San Stefanos Online ~ North West Corfu
Welcome to San Stefanos (NW Corfu) => San Stefanos news and views => Topic started by: Jimbo on October 02, 2011, 11:21:37 AM
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Things are starting to get quieter, now. On Thursday the beach was very busy, but after Friday's mass exodus there were far fewer people around yesterday. Mango Bar is progressively removing sunbeds and stacking them up ready for winter storage.
The record dry and hot summer continues into autumn. We've had no wind and no rain all week and the forecast is currently for another five or six clear days. Nights are noticeably cooler - light sweater needed.
It's unlikely that Zorba's will stay open for more than a day or two, according to Vasillis. They've stopped dancing already. Beachcombers will be staying open to the end of season.
We went to Ereikusa island on the boat trip. Fantastic views of the sandstone cliffs on the way to Sidari. The island is rather strange. Almost all the houses are shut up - looks like people just use it as a summer resort. Just two cafes open, although one was closed for a funeral wake. The funeral cortege went past while we were having lunch in the other cafe: the black coffin was on the back of a white pick-up, draped with flowers. The two principal women mourners led the procession - maybe thirty people all dressed in black, followed by cars, trucks, mopeds and amazingly enough, several quad bikes!
The island is quite small - much smaller than Mathraki -but has superb concrete roads everywhere, with the inevitable "Built By Europe" blue board to explain where a bit of the Greek national debt went. Nice boat trip - about half an hour to Sidari to pick up grockles, and then an hour to Ereikusa.
Back here in Ag Stef, Spiros is practically dragging passers-by into the Havana Bar in a bid to grab as many Euros as possible before the season ends - or the Euro ends, whichever comes first.
Despite the fantastic weather it has not been a good season. People have not been spending much money and the tavernas' takings have been significantly down at the same time as the taxes have gone up. Views vary on the future, but I get the impression that most people think it's when rather if that Greece will default.
End of season or not, watching football in the Athens Bar remains a loud and highly amusing way to spend an evening. The long summer sun has not induced much in the way of sanity on Nikos!
Also amusing was last night in Little Prince. Little Alex and tall Spiros now have this routine where Alex jumps and locks his legs around Spiros' waist and Spiros spins around and around so that Alex flies with his arms out. Last night Spiros was not there, so Dimitris deputised. He came dancing out to cheers and whistles, and Alex duly took off and attempted to latch on to Dimitris. Unfortunately they had failed to do the great tape-measure test before attempting this life-threatening performance. The floor is made of rather unforgiving hard marble. Dimitris is, let's say, more generous of girth than the six foot slender Spiros, and little Alex's legs are only so long. How we gasped as Dimitris started to swing Alex around, not seeing what we could see, that Alex couldn't cross his ankles! For a moment Alex seemed doomed to head-butt the marble tiles, and only frantic scrambling by Dimitris and others saved the lad from at least a serious headache.
"Dimitris tried to kill me tonight!" little Alex said mournfully, later on. I suspect he'll be doing a Tevez and refusing to come off the bench if the boss asks him to give it another try.
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Really enjoyed reading this Jimbo . Thanks.
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Brilliant Jimbo wish we could have been at Ltiitle Prince to see the floor show :o
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Nice one Jim, this will be my last read for 3 weeks as we are off to India!
(Real Indian Summer - probably rain!! LOL).
Regards
Tony
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Great review as normal Jimbo. I seemed to have a tear in my eye towards the end as it appeared to be a some what "final" report to the end of the season.
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It's getting darker earlier now, so people are eating earlier. Excellent sofrito at Nafsika this evening, but at 11:30 all tavernas are closing down for the night. Silver Star cleaning up. 'Two Stars' now closed. Little Prince now closed.
Bit busy at the new surgery opposite Little Prince in the old glass shop. Doctor Mitropolous, who is a very nice man, balding, tall, slightly camp walk, is apparently doing good business. Dimitris swears he's breeding mosquitoes behind the surgery and sending them out to whip up some trade.
