while waiting for the next Durrells episode on the telly! *laughs* Thank you for this wonderful chat, Kostas!

Thank you too, Fros, for the opportunity to talk about my work!

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SEE HERE HOW TO BOOK A TOUR OF DANILIA VILLAGE WHERE THE DURRELLS WAS FILMED!

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Corfu stories: Nikolaos Pierris and Nazli Hanum

Today, I am thrilled to share a legend from Corfu by kind permission of Aleko Damaskinos. His post as per below was published in the FREE Corfu newspaper, The Agiot. It tells a tragic, yet utterly interesting tale from Corfu in the bygone days of the Ottoman Empire.

The Legend of Nikolaos Pierris and Nazli Hanum by Aleko Damaskinos

In the beginning of the 18th century two foreigners, Nikolaos Pierris and his wife accompanied by a black servant Mehmet arrived on Corfu in a Venetian ship.

They made many enquiries about buying a property until they eventually found what they were looking for. Even today this property exists and it is where the “Club Mediterranee” used to be. It is by the sea on the right before reaching Ipsos. One of the most spectacular areas of Corfu.

The couple built a house in the Eastern style and settled there with their black servant. They had no communication with the Corfu society and lived a quiet and lonely life, cultivating their land, planting trees and flowers.

This self-inflicted exile had its own story.

Nikolaos was of Greek origin, but from his early childhood was in the employ of a Turkish Pasha, Tzanoum Kotzia, who was totally trusted by the Sultan.

Tzanoum brought him up like his own son, but when he reached manhood Nikolaos betrayed his benefactor by revealing to the Venetian Governor the secrets of the Ottoman Court which he was entrusted with by the Pasha. His betrayal did not end here.

On one of his expeditions to Asia Minor, Tzanoum Kotzia brought back with him a stunning sixteen-year-old girl with blond hair and brown eyes named Nazli.

One day, Nikolaos saw her through the shuttered windows of the harem. He approached her and talked to her with the help of the servant Mehmet who kept the keys to the girl’s apartment.

The two, very much in love now, decided to go to far away places together. Nikolaos was issued with a double passport by the Venetian Governor in the assumed name of Pierris. Mehmet joined them as they boarded a boat bound for Corfu.

Two years after they were well-established on the island, Nikolaos’ wife became seriously ill. Pierris asked a local woman to come and help. It was from this woman that it became known that the couple spoke a different language and the woman’s name was Nazli.

Nazli’s health deteriorated further and Nikolaos, day and night, stood at her bedside. One night, Nazli died. The next morning, Pierris realized that a small rowing boat was not in its place and Mehmet had disappeared. In his deep sorrow he did not give it another thought or worry. He buried his beloved in the garden and on the newly dug grave he planted many flowers.

Very quickly the ground was totally covered with dense foliage and flowers. Only the heart-broken lover knew where his beloved was resting.

One year later, the Turkish fleet under Tzanoum Pasha Kotzia sailed to Corfu.

Pierris, like all other nobles of the island, offered his services to Field Marshall Count von Schulembourg and was given a position in the bastions. A while later, the Pasha and his army disembarked at Ipsos and a slave led Tzanoum to Pierris’ property. For many hours the Pasha walked around the property looking for Nazli’s grave in vain.

He then headed for Corfu town. They showed him the place Pierris was defending and he gathered there a great army force and attacked. In the evening after the battle he inspected the prisoners and the wounded. Accompanied by Mehmet, who was now his official guide, he looked for his enemy amongst the dead. Luck, though, did not help him that day to take his revenge.

One evening, they brought a heavily wounded man to the Pasha’s tent. It was Nikolaos Pierris. In a rage, the Pasha grabbed him by the hair, lifted his head and then let it drop, while at the same time he kicked the almost dead man without mercy. The prisoner opened his eyes and once again saw his old master.

“Ungrateful bastard!” roared the Turk. “Where is the woman you stole from me?”

“She died…” Pierris whispered.

