Friday, Bicycletour to Ermones

Ag. Pareskevi

After this turbulent first week I now persist on my biketour. Before breakfast I get a bike from the nearby rental shop. This costs 1500 Drm = about 9 DM. At about 10 am I start, half an hour later I am high above Benitses at a small chapel named Ag. Pareskevi. I sweat in my new bikedress, may be I am not clothed alright at this climate. I had planned to ride inland but unfortunately the path leads steep downhill back to the coast. Sometimes I must walk for the brakes do not work sufficiently. I then try to stand on the left pedal with the other leg free, so one can jump off at any time.

View of the Mountain Villages

Down there I hit on the Hotel Stefanos and the coastal road at the fork to Ahilio. To come here on the usual way would have lasted less then 10 minutes, so I needed 1 hour. But as often quoted: "The journey is the reward...". Now uphill again with narrow hairpins and amazing lots of busses to and fro. I often must jump off the road until I finally reach Ahilio up above. There is a big parking site for busses, restaurants, taverns and souvernir shops. Then there is a gate where the crowds with their disposed cameras rush in and out. So do I towards a large house in the background. But a whistle and and someone shouting "Your ticket please!" stop me. And now I realize, I have met the most famous spot at Corfu, the castle of the Austrian empress Sissi - performed by Romy Schneider in the movies. I am no fancier of this and immediately disappear around the next corner.

Sinarades

Now there is a scenic little village and I can buy 1.5 l Sinalco lemonade, shoot a photo and change the film. At the roads there are the signposts mostly to CorfuCity but I go more to the west and get via Kastellani to the mountain village Sinarades. Another cyclist couple walks uphill while I proudly spin along. Sinarades is a village where one should inspect every spot to enjoy the romantic atmosphere. As usual I am rather unresting and soon leave the village.

The Snake

Ermones

Meanwhile I have hammered along and had to stop in front of an inclined elevator at the beautiful Bay of Ermones. This bay shall be one of the most beautiful of the island. This may be true, but they have built a huge terrace hotel. And to transport the guests to and from the beach in a comfortable manner there is this elevator. I produce a photo avoiding the elevator. Then I start to return.

Pelekas

At a small winded road one can climb up to Pelekas whis is placed on the top of a mountain. Up there it is disappointing, much tourism and new built houses. The tourist guide says, that there is the "Kaizer's Throne" with a nice view over the island. Once the Kaiser Wilhelm II. used to sit there and watch the red sun sinking in the sea. Must have been a nice feeling.

I am somewhat out of mood and turn towards Corfu City. I want to shoot the ultimative photos of the cloister at the airport and the Mouse Island in the case that we later miss to come here. There is a dam across the lagune where they have built the airport. I balance upon the dam to the other side, the peninsula Kanoni. Now one can shoot photos as many one likes, they all will look like the usual postcards.

Then I return and stop at Benitses to buy some apples and change the content of my bottle from lemonade to a red open vine (for the evening). About 3 pm I am back at the hotel and I meet my family just coming out of a tavern. So it is.

They are very enthusiastic of this tavern but I prefer to jump into the sea and swim. At 5 pm my energies have refilled. For I can use the bike until 7 pm another tour may be possible. So I ride to Messonghi and from there try to find out the continuation of the road. At first there is a touristic shopping mall with lots of rental shops. But some time later there is a small and scenic road, nearly a coastal "dream road". Nearly no traffic, just at the water, nice views. I could go on and on now. But a look at the clock, and up at a small hill I must decide to return. Some time after 6 pm I bring the bike back to the shop. "No problems" I state though may arms and backside hurt. I am not quite enthusiastic about this first bike tour.

Saturday, Sunday

We have no big plans, only go shopping at Benitses, the baby-food has gone. We toddle down like geese again. There are some road workers who cut the branches of the trees. Two of them have a strong dispute and a third tries to seperate them. We speed along to get rid of this matter.

Roman Villa

At Benitses today we find some new small lanes and once find ourselves in front of the Roman Villa. These are the remains but there are also some groundwalls made of ferroconcrete. On the way back I lead the peloton. We now see an ambulance coach at the warlike workers. As it passes by we see one person sitting in it. It is due to your (and our) phantasy what may have happened here.

In the afternoon we enter the tavern Aristidis at the opposite side of the road for a coffee and cake. The owners of the tavern are three brothers, two of them are twins, the third the main entertainer. One of the twins speaks a perfect German, his wife comes from Germany. So he tells us a lot about the people and the country. So that during the summer nights no one can sleep caused by the heat and the roaring crowds outside. A Dutch fellow comes by, he was at the medical doctor before, so he tells and afterwards seems to have had some equalization drinks - which he does not tell. He has a dance with Joni and we look with suspicion. Fortunately his handy soon calls him for more important matters.

Today many guests have left and new pale faces have come up. We speak to a young couple about eating etc. They have a room towards the road and we give the hint that they could change the room. Some time later they are so happy to have a room with a balcony and a view to the sea. We have new neighbours too, an older American couple. They are rather uncommunicative and mostly sit at the Cafe with a gin fizz. As in the evening I just pour some vine in a glass I hear a deep voice: "May I have a vine in here?". I wince in panic but this was not said to me.

On Sunday we only go for a walk up the slope near the rental shop. There are olive groves and lemon trees. We meet two other guests of our hotel and they tell us, that this path leads to our small super market. But there is a house with a free running dog before... And soon we meet the dog, which is small but loud barking. Heidi tries to jump into the buggy. Jonathan cries "Dah! Dah!". But then a young man comes up and takes the dog with him. So we go back on the same route. Heidi calms her circulation and Jonathan gets asleep. The advantage of this is, that Verena can go for a swim without the protests of her sovereign.

Let's say some words about Jonathan's daily performance in the evening. The child chair has a potty below the seat which may be practical if one wants to eat and shit at the same time. But Joni favours to grip the potty and throw it with a loud noise towards the warm buffet. In the case he has had a satisfying meal he is allowd to get out of the chair and toddle around. Now it is his hour, the cook lends him his hat, the waiter his comboloi, the barkeeper offers some kisses. Later on we enter the hall. Once an older gentleman gives his crook to Jonathan. Of course this is a fine auxiliary tool to walk around. So we only see a walking crook among the upholstered furniture of the hotel hall. The people burst in laughter. But this all ends with a bang when the crook and the wanderer break down to the floor.