Despite the economic uncertainty everybody seems to be in cheerful spirit as the curtain descends on a long and very hot show, and the prospect of a few months with family grows ever closer.
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great read jumbo - thank you
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great read jumbo - thank you
Is that due to all the gorgeous food and wine lol!!!!!! :)
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Jimbo... We'll never look at you in the same way... Jumbo = Priceless
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Actually, my normally perfectly flat stomach has expanded somewhat as a result of indulging in Mythos and Greek Grub, so Jumbo is a bit more apt than usual.
It was very quiet last night. Ozzy Oils and Paradise appear to be closed. Little Prince closed at 11pm, 2 Star soon after, and Silver Star only had two people in at 11:15. Barras looked quiet from the vantage point of Tasty Corner, where we met Dr Mitropoulos, who beamed as he told us he's leaving to go home to Athens on Friday.
Still, another beautiful calm sunny day has dawned. More beach beds have been removed, but I'm sure there'll be one for us!
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Jimbo,
Great report, we have never been in San Stef later than October 2nd so its good to read about how the town winds down for winter. We will miss you by a few hours next Friday (14th October) when we fly out for the weekend but will continue with your 'Winding Down' report in your absence!
Gill and I are currently soaking up the sun in Lanzarote, here the season is still in full swing although as in Greece the Restaurants tend to be half empty.
Friends think we are mad flying back to Liverpool from Lanzarote next Thursday driving to Manchester then getting the early Thomson flight to Corfu on Friday, but hey it was a choice between a weekend in dull Blighty or a weekend in San Stef......no contest!
Playa Blanca in Lanzarote is great but it isnt San Stef., for the first time ever we had a few days in an All Inclusive when we arrived on Sunday and we just didnt like it, despite being a 5* Hotel the food was strangely bland and the atmosphere in the restaurant non existant, it was like being in a school canteen.
We both found ourselves longing for the Greek Taverna experience with its excellent food and marvellous ambiance, we would have given anything for a slice of Saganaki followed by a Sizzling Steak, people who always go A.I. dont know what they are missing.
We are spending the next week in a Villa in Playa Blanca and have found a Greek Taverna just half a mile away ;D
Give our regards to Dimitri and ask him to reserve our table on Friday 14th!!
Andy
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4:30 Friday 7th October.
More to Andy and Gill later...
Clouds are moving in from the south on a gentle breeze. Couple of rain showers late morning, with more forecast over the weekend. Good excuse for people to sit around and natter. No pressure to hit the beach or climb the hills. It was very quiet everywhere last night. At 8:30 we had a wander before supper and there were zero people eating at Sunset, four at Thomas Bay, five at Barras, two at Tasty Corner, and eighty-three at Little Prince! I think as the number of people shrinks, more and more don't want to sit in lonely splendour in an empty restaurant, so they gather where the action is most obvious.
Little Alex's family had come to watch his last dance of the season last night, and the Finnish group at Little Prince were enjoying their last Sizzling Steak before going back to dig up reindeer or whatever it is they dig up to eat in the encroaching darkness of winter. Much cheerful crocodile dancing through the restaurant, but everybody tucked up before midnight.
The sunbeds are steadily leaving the beach to go off and hibernate. Just one long thin Maginot Line of brollies bravely flying a flag of hope for just one more memory of summer - one more chance to catch a bit of sun. The straw-topped brollies we like outside Mango were dug up days ago.
Zorbas will close as soon as the rain goes away in a couple of days. They can't clean with rain coming, and better weather is probably coming. No dancing.
The buses have been going rather than coming so far today. Half the population of Helsinki departed Little Prince at three o'clock. Seconds later the Pool Bar closed. Chances are 99% that Little Prince will close on the 14th, leaving only Andy and Gill in occupation, like the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia in lonely exile in an abandoned château. We expect a final report before the door finally shuts on summer 2011.
Lightning is searing the sky over the hill past Romanza and thunder is booming across the bay. Tables have been moved from exposed positions. Sheets of plastic are being reeled down. The sea has gone from blue to steel-grey, although a shaft of sunlight is glowing over Othoni.
