Friday 22 June 2007

Welcome to my place!

Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog!

I live on the beautiful island of Kerkyra (Corfu for the non Greek) which is next to Italy. Here's some information about the island, just to make sure you learn a bit about my place before we start our trip.

What is Kerkyra like?

Vast olive groves, tall palm trees along the sandy beaches, orange and lemon orchards amidst the groves, and mount Pantokrator on the north with scattered white-washed villages and tall church towers among the green, and the lingering in the air smell of wild herbs.

There you can admire ancient ruins and findings, numerous chapels and temples, museums and art displays for every taste; you can join local feasts and religious ceremonies, listen to band concerts, and watch international ballets and operas almost all year round.

Kerkyra is an exotic island with a European flavor, combining a taste of local and European culture. Several civilizations brought together, that is Kerkyra. You can see their mark everywhere, yet, you can feel that the island keeps its own unique flavor of local tradition.

The myth, the old and the new

The myth says that the people of Pheakes lived on the island during the years of Ulysses’travels. Their latest king Alkinoos with his queen, Ariti, had several sons and an only daughter called Nafsika. She was the one who found Ulysses on the shore one day and then the king helped him go back to his own kingdom, Ithaca. But god Poseidon , the god of the sea, was very angry with Ulysses and he turned his boat into stone, in order to punish him-that is what the local people say to justify the huge boat-like rock in Paleokastritsa bay.

Recent excavations in the town have revealed ancient sites that date back to the 5th century while there are ancient churches and other buildings all over the island.

Referring to modern history, the domination of the Venetians which lasted 410 years, of the French and of the British, left a definite mark on the aspect of contemporary Corfu. The island economy is based mainly on Tourism, as there are still unspoilt, beautiful landscapes and natural scenery all over the island.

Nowadays, the visitors can explore the whole Kerkyra and enjoy not only its natural beauty but also the numerous and unique sights the long tradition of the island has to offer.

2 comments:

Bill Savvanis said...

Very interesting blog! Informative and enjoyable!

Anonymous said...

hello-I live in Hawaii and I love it!
very exotic and the people are wonderful!

Kelley