pete sant
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Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
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Post by pete sant on Jul 5, 2011 11:30:19 GMT 2
For 20 euros each we were picked up in the village & driven down the coast to the harbour at Immouroulia (excuse spelling) where Captain Yannis was waiting to sail us down the east coast to Corfu Town, there were some great views of the old fort as we approached town from the sea, A slow trundle around the town took us to Mouse Island and Pontiknisi (again excuse spelling) where the boat stopped for about 20 minutes for photo taking this is also a pretty good spot to see the planes arriving, just make sure you hold on to your hats... Yiannis then turned the boat around to head for Vidos Island, the old prison camp that also has a mausoleum on it to the 3000 Serbian soldiers that were buried there during the first world war, to our surprise and delight the boat was suddenly surrounded by about 14/15 dolphins, they swam around the boat for about 20 minutes, a fantastic sight & a first for us. We then sailed over to Vidos Island for a near 3 hour stay, there is a cafe & a restaurant where you can sit & gaze over to Corfu Town, after refreshing ourselves we set out to follow some of the various trails around the island where we saw the ruins of the old prison, the entrance to the tunnels that were used to move the prisoners from Corfu town to the island, the old scout camp as well as some of the animals that live there as it is now a nature reserve. the entrance to the tunnels... the solitary confinement cells - not a place you want to stay in... the scout camp... the mausoleum to the Serbian soldiers... It was then back on to the boat for a lunch of ham, cheese, salad, bread, sausage roll, cheese roll, stuffed vine leaves, meat balls and wine or juice and a couple of tall tails from Yiannis, for anyone who used to sail with Captain Arris out of Acharavi this is the same Yiannis who used to be first mate on his boat. We then set off on a slow sail to an otherwise inaccessable little cove for swimming off the boat... The captain then decided to sail on past the harbour at Immouroulia to Kalamaki beach where the water is so shallow that you have to walk along a very long & wobbly jetty to get from the boat to the beachside tavernas for a cooling drink or an ice cream, imagine my surprise when one of the tavernas was being run by Carol, the scottish girl who used to work in the tee shirt shop in the village. The jetty at Kalamaki beach - it would be easier to just jump in & walk in the sea ... All in all a great day out, might be a bit hot on the island in the peak season, but there is plenty of shade if you need it. pete.
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Post by linnie44 on Jul 5, 2011 11:36:05 GMT 2
pete it looks fantastic we will be booking this trip cant wait now:))))
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kayjay
Roda Probationer
Posts: 26
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Post by kayjay on Jul 5, 2011 16:38:59 GMT 2
That sounds like a brilliant day out. We will do it in August, where do you book?
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Post by artisans on Jul 5, 2011 17:30:02 GMT 2
Great photos, Pete - I've never been to Vidos, only to see the sealions. We once stumbled a cross another Serbian monument in the woods somewhere near Ag. Matheos in the south west - they obviously played a big part in the local history. It's good to see the sails back on the windmill at Garitsa - my all-time favourite place for swimming anywhere on the island. If ever you are in town for the day - go right to the far end of Garitsa Bay, by Nautilus Restaurant, and join the locals swimming off the end of the jetty. This is where you find 80 year-old ladies, in leopard-skin bikinis, swimming right through the year. They are something of a local legend.
Steve
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pete sant
Roda Anorak
Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
Posts: 6,977
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Post by pete sant on Jul 5, 2011 17:41:11 GMT 2
Hi Kayjay, we booked with Rena at N.S.K. Travel in the center of the village. I'll put some more photos on soon from the trip, Tinypics was being a pain today & taking forever to upload them. pete.
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Post by wendyb on Jul 6, 2011 11:12:44 GMT 2
We did that trip last week, a lovely day, no dolphins for us though:( our son and his gf are doing the trip on Friday. Only bad part was oh's flip flops flying off the top deck never to be seen again lol....
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pete sant
Roda Anorak
Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
Posts: 6,977
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Post by pete sant on Jul 6, 2011 13:01:24 GMT 2
When Yiannis opened up the throttle into a head wind on the way back it was pretty breezy, we were still laughing at one of the crew members losing his hat into the wind when my Ray Bans duly followed it over the side - good job they were my 4 euro ones and not the authentic type ! pete.
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Post by lisydaly on Jul 6, 2011 16:46:16 GMT 2
Have to correct you Pete - Scottish Carol doesn't run a taverna at Kalamaki - her on/off other half Niko (used to be the chef at the Pumphouse) does, and she works there the odd time. We've known them both for years. The taverna is halfway up the cliff, overlooking Kalamaki sands and the sofrito there truly IS the most amazing we have ever eaten - in fact all of the food is. We went there for a meal with Greek friends in June after going for the first time last year. Bit tricky to get to from the road above as the hill down is very steep and has a dip which could bottom a small car - we went in friends 4x4 - but it is well worth a visit. We have eaten all over Corfu but find it's true that where Greeks eat, the food is the best - and we have had the sofrito at the Drosia, close second, but nowhere near as melt-in-the-mouth as Nikos.
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pete sant
Roda Anorak
Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
Posts: 6,977
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Post by pete sant on Jul 6, 2011 18:00:27 GMT 2
Hi Lisydaly, have heard good reports about the food there, Carol was actually behind the counter at one of the beach tavernas & even offered us the use of her sunbeds for free - where else would you get this sort of service ? pete.
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Post by boydies on Jul 6, 2011 22:01:44 GMT 2
Great pics Pete. xx
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parsonsgang
Roda Anorak
Roda Riddler 2009 - 2013
Posts: 1,722
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Post by parsonsgang on Jul 6, 2011 22:16:20 GMT 2
Looks great Pete, now I know what we missed
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pete sant
Roda Anorak
Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
Posts: 6,977
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Post by pete sant on Jul 10, 2011 8:18:14 GMT 2
One of the first things you see as you dock on Vidos island is their sunbathing terrace complete with free parasols - there wasn't a mad dash to get one for some reason... The next thing is a plaque from the people of Serbia thanking the people of Greece for their help during the great war... Strolling along one of the many paths across the island you might come across this little church... or even one of the locals... As i said it was pretty hot walking around the island but this lad knew how to cool off... pete.
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Post by nsktravel1pegy on Aug 2, 2011 18:42:24 GMT 2
Hi pete,
your photos are amazing!!!!!
pegy
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Post by Ol'Salty on Aug 2, 2011 19:29:25 GMT 2
Well done Pete, excellent promo. We'll certainly be trying out this trip (don't normally do trips in recent years) seems too good to be missed. You've certainly now earned a second free ticket to go with the first! BTW ... where abouts down the coast is "Immouroulia" - not somewhere I'm familiar with (whatever the spelling)? Rgds. Chris
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pete sant
Roda Anorak
Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
Posts: 6,977
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Post by pete sant on Aug 2, 2011 19:48:48 GMT 2
Hi Chris, the harbour at "Immouroulia" is just past the fish farm on the way to Kassiopi, about 10/15 minutes on the coach. pete.
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