So - tonight - a pie at Tasty Corner before going to the Athens Bar to watch England play their approximation to football. Let's hope heavy rain and power cuts don't kill the satellite feed, although, come to think of it, that might be a mercy!
There's a kind of sweet sadness to it. Yammas!
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Give our regards to Nikos!!!
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Went to San Stefanos for first time in June loved it so much we will be back next year.
We found your post very interesting. It was lovely to hear how every one is doing, and brought back lots of good memories. Counting down the months weeks and days to when we come back next year.
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Give our regards to Nikos!!!
Will try to! I think Nikos talks more than he listens!
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maureen - Hope I'm not droning on and boring people. I know that many are interested in what it's like at the very end of the season. I spent a lot of my young life living on the Kent and Sussex coast and remember the way, as autumn approached, the deck-chairs were stacked and carted away and only a few arcades remained open on the pier. It's a bit like that here now.
Mixalis told me just now that out of the thirty or so rooms at Little Prince, this week precisely four will be occupied, including ours. For those who know LP, the entire new block is empty.
I think the eyes of the locals are now turning away from the sweat of summer towards family time and the great name day of Saint Spyridon on 12th December when every Spiros on the island gets a present and a party.
The curtain is slowly coming down on the end of the pier show. They're not talking about it much, but the next six months may well redefine Greece, the Euro, much else. Let's hope it works out well.
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I notice that Thomson has got holidays at Tsaros or Terezas from 24th October !
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4:30 Friday 7th October.
More to Andy and Gill later...
Clouds are moving in from the south on a gentle breeze. Couple of rain showers late morning, with more forecast over the weekend. Good excuse for people to sit around and natter. No pressure to hit the beach or climb the hills. It was very quiet everywhere last night. At 8:30 we had a wander before supper and there were zero people eating at Sunset, four at Thomas Bay, five at Barras, two at Tasty Corner, and eighty-three at Little Prince! I think as the number of people shrinks, more and more don't want to sit in lonely splendour in an empty restaurant, so they gather where the action is most obvious.
Little Alex's family had come to watch his last dance of the season last night, and the Finnish group at Little Prince were enjoying their last Sizzling Steak before going back to dig up reindeer or whatever it is they dig up to eat in the encroaching darkness of winter. Much cheerful crocodile dancing through the restaurant, but everybody tucked up before midnight.
The sunbeds are steadily leaving the beach to go off and hibernate. Just one long thin Maginot Line of brollies bravely flying a flag of hope for just one more memory of summer - one more chance to catch a bit of sun. The straw-topped brollies we like outside Mango were dug up days ago.
Zorbas will close as soon as the rain goes away in a couple of days. They can't clean with rain coming, and better weather is probably coming. No dancing.
The buses have been going rather than coming so far today. Half the population of Helsinki departed Little Prince at three o'clock. Seconds later the Pool Bar closed. Chances are 99% that Little Prince will close on the 14th, leaving only Andy and Gill in occupation, like the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia in lonely exile in an abandoned château. We expect a final report before the door finally shuts on summer 2011.
Lightning is searing the sky over the hill past Romanza and thunder is booming across the bay. Tables have been moved from exposed positions. Sheets of plastic are being reeled down. The sea has gone from blue to steel-grey, although a shaft of sunlight is glowing over Othoni.
So - tonight - a pie at Tasty Corner before going to the Athens Bar to watch England play their approximation to football. Let's hope heavy rain and power cuts don't kill the satellite feed, although, come to think of it, that might be a mercy!
There's a kind of sweet sadness to it. Yammas!
Is that a reference to England? Please note the correct spelling is Ingurland. I know I've heard her natives pronounce it.
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I notice that Thomson has got holidays at Tsaros or Terezas from 24th October !
Hilarious! Try to book one!
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Hi everyone This is my first post on this site,
Just got back from San Stefanos yesterday ( Fri ) Been visiting for many years but always during July & August.
What a different place it was last week, beautiful warm days and cool evenings . Not a lot of people on the beach ,and all of a certain age The water was so warm & clear.