“You will pay for this, you dog!”

The Pasha ordered his men to tie Pierris up on a horse. Despite the foul weather he took him himself to Ipsos. The lightning was lighting the way. When they arrived, he untied him and ordered him to reveal the place where Nazli’s grave was. Pierris refused and so the whip of the raging Turk hastened his death. Before closing his eyes for good, he looked for the last time at the cypress and oak trees in his garden.

Not even Mehmet avoided the Pasha’s wrath. He ordered that they should hang him from a window of the house. Then he totally burnt down the house.

Nazli’s resting place remains a secret until this very day!

Read more from Aleko Damaskinos by joining his wonderful Facebook group about Corfu’s history, culture, wildlife and flowers: Only Corfu Society

Do you enjoy old tales about Corfu? In this post I share a little about my Corfiot family history, old photos, and some interesting facts about the two churches on the hill in Moraitika. Fact: Aleko Damaskinos is one of the remaining members of the Papadatos family who own the old church ‘Agios Dimitris’ in Moraitika. My great-grandfather, Stefanos Vassilakis, is buried outside this church where he served as the priest of the village in the early 20th century. Read more HERE

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love!The tragic tale of a beautiful harem girl #legends #Corfu Share on X

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The old church of Moraitika, Corfu and some village history

On the hill in Moraitika, at the center of the old village, there is a small church that I used to visit occasionally for Sunday mass during my long summers in Corfu in the 1980s.

This old church — Agios Dimitris — was still in operation back then, and it was the only one in the village at the time. It was erected by the Papadatos family, whose (now derelict) estate house is situated behind it.

One of its early priests was my great-grandfather, Stefanos Vassilakis. He and his wife Olga built a house for their big family a stone’s throw away from the church. Part of their house was used as the school of the village. Other than his two main professions, my busy great-grandfather also worked his own land (situated in two different parts around Moraitika: behind the Coop supermarket, and on the side of the mountain over Miramare Hotel).

Many of the elderly locals still remember him working his land. Apparently, he did this wearing his priest’s robe!

During the German occupation, he was in his bedroom on the upper floor one night when he heard the unmistakable heavy footfalls of military boots echoing from outside. It sounded like a band of soldiers rushing down the lane. This was a scary time for the locals so, unsettled, he hurried down the internal staircase so he could peek through the front door. In the commotion he missed his step and fell down the stairs, breaking his leg. Sadly, he suffered complications from the fall which led to his death at the age of 70.

This is a picture of my great-grandmother, Olga Vassilakis (nee Vlachos), with other family members. Being a widow at the time, she was wearing black and the traditional headscarf. She is pictured with her son-in-law (left) and two of her children at the doorstep of the house in the 1950s. The locals referred to her as the ‘Presvytera’ or the ‘Pappadia’ – both names meaning ‘wife of the priest’, with the latter title being less formal.

This photo was taken in the 1970s on the same doorstep. Sadly, I never met either of my great-grandparents, but it’s a consolation to know I have lived all my life treading their footsteps. In this photo, I am photographed with my sister and a few members of the Vassilakis family.

Interesting tidbit: According to my grandmother, the name Vassilakis originates from Crete. Other than Moraitika, the name is also met in the villages of Zygos, Valanio and Sinarades. The Vassilakis of Moraitika originate from Sinarades where there’s a legend about the family name! According to Granny’s story, at some point the Vassilakis were split into the ‘rich’ ones and the ‘poor’ ones (our family came from the latter sadly 😛 )

So how did some of the Vassilakis got rich? Well, legend has it that a man from the family once found pirate treasure in a chest on Agios Gordis beach and took it home! The pirates came back to get it and searched high and low but never found it…

Here, my great-grandmother is pictured with family (both Vassilakis and Vlachos) before the Koukouzelis estate. Again, sometime in the 1950s. Would you believe, the mulberry tree on the left and the olive tree on the right still stand today. This yard has been both my ‘dining room’ and playground as a child for many blissful summers, more often than not, under the generous shade of the mulberry tree from the 70s onwards.

