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Post by bert122 on Dec 7, 2016 19:17:06 GMT 2
Thanks Steve
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Post by janiemou on Dec 13, 2016 16:49:49 GMT 2
We had our usual Sunday morning walk around the village, and it was a lovely day to be doing it. We met our old neighbour Eftichia out gathering horta (wild greens). She had a carrier bag full, but we have seen her with two bags full. She was complaining out the lack of horta, but the verges have been strimmed recently. It is quite usual to see her on a Sunday out picking the horta, it seems that it is a Sunday treat. There are delicious lightly boiled and then seasoned and dressed with oil and lemon juice. I watched Toula at Pirates prepare some for her family.
The large corner plot of land that includes the olive grove and the small cottage recently exposed has had further work done on it. The ground around the olives has been well cleared and the material gathered and burnt. More trees and shrubs and canes around the little house have been cleared right to the edge of the stream. There is no building permit visible, so maybe they are just going to do it up. We will watch with interest what else happens, but in the absence of anything further happening we will get rid of the graffiti and Jan (AKA Kaz) can have her little summer house!
We then went for coffee at Piedra, formerly The Olive, just to see what has changed. There is new decoration and seating, loosly based on newspapers and comics. With some walls and the table so decorated. We had a very pleasant hour sipping our very reasonably priced cappucino and watching the world go by. We walked down to the front and saw that The Drossia was still closed, but we bumped into Adonis and he expects to re-open in a month or so. Dromeas was open and we were called in for a catch up. They have quite a few cars with registration plates available for hire during the winter.
Along the sea front a couple of our lovely palm have succumbed to the dreaded palm weevil. One is hanging on by the skin of its teeth. Crusoes' s main bar has been completely gutted back to the four walls. It looks such a big space when empty. Some of the beach furniture is still in the annex on the beach, but the new premises seems full to the rafters with all the contents of the old bar. We think we will most of the transformation in the spring, as we will be on our journey back to Corfu. We finished our circumnavigation of the village with another coffee at Pirates and indulged in one of Linda's cakes that she bakes for charity.
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Post by daveh on Dec 18, 2016 12:14:26 GMT 2
Another place open at weekends is Arabas near traffic lights. Last night was a bouzouki night, went for a meal, enjoyed the music, atmosphere and dancing. Didn't leave until gone 6.30am !
Sfakera taverna has a bouzouki night on xmas eve. Look forward to that.
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Post by janiemou on Dec 18, 2016 18:18:18 GMT 2
Another place open at weekends is Arabas near traffic lights. Last night was a bouzouki night, went for a meal, enjoyed the music, atmosphere and dancing. Didn't leave until gone 6.30am ! Sfakera taverna has a bouzouki night on xmas eve. Look forward to that. Wow that was a let night. We always knew that it was late nights in O Arabas as they don't start serving food until quite late. Christmas eve in Sfakera sounds like a place to be.
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Post by janiemou on Dec 18, 2016 18:19:26 GMT 2
Roda update. It was a very frosty start to the day today, with mist in the valleys first thing. Then the sun got into its stride and the frost disappeared rapidly and we could enjoy being outdoors. Our Sunday walk this week was in the afternoon after a coffee at Tropicana (no birthday parties today) and finally at Pirates where we indulged in Linda's delicious sausage rolls and mince tarts. It was warm enough for people to be sat at the tables on the beach outside Alexandros. Also there were quite a few people enjoying the warmth outside Piedra at the crossroads. The new cafe, The Coffee Corner, has sprouted two metal frames outside. It looks like they are going to have two covered terraces, which they will need in the summer. Typically Greek style they have use all the pavement outside so pedestrians will have to step into the road. The Drossia is still closed as expected from last week's chat with Adonis, but even so we still have Pixida as a restaurant also O Arabas, the two grill rooms, and Nemo's and Tropicana where you can get snacks. Not forgetting Oscars where they do their fish and chip nights and Alexandros for their curry night. Sandy's is open at the weekend and holds occasional music nights with The Boys. Not bad for out of season. A new meze place has opened up in Acharvi opposite Alegria.
The Christmas season is now getting more apparent, with some houses having lights up, the shops have displays of Christmas paraphernalia . The displays started off quite small but have got a little bigger now. Some of the cafes, bars and restaurants have their doors tied up in ribbons like Christmas parcels. The supermarkets have laid on some extra products, but in Acharavi's main two supermarkets there is no such thing as a queue more than two or three deep. The two supermarkets in the village are open for business as is The Mediterranean Corner shop. The beach looked lovely today despite the piles of sea grass. The sea was almost flat calm with just gentle ripples coming onto the shore. The views were painted in watercolours, not the bright oil colours you get in the summer.
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Post by daveh on Dec 20, 2016 8:43:16 GMT 2
This Friday there is kareoke/xmas jokey night at Alexandros.
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Post by daveh on Dec 28, 2016 9:21:14 GMT 2
The last two days have been so glorious as you'll have red in Jan's weather reports, no breeze yesterday and i was on beach with dogs. It was so nice you could have picniced in t-shirt and shorts. Up in the village in the evening there was free mulled wine and dough balls outside the taverna, a small raffle and the children sang carols around the xmas tree, a nice local gathering to share a celebration of Christmas.