I didn't realise how busy and noisy it was in Summer with all the children playing there. The dreaded doughnut seller was still there Our favourite restaurants were all open but very quiet ,Mythica Beachcomber and our very favourite The Olympia.( Must apologise if there is a swordfish shortage this week my wife may be the reason ! ) . As we were staying at Tsaros it was only a short stroll up Cardiac Hill to Akrotiri ,Surely the best view in San Stefanos. The place was full inside and only a couple of empty seats outside .
All in all a lovely week and it started to rain as we taxied down the runway , 20 minutes early !
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Hi Tenbeech and welcome to the forums. Thanks for sharing your recent holiday experience with us. :)
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Hi Jimbo - wev'e been down to Kamini a few times in past 12 days as family have been here, not spotted you even though there does seem to be a few people around due to end of season blues. Looking forward to catching up with you both before you return back to UK.....await your pm or telephone call........
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Thomson are still selling a lot of holidays in San Stef for half term week W/C 24.10 and the last flight back isnt until 31.10, the Teresa's only has two rooms left according to Thomson!
I suspect San Stef might light up for a final few days at the end of October before the final embers are extinguished on November 1st.
Gill and I visited San Stef on Easter Sunday and without visitors it was a strange place, however, winter or summer when the sun shines there is no better place to be.
Andy
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Sun ain't shining today! 90% cloud and a very chill wind!
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Duvet on last night...forecast though says good from Monday onwards......
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Sun ain't shining today! 90% cloud and a very chill wind!
Jimbo,
The sun is waiting till Gill and I come back out! ;D
As Lesley said the forecast is good from Tuesday onwards with a temperature of 26c on Wednesday, not bad for October.
Still a breezy 31c here in Lanzarote the land of never ending sun.
Andy
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Good post Jimbo, very informative.
We pop out there on Thursday for a long weekend, not so much for the weather just the place and of course Theodora's cooking in the Nafsika.
Do you know if Costas is open (Gravia).
Thanks
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Gravia and Akrotiri are still open, also Ozzie Oil, Mythica, Jannis, Condor, Waves, Manthos, Mistral, Town Pizza, 3W, Little Prince, Nafsica, Beachcombers, Summer Dreams, the snack bars, Glen's, 2Star.
This list may well reduce next week. Little Prince will have about two room bookings, and will almost certainly close the restaurant at the weekend.
VERY quiet last night (Sunday) - it was really very chilly indeed. Town Pizza very delivering all over the village as people decided to huddle in their rooms. Hardly anybody to be seen in Thomas Bay or Barras, and Little Prince closed at about ten pm. Bad farewell to the genial Dr Mitropoulos, who drove back to Athens this morning.
Most clouds blown away today by a stiff NW breeze, and a lot of the beach inundated with waves. Walked over the top to Arillas, which was sheltered and nice for an excellent lunch. It's quite warm out of the wind. Some (wet) beach beds past Havana and by Waves. Maybe five people in the sea when we walked down the hill from the headland.
A perfect day for walking. The cliff path to Arillas has eroded further, and some sections are only about a foot wide. But there is newish track across the field which leads by a slightly circuitous route to Arillas.
That's all for now, folks!
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Hi have you seen many people using summer dreams.
Harry
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Jimbo - sent u a pm re this evening wil you be around?
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Yes, Ma'am!
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The sun is waiting till Gill and I come back out! ;D
Heavy rain and 22C forecast now for Friday!!!!
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"Gravia and Akrotiri are still open, also Ozzie Oil, Mythica, Jannis, Condor, Waves, Manthos, Mistral, Town Pizza, 3W, Little Prince, Nafsica, Beachcombers, Summer Dreams, the snack bars, Glen's, 2Star."
How about Athens Bar - surely nico will see the season out ??
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We were in there last night. We'll be there again tonight to watch Greece try to get the one point they need to qualify for Euro 2012. It was actually quite cold - fleece time. There were four people including us and Lesley, so the joint was hardly rocking. The village was more or less deserted. We wandered down to Tasty Corner at about 9:30 and Condor's karaoke night had no singers and no audience.
