Day 20 - Wednesday May 3 - Corfu Greece

By Ellen Outten

 

Don't you just love the Greek flag in the center?
The left is the flag of Corfu (port) and the right, the European Union

We docked in Corfu at about 8 am and only had seven hours here before leaving port again.  The included tour was the "Corfu Walking Tour" which Wayne and I took.  It was quite windy when we walked of the ship but as the day progressed, it got windier and windier.  The rain had already blown through so, I'll take wind over rain any time. 

This tour included a bus trip and a short walking tour of the old city area which lasted three hours in total.  The bus ride took us to Kanoni, a beautiful outlook, quite close to the Corfu airport (smaller than Mesa Gateway).  The runway starts in the water.  The entire runway is only 2,370 meters (7,785 feet).  

From here you can see Pontikonissi island (Mouse island).   The view of the island and the pretty church on it, the Holy Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior (don't you love these names) was lovely to see from high above the lagoon.  Just to the east of Mouse Island is the holy monastery of Panagia Vlacherna joined to the mainland with a pedestrian bridge.   

These were my first views of Greece and we were lucky to have no rain for the short tour we were on.  This island is really pretty.  The population of Corfu is just under 100,000.  

Like Kotor Montenegro, many other countries tried to take control of Corfu and it wasn't until 1865 when it was unified with Greece.  Corfu was surrendered to the Venetians in the 14th century.  After the Venetians came the French and the British all trying to claim and control Corfu.  There are many buildings where you can see the influences of the Italians or the British. Prince Phillip, husband to Queen Elizabeth was born on this island and there is a palace we were not able to see where he lived.  

The bus tour helped us to see more of the island, even though we stayed very local.  The old fortress which we didn't enter and the old city is extremely small.

Douglas Obelisk dedicated to Howard Douglas, Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Island from 1835 - 1841.

Ruins of an ancient roman church under reconstruction




The Corfu airport, the landing strip starts in the lagoon.  Very short, only 2,373 meters (7,300 ft.)

A Russian cannon, left her by the French during their occupation and control of the island


The Old Fortress 

Close up of the old fortress


These two brothers, the Durrell brothers moved to Corfu from London with their families. They are part of the most famous family in Corfu.  They only lived here 4 years but the family made friends with the locals and both brothers went on to write books.  

From here we saw what is now a museum of Asian art but was built by the British as a palace.
The Asian museum, built by the British as a palace




This is the town hall.  I took this because of the 3 different flags.  Greece in the center, Corfu on the left and the European Nation on the right.  

The guide led us to the Esplanade which is a wide open area and park with a cricket field on it.  Across from the park area were shops where Wayne and I had a cappuccino and we did a little shopping.  I walked around a took some pretty (my thoughts) of the small narrow streets and shops.



I was fascinated by the word Delicatessen and everything else in Greek.  


Saint Spyridon Church's bell tower.  A Greek orthodox church built in 1580 and still houses the relics of the saint.

Just capturing some pictures on my ride back to the ship.

Another view of the old fortress

The symbol on the Corfu flag - the unmanned boat.









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