Charming Corfu, Greece
First view! Since we didn’t have an excursion planned, we slept in a little. Waking up at 8:30ish, I snapped the first thing I saw out the cabin window! Now it was time to get ourselves together, grab our daily Bailey’s and cappuccino and get to town!
Leaving the ship, we had two options… a ship provided shuttle that would take us into town and bring us back for 16 euro; or pay for a Hop On Hop Off bus. The price difference was only 5 euro each and included several additional stops. It seemed a no-brainer. We jumped on the HOHO and took it into the heart of town.
We walked around for a few minutes and got back on the bus. We wanted to check out the Old Town area. On our ride, looking across the bay, we saw a fort. On the route, we saw many parks and streets lined with cafes. Boy, Europeans love to eat! On this trip,
Stopping in front of the Marshal Johann Matthias von der Schulenberg sculpture, this is a good reference point for returning to the bus stop. Marshal Schulenberg was an important figure in Corfu’s Turkish siege. He inspired the people of Corfu to fight. Later in life, he moved to Venice and became a popular artist.
Just past the sculpture, we headed toward the fortress entrance. A minimal fee was charged at the entrance. Had we been residents of the EU, we could have had a senior discount but instead we paid the full 10 euro. It goes toward the restoration project.
Immediately upon entering, we walked across a bridge. Beneath us was sort of a moat. Lined with boats, the canal emptied out into the Ionian Sea. Mostly fishing boats, few were out working on this day.
On the walls along the canal, flowers grew out of the rocks. There were so many… up and down the wall.
Through these arches, a museum and a souvenir shop were tucked away. At the end of the arched tunnel, was a wall of sculptures.
Walking into the plaza, steps on the left led up to a cafe. We didn’t go there because we wanted to find some authentic Greek food somewhere in the Old Town section. In retrospect, we should have walked up. The view was probably amazing!
Walking along the fort walls, we enjoyed the view. We were greeted with mild weather, 72 degrees and sunny. In an attempt to see how clear the water was (very clear), I peeked over the rock ledge. Down below, a man crawled around in the water for a long, long time. He was pulling at the ground. I can only guess he was after some type of sea life. At one point, he looked up to see if anyone was watching. When he saw I was looking from above, he stared for an uncomfortably long time. I didn’t flinch… haha
You would think I was taking these photos with a selfie stick… nope. Just using the wide setting facing the normal way. Not as a “selfie”. It always makes my arm look unusually long! Anyway, we posed in front of the Church of St George. Built in 1840, it was used to meet the religious needs of the British soldiers.
Built with materials from ruined houses in the area, this church sustained major damage in World War II. Once divided into three sections with two supporting columns, it no longer has three interior columns. Holding a congregation of 4000, the Georgian church is used only once a year to celebrate St George. Many come to watch the Easter celebration in Corfu. Ceremonies are held all over the island beginning at exactly 4pm in front of St George Church.
Still inside the walls of the fort, we explored the other side. Thinking that the church side was the highlight, we were surprised to stumble across Ionian University Department of Music Studies. Directionally challenged, I can’t say if the school was north, south, east or west of the church grounds but I can say… when you first walk in through the arched tunnel, the church is to the right and the University is to the left.
What a gift… as if the views of the architecture and seas weren’t enough, we got to hear the students at work. Standing just outside their classroom, the sounds of sweet music filled the air. We hung around pretending to check out the area just so we could hear them practice. We have been blessed with unexpected experiences throughout our travels; this is definitely one of them!
Returning to the HoHo bus, we decided to get off several stops later in the Old Town. Our drop off location was near a couple of parks. I always take photos of the place we meet the bus in case we get lost… we can show the picture and a kind local will recognize where we should be. While in town, we hoped to find a nice Greek lunch. Also, souvenirs might be nice :-)
Deemed a UNESCO site in 2007, this gem of an area has survived war and earthquakes. Like other European towns, many shops and restaurants line the alleys. Storeowners are not aggressive in the least… very friendly, but not aggressive. I know I’ve mentioned it already but in the towns we have visited so far, people could not be nicer. They have been gracious and welcoming!
Roxanne was in search for Saganaki and found it! She had a specially made Greek coffee… and said it was the best she’s ever had! For me, it was grilled Calamari. Served with a homemade mayonnaise, it was onolicious! Actually, I could have just had a bowl of the mayo and been happy!
Once off the HoHo bus, we walked across the port parking area. It was a bit of a walk from the drop off spot to the cruise terminal. Being alongside the water made it enjoyable. Deciding to take a photo of our ship, it was perfectly time to capture another mode of transportation… an airplane of final approach into Corfu airport!
Being a “working” cruise port, we were not allowed to cross to the ship. We had to go by shuttle. These were complimentary because it was the required way to get to the outside. It only took about 7-9 minutes. Not too bad.
After our five mile walk, we decide a Lemon Drop from our favorite bartender, George, was in order. We had to pass by him to get to the elevator anyway. Knowing me the way he does, he always puts extra sugar on the rim! He makes the drink taste just like the lemon drop candy. Tomorrow is a sea day… whew!