Nikos said he'll stay open if it seems worth bothering, but may just open for a couple weekends.
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Had a lovely evening (Athena Bar) catching up and the ole man enjoyed his Kebab (Tasty Corner) as well....all looking good weather wise for a meze lunch on Thursday, enjoy your day, suns out and the breeze a little warmer today, I'm off to Arillas :)
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Heavy rain and 22C forecast now for Friday!!!!
Hi Jimbo,
Yep, it doesnt look too good does it, but after 11days of 30c+ temperatures in Lanzarote a cool Ionian breeze will almost be welcome!
You dont go to Corfu in October for the sun, its just not realistic, we are going for good food and to see old friends, I have my netbook so will catch up on some emails and Gill is happy with a Daily Mail crossword and a packet of fags!
A wet warm weekend in San Stef is better than a wet cold weekend in Cumbria!
I just hope the storms keep away from the Airport, I hate bumpy landings, might see you at the Airport if we are on time.
Andy
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There are people on the beach (what's left of it!) and in the sea. It's a glorious day for Gillie's birthday, and we spent a lovely few hours sitting up at Akrotiri reading in the sunshine.
What time is your plane due to land? We're due to take of at 15:15.
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There are people on the beach (what's left of it!) and in the sea. It's a glorious day for Gillie's birthday, and we spent a lovely few hours sitting up at Akrotiri reading in the sunshine.
What time is your plane due to land? We're due to take of at 15:15.
Hi Jimbo,
We are due to land at 13.00, Thompson flight from Manchester, hopefully, we will bump into you having a crafty last fag outside departures!
Weather permitting we are planning to have lunch in one of our favourite Harbourside Taverna's in Kassipoi on the way to San Stef, we were there at Easter at the start of the season and it seems only fitting that we have a final lunch there at the end.
This is our 4th visit to Corfu in 2011, we are now on first name terms with immigration!
Has Dimitri moved the tables inside at the Little Prince or are some hardy souls still outside on our table?
Happy Birthday to Gillie, watch out for Dimitri's tunefull version of 'Happy Birthday' if you eat at the Little Prince.....ear plugs advisable!!
Andy
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Happy Birthday Lovely Lady (Jimbo please pass on) hope you have fab evening and see you Thursday,
Also much warmer this evening so enjoy the match and love to Gillie xxxxxx Our temp control inside says 21c and its now almost 9pm cant be bad for October xxxxxx
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Have a great birthday Gillie. We hope young James treats you like a queen for the day. Wish we could be there with you.
Happy birthday , love from Sandra & Don x x
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A beautiful warm and sunny day here today in NW Corfu, phew was actually hot and had to put suncream on, mid October what a lovely treat for us all 8)
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Oh dear,
Looking at the weather charts for Friday Gill and I could be heading for a Don1 Special (plane aborts landing in Corfu and ends up in Kefalonia!).
Has Don secretly booked the Thomson 07:40 Manchester to Corfu I wonder :o
I think I will need a few drinks on the plane to calm my nerves!
Andy
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and Kefalonia is just such a lovely island ask the Captain xxxx
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Glorious weather today and tomorrow. Then, for once, all forecasts, the local seaweed spotters, Dimitris at LP, Maria at the paper shop, the dodgy donut man, the village Pappa, a couple of stray dogs we talked to on the way to the beach from which they are not banned, all agree that the weekend is going to be a sub-aquatic experience punctuated with very high-voltage electric discharges.
Could be a long Friday at the airport!
Lesley's being kind and optimistic as ever - the forecast for Kefalonia is just as bad. Still, Brindisi airport's supposed to be quite nice at this time of the year and it's only 17 hours on the ferry!!!!!
The good news - LP restaurant is staying open until Monday as a special concession to visiting royalty. :-)
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Also sign (I saw today) outside Makis and Sue's Beachcomber says open until end of October so that's another for the evening, then Kerry had taken over duties at mum & dad's (their on route to Ozzie now in Dubai) and the Juice Bar was open today opposite Margarita's. We went to harbour and the little Kantina there was buzzing.... Phew it was warm we ended up in the little bar above San Stefanos, on route to Arillas, Nikolettas it was warm and (although almost a local) needed suncream it was around 28c in the direct and low sun, phew, what a difference a day makes........
