Vacation on Corfu Island.


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Paleokastritsa

Paleokastritsa  is the small town on the west coast of Corfu Island, on that coast that looks at the Italy. Italy is not seen, so sea has an endless view either as him is place.
When we only flight on Corfu, the chauffeur of taxi, which carry us in the hotel from the airport, on the question, where are the most best places on Corfu Island, has named a first revenge Paleokastritsa. This is correctly from standpoints of landscapes indeed.
For a fifth day following the arrival we have rented a small car (Suzuki Maruti) and have rode in Paleokastritsa. This is render in 35 kilometers from us (approximately 7 kilometers before the center of Corfu-town and 28 kilometers from Corfu-town before Paleokastritsa. Apropos on the maps Greeks indicate a distance from the center of Kerkira before the given place). Roads in the sense of tumbling approximately such, as in Krym; much more simply, than on Caucasus. Go easy, because all go sufficiently neatly. Practically we have crossed an island a little on the northwest. The West coast absolutely does not look like the east one: ensemble of small coves with brightly-blue sea and quite teeny beaches, but it was little of folk on which, however, usually at the end of June .
On the east beach a road goes along the whole coast, but on the west coast everywhere dead-ends of the roads because of mountains. Paleokastritsa too is the dead-end of the road: the road abuts against in the priory. Before the priory a bit of one-way road: four minutes there, four minutes back with the traffic light. Only the policeman near the beach has took me off from the desire to ride on red light, when I has taxi to this traffic light and, having wait place half-minute, did not get the green light. I have must to to read about these four minutes. It may be a very heavy mistake to ride on red light - ahead it was a part of very steep narrow road without the fence. On the opposite side the   traffic light too, and the portions of machines are miss on this part of the road alternately. It is very beautiful male priory on the most edge of mountains. Woman are given the kerchiefs and skirts, so they could go inside the priory undisturbedly.
So is get that we afterwards have removed in the first studio, where we have interested by the scale the prices, when came down from mountains in Paleokastritsa. Indeed this borough very small, but one can take a choice there. Our, in general-the very simple studio - an ample room with two beds for adult and small bed for the child, kitchen and bathroom (combined with toilet) have cost to us approximately in $20 in the day - more, than in three times less, than in the hotel for same. Suitable is render that kitchen is separate from the room - anytime it was possible to put on my computer. In the hotel this was impossible, because the hotel's kitchen was some part of the number. However in the hotel there were the  usual wall-plugs, but here I have find the “eurostandard” wall-plugs, so I must use the special connector from Moscow (however its happen to to subwhet it by knife). In that place, in this courtyard, it is possible to hire apartments - two rooms with the kitchen approximately in 2 times cherish or the  villa (the villa Teresa) for 17000 drachmas per day, less, than for 60 dollars per day, in which through several days has arrived a family an Scotlands (parents and two children of 14 - 15 years old). Afterwards this villa have remove for a week and then two Italians (man and woman), have arrived on enormous "LandRover". Each morning they have took a big bag with hockey sticks and left to play in the golf. Afterwards villa was empty about one week, but, it seems for me, on august 1 or 2  it has occupied by student's group from eight Italians and Italians.
Beside the owner of the whole this grandeur one can to hire the  car, that is his main business. His “Island Rent Car” is aptly situated on the tumbling before main hotels of Paleokastritsa, and his cars sometime all along go. Herasimos , a very large man, waits his clients in its office on mornings and evenings.
Truth, afterwards, when we have had some talking, I have understood that all these cars   do not belong to him. When appears a customer, he calls up on its company and they deliver (or he itself go for one) respective car, which after performing an order, cans be, several days stands in its courtyard. On the question, where its car, it was eloquent shown by him on the cultivator - sometime beside them, three brothers, have a garden, where they go with cultivator, which neatly fasten in busket of the  small old lorry of  “Toyota” type.
Unexpectedly cold, degree 16, is render the sea in Paleokastritsa. When we first once here have arrive, sea was wholly acceptable - even we have expiated our 1,5 years old boy. In a week however, when we have move on the constant place here, in the medium of summer, 5 July, - and 16 degrees. In a week only, 12 July, sea once again become good and somehow suddenly, that is identified, on tomorrow. We have swimmed a little all this time. However 12 July after we have expiated our boy, one have began to swim Italians, Germans, Frenchmans, Hungarians, Britains, Russians and other unidentified nations.
In general we haven't some problems with the bathing no. In that days, when sea was cold for the child, we bathed him in swimming-pools (On-Greek pool is pisina). On all hotel's pisinas is written “Open for the Public”.
In this sense our location was very good - a hotel “Akrotiri Beach” was in one hundred meters, on the road to him the hotel's piscine, visible from the window of our toilet, under the hotel  sufficiently ample beach.
In general in Palekastritsa there are 4 large hotels ("Paleocastritsa", "Akrotiri Beach", "Oceanis" and "Odysseus"), but the whole, it seems, 9. "Akrotiri Beach" (approximately 4 stars), has good beach, beside Oceanis it is the stairway to small cove. Beside all hotels there are good swimming-pools. In "Akrotiri Beach" apartments have air-conditions, but in spite of hot summer we did not feel particular need in air-condition. Greeks much sensibly build their houses, so the are-condition practically not needed. (But don't forget about mosquitoes!).
Everywhere much microhotels, villas and other. Nearly all will surrender. Everywhere one see the announcements “Rooms to let”, ”Studios to let”, ”Apartments to let”. Studio is distinguish from the room that, that has a kitchen, but apartments - two rooms with the kitchen. Some British company “Argo Holidays” has occupied much good villas straight beside beach and carries here Britons. If remove for a long term, do discounts. On the peak of season, with 15  July the prices rise in 1,5 times approximately.
Germans much, but on this coast you can see the other nations - Britains, Italians, Frenchmans.Than closer to the august, that more Italians. Russian speech hear each day, on two times sometimes.
Unexpectedly, 16 July, in the middle of the season (?), it was open the tennis club straight near by hotel (Akron Tennis Club). Calm motion on its territory and earlier has occurred. Around single court, situated near by by sea at heart gorges, sufficiently big territory with bars, pool, baby platform, stop for cars and for bikes. We were the first players in history of the club  and have got a discount 1000 drachmas. Price 1500 drachmas at a hour from the person (5 dollars), however it is possible to play and more long, if nobody no after you. Truth of our discount come short to the mug of beer and glass of juice, which then and there, in club's bar, and were drink. With the play, bathing, meal, we conduct on the territory of tennis club 5 hours - with nine mornings before two day. Hereon sun worm very concretely and the most best in after this time drink a beer in the calm place.
As we afterwards have understand, hotel have byed inhere near by him villa and re-equipped it under the tennis club. Near by court beside the coast it is small swimming-pool. We are render by first bathers and have found that the sea water in it .
After the opening of pool with sea water we become to conduct in the tennis club a most of the day. This dispensed approximately in 25-30 dollars - 10 dollars a tennis a plus a beer, ice-cream, dinner (salad and pizza, for instance). All this was more so well, that in the corner of the yard  we find calm place, where we could place to sleep in the sidecar of our boy. Girl organizing activity in the club named Virginia, waitresses - Mary and Natalie.
Apropos: do not go barefoot on swimming-pools - the glasses from bars often destroys, but floors are basically stone everywhere, so one can't to sweep its. And I and wife at first days have took small wound by sharp glass mites.


Contacts:

Yuri V. Pliushchev. Moscow, Russia. e-mail:  chipbyte@cityline.ru  chipbyte@dataforce.net

 


 

Author's
last correction: 1999-11-26.