Interesting tidbit: If you’ve visited Moraitika in the 80s-90s, you may be able to identify in the above photo the late Petros Vlachos who ran The Crabs (Kavouria) on the beach at the time. He’s a little boy in this picture (front row, crouched on the left of my great-grandmother.

Visitors to the hill in Moraitika today may recognize the Koukouzelis Estate House in this photo. The whole property was acquired by the council in the recent years to be used for cultural events. It is situated very near the church.

Interesting tidbit: The name ‘Moraitika’ is derived from the word ‘Morias’ which is another name for the Peloponnese (the part of Greece that looks like an inverted hand). The first inhabitants of Moraitika were emigrants from Morias, and the people were referred to as ‘Moraites’, hence the name.

This picture was taken in the lane that leads from the old church to the Koukouzelis Estate.

The derelict stone wall with the window is part of the estate. According to one of my cousins who ventured inside once as a child, there was a large library behind this wall. Now, with the overgrowth of bushes and creeping vines that have accumulated over the years it is impossible to decipher anything when peeking through the window.

This is the same lane looking towards the old church (yellow wall). You can also see the belfry of the current church of Moraitika that stands beyond it. This one was under construction for at least one year back in the 1980s, something that used to worry my grandmother a great deal… You see, she was convinced that it attracted all sorts of evil spirits while it stood as a building site.

Oftentimes, we’d hear the shrill cry of a certain kind of owl at night that Granny called a ‘strigglopouli’ (screeching bird). She’d always say it was a bad omen as, apparently, it signified an impending death in the village. She’d also say the sound was coming from the church building, which made sense as its roof was incomplete and thus open to the elements at the time, making it easy for all sorts of night birds to nest there.

The church of Moraitika is called “I Koimisi tis Theotokou” (The Dormition of Mary)

When the church was sanctified and began operating, Granny said she never heard those birds’ bloodcurdling cries echo from the church again. I never really believed any of that, but Granny had a way to tell these things and they always had my vivid imagination going!

This is a photo of my grandparents, Spyros and Antigoni Vassilakis. Granddad was a proper ‘papadopaidi’, i.e. the son of a priest, meaning he was an avid churchgoer and loved to chant at the church given half the chance. Throughout my childhood in Athens I remember him chanting on Sunday mornings as he listened to mass on his portable little radio. My grandparents lived in the city at the time but once they relocated to Moraitika in the late 1970s, Granddad became a regular visitor and an occasional ‘psaltis’ (church singer that chants the gospel) at the old church of the village and, later, at the new one as well.

The private church of Agios Dimitris opens only once a year these days – on its festival day on October 26.

This is the belfry of the old church. The year of its erection is 1905 according to the plaque you can see here. I find it a real pity that it was left to deteriorate in this manner – same goes for the old estate houses (Koukouzelis and Papadatos) beside it that barely stand. At least, the facade of the old church is kept tidy and freshly painted, and the tourists seem to be interested in my great-grandfather’s grave a lot…

I often see people taking pictures of it when I pass it by. Other times, I find flowers on there, and in the recent years, oddly enough, even scattered coins! I can only assume it is customary in a country somewhere to throw coins on graves. In any case, it’s a nice gesture and always makes me smile.

If you ever visit Moraitika, make sure to venture uphill to see the church yard and do take a walk towards the Koukouzelis Estate as well, if only to enjoy the sea view. The sunrise is always a good time!

If you ever visit Moraitika, make sure to venture uphill to see the church yard and do take a walk towards the Koukouzelis Estate as well, if only to enjoy the sea view. The sunrise is always a good time!

Many thanks to my cousins Evgenia Vassilakis and Sofia Tsatsanis who provided the old family photos!

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NEW RELEASE BESTSELLER! 370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Choose between the paperback or 4 kindle episodes!Did you enjoy this post? GO HERE to follow this blog and get to see all our future posts! To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.