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Ok, so arrived last night and very quiet, I'd say 50 people in the whole o fthe village! Still gorgeous though. Eating inside at Nafsika, as always - great food.
This morning we sun bathed by the pool for an hour 30+ degrees, then the thunder and lightening came - good fun.
Hired a quad from Spiros and went to Akrotiri and the Arilas and current having great lunch at Gravia.
Talking to the businesses - Speros mat Nafsika and Nikos at Athens - the village will close on Friday 21st October.
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Accuweather is forecasting a low of 4 degrees for Sunday night and only slightly higher for Monday night. Blankets anyone??
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Arrived just ahead of the thunderstorms yesterday and it hasnt stopped raining since, temperature has been falling steadily as well and is now only 14c at 1pm, its a lot warmer back in the UK!
However, we didnt come for the sun and its great to be back, Gill and I are one of only 3 couples staying at the Little Prince so no problem getting a sun bed. We ate in the Little Prince last night and it was surprisingly busy with 35 customers by 9pm so it had a good atmosphere, we finally staggered up to bed at 2am!
Food and wine was excellent as usual and many thanks to Jimbo and Gilly for the Carafe of wine you brought for us :-* this went down very well with the Saganaki, Spring Roll and Meat Ball Meze we had.
As Benson said the Village is very quiet and some businesses are already closed, we drove through Sidari yesterday and that was 90% open with many people out and about despite the rain.
So its all inside at the Little Prince tonight with the heating full on, it will be a nice cosy atmosphere.
Yammas
Andy & Gill
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Glad you got there. Weather was looking very uncertain yesterday (Friday) morning after some good thunder and lightning in the night, and raining a bit as we had a good breakfast at Little Prince waiting for the bus. The bus arrived early, which was great news as the lightning was flashing over the hills towards Kassiopi. Then we used the bonus time up waiting 25 minutes for some clowns at Arillas who decided not to emerge from their rooms until the last second. Bus was still only one-third full.
The bus was 25 minutes ahead of schedule as we stopped at the Golf Hotel in Kerkira. This is a real Thomson's stupidity. That place and Corkyra Beach etc are about 10 minutes away from the airport. Why not give them a quick bus on their own? People from Sidari had been on the bus for an hour and a half as we waited for loads of people to get on. Then, of course, we waited and waited because some low-life parties had decided to get a taxi and not told the rep or anybody else.
Short time at the airport. I was pleased to see that Andy and Gill's plane had landed, and soon after that, ours, because the storm was approaching from the north. In the departure lounge there was a wonderful free light-show over the mountains with bursts of forked lightning of up to five seconds' duration. Never seen a plane board so fast at the airport, because nobody wanted to be walking down the ramp to the bus or up the stairs to the plane in a monsoon. The storm held off long enough for us to take off (on time) and very unusually routed southwards then east before turning northwards and flew over the Albanian mainland and Serbia.
Arrived early to a beautiful warm sunny day in Doncaster. Amazing. Still sweet-peas in blossom and good helping of runner beans on the vine when we got home to Hull!
We had a really great late-season three weeks in Ag Stef. We could never have predicted that the weather would be so warm and dry. It's a gamble, but this year it really paid off. If you don't mind taking the gamble I'd really recommend the late September and early October visit. It's utterly different from the summer, but it has its own special survivor charm.
Looks like Andy and Gill are the ones to put the lights out on behalf of the forum gang. Hope Andy got my note about the WiFi and the pile of porn mags I left under the bed.
Just that little hurdle of winter to get over and then we'll all be back for a bit more love and souvlaki.
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Hi Jimbo,
Thanks for the note, the Wi Fi is great but cant find the porn mags, I bet Dimitri nicked them the swine ;D
Still raining and the temperature is down to a bone chilling 12c which is remarkably low for October, Dimitri had to lend me his coat because of course I hadnt brought one! Forecast tomorrow is broken cloud and 18c which will feel tropical in comparison.
