NOW PLAYING: ZORBA THE GREEK


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CORFU, GREECE

9 JULY 2009


Greek "WalMart" . . .

McGuinness


We arrived early in Corfu; once again, there was no adapted transport so we had a 35-minute walk into town (they said). You can double it by the time we went back & forth trying to get on & off pavements. Eventually we gave up and Tom stayed on the road. I followed behind him to tell him when a queue was forming or a bus or truck wanted by. The main road from the docks was quite narrow and very busy. A police car pulled up in front and signaled for us to get on the pavement; you do not argue with Greek policemen, so we nodded and squeezed in between parked cars as if to step onto the pavement and as soon as he was out of sight, zoomed up the road again.

We turned off in to the Old Town. It was sign posted The Jewish Quarter, but we came across the tiniest of churches. It was like a little shop; we think it might have been Greek Orthodox, but we're not sure.

McGuinness

Little church in the distance with flags outside

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Inside the little church, it's just six chaires

[Deb Wiersum tells me that there are few chaires in
Orthodox churches because they are only for those
who need them; participants normally stand
throughout the entire service. - ad]


It started to get very hot - 30 degrees - and Tom does not do well in the heat. I said I would go back down the main road to the ship with him so Anne & Mike could have some time on the island. Fortunately, I was wearing a white tennis skirt and vest and trainers, because Tom took off down the road at full speed - 7.5 k per hour. I was running along behind to make sure he didn't pull out in front of traffic or hold it up. I now know how a Dalmatian dog feels running along behind a carriage in the heat and the dust.

McGuinness

Tom contemplates having his beard shaved off

McGuinness

Little bar in the corner

McGuinness

Main shopping area

THE CHURCH OF AGIOS SPYRIDON

Situated in Corfu Town, the Church of Agios [Saint] Spyridon is the most famous church on the island. Built in 1589 in order to replace the older church of Sorokos, destroyed during the construction of the town's walls, it is a single-nave basilica which has the highest belltower of all the island's churches, a belltower which has a unique red dome and a clock.

Agios Spyridon's relics were brought from Constantinople and are preciously kept in a golden shrine from Venice. Every 12th of December, the feast name of the saint patron is celebrated during which the saint's relics are carried through the streets of the town.

[From THIS website]


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ON TO ZAKINTOS, GREECE
WITH JACKIE & TOM HERE

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