One day left for Christmas and Corfu is full of sunshine!
The weather forecast predicted rain but no, here it is spring time! But you never know! Tomorrow it may rain though there isn't a single cloud in the sky.
If you stroll along Garitsa bay and look at the horizon, you will see the mountain peaks of the Greek mainland and Albania covered in snow. That's why it is cold at night. But the sky is blue, the sea is blue and the birds are singing! That's why I love Corfu. It's a small paradise but some people still haven't realised that. They ruin things. Like those who broke into a small monastery on the 22nd of December and stole a couple of holy items such as the Bible (Evaggelio), which is 200 years old, the holy Cup and other church things.
The monastery of Ayios Noufris is administered by the villages of Ano Korakiana, Skripero, Gardelades and Doukades.
The villagers beg those who have taken these items to give them back.
Those who know something about this incident, to report it to the police.
The police are investigating this case and hopefully they will find the holy items.
It is the citizens' responsibility to care for their possessions and deeds like that should not be allowed in our community.
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KORAKIANA VILLAGE
View from the yard of the church of Ayios Thanasis.
The village of Ano Korakiana, in the distance, looks like it is embraced by the mounts Korakio and Korendi that are located in the north-central Corfu and are 18 kilometers away from the town of Corfu.
The inhabited area of the village maintains a lot of traditional aspects from medieval times, and still shows resistance to the time and pressure of the modern lifestyle. However, the houses and the natural environment of a place are not the only aspects that define it. The people living in it are those who actually leave their indelible mark on it.
Today, the decrease in the village population is evident, despite the settlement, either temporary or permanent, of foreign families. As a result, a village that has got a dynamic presence, is within easy reach of Corfu town and other areas, is near the developed tourist resort of Dassia-Ipsos, starts getting affected by the modern trend of urbanization. The only hope that remains is the activation of some clubs and organizations such as the historic Music Association ‘SPIROS SAMARAS’, as well as the new generation of youths who choose to settle down here, thus going against the grain.
Since 1998, the areas of Ano Korakiana and Poulades (which is a few kilometers away) have been the public district of Ano Korakiana of Feakon Municipality.
Through history, Korakiana had the same fate as the rest of Corfu. However, at two historic moments of Corfu, Korakiana was severely damaged and its population decreased considerably. The first (and the worst) was in 1537, when the Turkish army of Highredin Barbarossa destroyed Korakiana. The second was in 1716 when he attacked the village for a second time.
The population of the village was renewed many times due to the settlement of people from other areas of Greece that were under foreign occupation (Aegean islands, Crete, Peloponissos).
A large part of the village population, right after 1204, came from the seaside towns of Small Asia and Thrace, while during the Venetian occupation, from the Aegean islands, Peloponissos and Epirus.
The oldest families still existing in Korakiana are those listed below:
Savvanis (since 1473), Vradis, Mandilas, Ionas, Markos, Metallinos, Laskaris, kaloudis, Linosporis, Reggis, Balatsinos, and finally, Kendarchos and Kefallonitis during the first half of the 16th century.
The village has got a considerable number of churches. There are 28 churches in the district of Ano Korakiana.
During the English ‘protectorate’ many local residents boomed in Corfu town working as owners (or workers) of bakeries, but generally, thrived in trade and are still keeping it up till now. This economic booming brought along spiritual and educational growth, thus many children started following careers in education or science all over Corfu, as well as in the rest of Greece after the union with the mainland.
Korakiana was also affected by this educational booming and the high educational level of its people is still prevalent in cultural and other types of celebrations of the village.
This is an image of the village after the Second World War, while its roots date many decades back, when the idea of illumination fertilized the village society.
[The above text is a translation of an extract located in the Greek site of Korakiana at
http://www.korakiana.gr/]
Out of the town there are a lot of interesting places to see, and one of them is Mount Pantokrator, the highest mountain on the island. It is 918 meters high and has a small monastery on the top of it. There is a wonderful view to all directions from up there. On the way to Pantokrator the road is winding and narrow but lies between endless olive groves which are the green beauty of the scenery. On the mountain there are a lot of villages easy to reach by car, motor bike, bicycle or on foot. Walkers usually follow the route: Ipsos beach, Ayios Markos, Korakiana, Dassia and back to Ipsos from a different road. Mount Pantokrator is for those who love the countryside and its tradition. Visitors can admire the breathtaking view of the green olive groves and the sea, as well as the magic sunset and dawn. Ideal for relaxing and enjoying natural living in a friendly atmosphere. Climbing the mount is easy, as there are roads and paths right to the top and a drive by bike, motor bike or car is feasible. There are numerous villages scattered among the green on the way up and there are vast olive groves in every direction. The scenery is adorned by an abundance of tree variety as well. You can see tall cypress trees, pine trees, oaks and orchards and vineyards in between. There you can feel the smell of wild herbs and flowers lingering in the air. A big village on the side of the mountain is Korakiana, Crow Nest in English. There used to be lots of crows in this village years ago, but nowadays there is a big variety of singing birds around, offering the people a unique melody all the year round. Korakiana is the perfect village to rent a house or a room or even stay there for good. Some foreign visitors have recently bought real estate at low prices and have built their own houses on the mount. It is worth the money and time spent on a housing project over there if one likes nature and especially the green. |
