Corfu

Greece. Corfu

by Lena Taran from Russia I think if I would show all the pictures of the place and describe everything with a lot of details, what would be the reason for people to visit it if they know everything? My way is showing not the whole picture like it is in general, but choosing the certain components, so if the reader could finish the whole in his imagination. Showing separate parts I’m not forcing people watching my point of view. I’m always thinking, that if I’m telling about the place I visited, it’s better to tell the feelings, not just the facts and names. I’m using imagination-based of the place I’m writing about.

I wrote this article to apply for the AIESEC internship TN-In-MY-UT-2011-1315 in wonderful Malaysia, project MYOUTDOOR.COM Writing about Corfu I inspired by Gerald Durrell and “My family and other animals”.

Greece. Corfu ISLAND The island Corfu in the Ionian Sea is known from the beginning of Greek mythology. In the history of its existence it belonged to many countries.

So, it’s not a real Greece, there are no ancient Greek ruins and sculptures. There are two stone fortresses, among which is the only one city Corfu with the airport which has the shortest runway in Europe. All the other cities are smaller and called villages.

Very close to Corfu there is the country Albania which is the only Muslim country in Central Europe, until it is three times closer than the mainland of Greece.

Italy, Britain, Germany has left their traces in the forms of buildings and areas that made the city’s old town really unique and designated for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Greece. Corfu COVER Hundreds years ago, when Byzantine captured Corfu, instead of killing the locals, they forced them to plant island with olive trees. So far all the space on the island, which can be anything to grow, is planted with olives. People have their own olive groves, and this live. In summer they keep taverns, shops, or rent apartments.

Greece. Corfu Food National Dish — Greek salad. Nobody drink tea, even in taverns it is out of menu, but water with ice and bread with butter are served to all.

Greece. Corfu People 90% of tourists in Corfu — the British. But in general there are very few people. On the public beach you can’t find more than 30 people and around ten of them would be swimming in the water. If that is a lot, then you can go 10 minutes up to a wild beach, where there are no people.

But you never can be alone in Corfu, primeval nature will join you wherever you are.

Greece. Corfu life

Every day since 2pm till 5pm nothing works. All the parts of the island are covered with silence, heat and dreams. Life is unhurried and carefree.

Everything is covered with aromas of flowers and a muted voice of cicadas.

Greece. Corfu road If you rent a car it is possible to tour the whole island in three days. It is so easy to travel in the island where the thick line on the map is the only one main road. The rest are with a width equal to the width of one car. When one car meets another one who is going from the opposite direction, that is great rarity, then one must pull over to the sidelines and wait, because two of them could not drive.

Greece. Corfu home Closing the house, the key is usually put near the door on the window sill to know that nobody is there. It can be also left at the door, for the same reason.

In short, Corfu is just a paradise, with a house on the beach and a window view as to live and to die happy.

Lena Taran EP-In-IN-BU-2010-1911 03.05.2011