In 1956 my beloved husband, Aleco, and I were on home
leave. We stayed with my Mother-in-law
in Kefalari, Kifissia where we were utterly spoilt by Aleco’s large family, who had
already become mine.
With our Fiat Cinquecento, we drove along the lacy coast of
the northern Peloponnese to Rio to catch the ferry boat to Antirio. After 10
long but interesting hours we arrived at Igoumenitsa and boarded a ferryboat
for Corfu, where we had rented a house.
A friend from India, Pitsa Dendrino, was there to meet us
and we drove to Perama, which was then a picturesque village, south of the town
of Corfu.
When we arrived, I was completely captivated by the
strawberry pink cottage, built on a hill covered with pine trees. It had a beautiful Mediterranean garden with
flowers and herbs and its own private beach.
Evidently, beaches are not private, but as this particular one could
only be reached by sea, we considered it our own! The property also had a shady pergola and a
pool with goldfish.
One of the most treasured objects of this tiny house was a
toilet made of blue and white antique china, which should have been exhibited
in a museum.
The owners of the house, Tony and Ellie Palatianos, a
charming and sophisticated couple welcomed us warmly.
Corfu Old Town
Corfu was a
revelation for me, an extremely beautiful island. Each morning we used to sit
at the patio with a cup of coffee, watching the hills of Albania across the glittering
blue of the Ionian Sea. We heard that on particularly clear days the coasts of
Italy were visible from the island, but we never saw them.
After that we
went for a swim and ate the tastiest Corfiot dishes such as a pastitsada or a
bourthetto, while sipping iced Moscato wine.
Pitsa
introduced to many of her friends, and as Corfiots are very hospitable we soon
became part of the crowd. The Palatianos and their young son, the Manesis
family, and Jenny and her Italian husband Carlo often invited us over for the
most fantastic meals. I must not forget
Dimitris Soutsos, a friend of Pitsa’s, who was then the Aide de Camps of king
Paul of Greece, who often took us with his speed boat to beaches that no roads
led to.
I am grateful to my fading memory for remembering the lovely time Aleco and I spent on the lovely Ionian Island, 65 years ago.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS SO THAT YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES REMAIN HEALTHY
No comments:
Post a Comment