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Post by janiemou on Dec 28, 2016 12:16:24 GMT 2
The last two days have been so glorious as you'll have red in Jan's weather reports, no breeze yesterday and i was on beach with dogs. It was so nice you could have picniced in t-shirt and shorts. Up in the village in the evening there was free mulled wine and dough balls outside the taverna, a small raffle and the children sang carols around the xmas tree, a nice local gathering to share a celebration of Christmas. That village evening in Sfakera sounds just lovely. So pleased you have reported it Jan
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Post by daveh on Jan 1, 2017 10:00:02 GMT 2
New Years Eve was another bouzouki night in Sfakera and the taverna was rammed with family groups having meals. Lights were dimmed at midnight and the Vassilopita cake brought out and cut by Spiros. Everyone shake hands and kiss to celebrate, children open an early present. Dancing begins, everyone is given a slice of the cake. We left at 1.45 to catch the London fireworks online and toast our families and friends in UK.
Earlier in the day and evening the children were coming round the village singing the Kalanda accompanied buy their metal triangles. They were given money and also some chocolates.
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Post by janiemou on Jan 1, 2017 12:24:15 GMT 2
New Years Eve was another bouzouki night in Sfakera and the taverna was rammed with family groups having meals. Lights were dimmed at midnight and the Vassilopita cake brought out and cut by Spiros. Everyone shake hands and kiss to celebrate, children open an early present. Dancing begins, everyone is given a slice of the cake. We left at 1.45 to catch the London fireworks online and toast our families and friends in UK. Earlier in the day and evening the children were coming round the village singing the Kalanda accompanied buy their metal triangles. They were given money and also some chocolates. What a good way to bring in the New Year Dave. Thank you for sharing it with us Jan
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Post by daveh on Jan 8, 2017 11:28:14 GMT 2
The very cold spell that began with the snow Friday is now taking its toll here in the village. -2.8c overnight and pipes in my house and many neighbours are frozen, so was balcony mop!, so no running water. Forecast not due to improve much until Thursday. I have supply of spring water to use for kettle, washing and toilet. The wood burner is a godsend. Locals are saying this has been one of coldest spells for many a year. The sun is out so it does look warmer than it is.
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Post by janiemou on Jan 8, 2017 17:25:31 GMT 2
This should have been a piece about a Sunday walk around the village, but it is now several walks around. I thought I had better catch up now we are at the end of the festive period and the signal of the end of the Christmas season with Epiphany. Children had been going round the bars and cafes playing their instruments (mostly triangles) and singing traditional carols (Kalanda). Nikos, from Nikos Family taverna, was part of a group of singers going along Acharavi stopping at every bar/ cafe with their traditional songs and carols. Nemo's, because of the children's play area had erected a lovely entrance display complete with a post box for letters to go to St Basil (as Steve will argue, the original Father Christmas). The Express supermarket next door had a simple display of lights and a snow man. Those bars that were open had their Christmas decorations and trees up, and some of the other businesses joined in the festivities with lights and decorations. Several houses also joined in, with even the closed Semeli Hotel having a small display in their pool bar. one of the small shops in the village had an olive branch attached to its door for prosperity and a good harvest in the coming year. Another doorway had a wreath made from sharon fruit (loti here in Corfu). Red being the colour for good luck for the new year. All the usual bars were open for New Year's night (except Alexandros) with Oscars holding a party and O Arabas having a well attended Bouzouki night. At Pirates midnight saw the cutting of the Basilopita (a sultana sponge cake flavoured with orange, and a lucky coin). I was the fortunate person who got the coin, so I am supposed to have a good 2017. The Cafe Neon at Sfakera also was crowded out. New Year's day saw a BBQ being lit at Pirates, though whether it was to keep the men warm, or that it cooked the amazing lamb Toulah shared with us, I don't know. The village has been quiet as quiet a few people have returned to the UK to see family and friends and the local Greek are busy with the olives, either picking or pruning them. Talking of olives. The little house opposite the Theodoros resort has had its olive trees seriously pruned and cut up for firewood. The property looks so exposed now, we hope that they do something with the house. Other olive groves though have seen the planting of new young trees amongst the old ones. Alex has started work on his new bar with a huge pile of rubble appearing under the canopy at the former Five Roses. We watch with interest as his new bar takes shape. The beach seems to have gained several metres and is the widest I can remember and is not looking too bad for this time of year. The harbour is not silted up and we still have a few small boats heading out fishing. Some of the palms are still looking sad, and one or two will be definitely gone by the start of the season. What a pity as they frame the beach so well.
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Post by daveh on Jan 29, 2017 10:38:16 GMT 2
Today in Sfakera at 6pm is the cutting of the cake in the village office. There is also a raffle taking place.
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Post by janiemou on Jan 29, 2017 11:30:40 GMT 2
Today in Sfakera at 6pm is the cutting of the cake in the village office. There is also a raffle taking place. I think this is the vasilopita or St Basil's cake. It is traditional around January.There will be a coin in it which will bring good luck to the finder Jan
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Post by daveh on Jan 30, 2017 9:44:10 GMT 2
It was a happy occasion, the hall was packed with many children present. Some had to stand and others were outside by the door. The pappas blessed the village, the children, the adults and the cake before cutting it to be shared around. There were also cheese pies, spinach pies, truffles and soft drinks. To see all the young children queue for their cake, get pieces for their parents or grandparents was a delight. The raffle was also drawn. Everyone was thanked for being involved in the village society with a special mention to the non Sfakerions who live here and involve themselves in village life. Many then moved on to the Taverna where there was a lively atmosphere till gone midnight.
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