Very short blog post for Thursday, to the relief of some I’m sure.

Simply a few visual impressions of a day and another part of the island.

Walk to the taverna where I sip espresso and have my morning WiFix was by a glassy calm sea.  It was as if another, more stable weather system had taken control.  Which is basically what has happened.  Very enjoyable chat with a couple at the next table who were from Llanelli, from where my mother’s side of the family come.

Looking across the glassy smooth harbour at Boukari

Reflection: the village on the hill behind is Chlomos to which I walked on Wednesday

Reflection at the WiFix taverna

Went by car to an inland village called Agios Mattheos and walked up the 450 metre mountain to the monastery of Pantokratos on the top.  The monastery was locked, only open on its saints day, 6 August, which was a long time to wait. The views from the top, particularly over the southern part of the West coast were very dramatic. Had a ‘Ryan Giggs’ moment on top.  Met 3 lads from Serbia who asked where I was from in their pretty fluent English.  When I said   “Wales but you probably haven’t heard it.” One immediately responded “Ah!  Ryan Giggs”.

The alternative footpath down was a nightmare, picking its way first through scrubby olive and other woodland then into maquis, a path overgrown with very prickly holly-oak and other low shrubs whose sole intent was to lacerate passing flesh as much as possible.

Pantokratos minastery

View of the southern part of the west coast and its ‘lake’

‘Path’ through maquis

Having survived that, a slow and tortuous drive further north on the west coast to Mirtiotissa  a very attractive beach at the foot of dramatic cliffs.  It was a mixed beach in that there were a lot of people there who clearly couldn’t afford swimsuits.  No point in trying to pose in your Armani there.  It was a sandy beach which I’m not too keen on as the sand gets to places I would rather not have it.  I resolved the sand problem by perching indecorously on a rock to dry off at the end of my swim, trying not to stare at the poor people who couldn’t afford swimwear.

The rugged west coast

Very many very good examples of street art on retaining walls in this area. This was one small example of dozens

Tomorrow have to make arrangements for moving on on Saturday.  Have sussed out on the internet that there is a ferry which goes from Corfu to Patras, my next port of call, on Saturdays so need to work out the logistics for getting to that given that there is no bus service to Boukari where I’m staying.