Had a drive through the Village at lunchtime and it was like the Mary Celeste, I think the Little Prince and Thomas Bay were the only places with customers!
I agree that late September and early October is a good time to go but it is a gamble with the weather, in September 2008 it rained for almost 2 weeks, Gill and I missed it by a few days so always be prepared.
Looking out across San Stef. towards the sea 'Donkey Island' is invisible due to the heavy rain and I'am sure I just spotted a few flakes of snow............surely not :o
Andy
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hi Andy
whish i was there had to miss san steph this year
if you are going past manthos o taverna stop for a drink
and tell the old man i will pay next year (not you don)
have a great time
chris no 2
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Just a quick final post.
Weather much better today and it was warm in the sun, village busier as well with people up and about.
The Little Prince is now staying open until Friday as they have guests upstairs and Beachcomber is open till October 28th as are several other tavernas.
About 35 people in the Little Prince last night and everyone was indoors as it was freezing, stayed there until 12.30am then went to the Athens Bar which was busy as Nickos was holding an end of season party although he will not close until next weekend (thats Greek logic!)
So its back to blighty tomorrow just in time for the first icy blast of winter, spring seems a long way off!
Andy
PS: Little Prince has just one room booked for half term week yet on the Thomson Website it says "Hurry only one room left"! ::) ::)
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Well despite a cold evening coming up this evening, I have to say it was a pretty lovely day today, blue skies and moderate temps round 18c not bad for Mid October.
Passed many non uk guests with their sticks climbing the hills and paths and asking them they were having a wonderful day and stay on our North West Coast.
So if you wish to venture theres still plenty going on .............PM for details have a fab time we are........................
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Did it go down to 4 Sunday night Lesley? Forecast 7 tonight!!
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I believe last night during the night was around 5c, sun was out again today and warm, but chilly again this evening. so its defo wrap up warm at night, and the blue skies today made for great photography.
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Snow was clearly visible from Corfu lying on the higher Mountains of Albania this morning, just shows how cold it has been, the clarity of the atmosphere in Corfu has been remarkable over the past two days.
Today was warm and sunny in Corfu after the cold start but Athens and eastern Greece had a terrible day with temperature below 14c and heavy rain, even Crete could only manage 15c while Thessaloniki didnt reach 10c. very poor for October.
Had a easy trip home, work tomorrow..........feeling grim :'(
Andy
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Andy - thanks for the reports. We'll have to leave it in Lesley's safe hands to let us know a few things about what it's like as winter comes and life becomes more as it was before the part-time invaders arrived.
My final autumn impression is that the more one goes back to the village the deeper the insight (but still too shallow) into the lives of the people who really give so much, possibly as actors, to make the summer dreams of those of us who come from Northern Europe or Scandinavia come true. We can get sun anywhere, but not the love and affection we've had from so many people, in such a lovely, zany place nestling in the hills, the steep olive groves, and the cyprus trees.
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A beautiful sunny and warm day , today, with a lunch (meze) at Gravia Cafe and a frappe followed at Akrotiri Lounge, was great to see people out and about enjoying the pleasant temperatures, and their holiday, ideal for walking. The beach was looking good again today although the beds and parasols have almost all been put away. It's chilly and damp now once the sun drops down into the sea so woollies are needed for that evening out stroll. 8)
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4 last night again!
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Been in Early to mid October but will have to try the end of the season .
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Reflecting on the 4 days that I've just returned from - I won’t be rushing back so late again.
I know its pot luck with the weather, and we all say we don't go for the weather but its no fun sitting inside when it's raining and cold.
And the village was so empty, with many places closed - in my opinion lacking much of the atmosphere we all love about Agios Stefanos.
But we did get 1 and 1/2 days of 'nice' weather, and thanks to a Quad, from Spiros bikes, spent the days at Akrotiri, Gravia and a bit further afield in the restaurants of Avionis. - Those of you who have not been to Avionis need to go, stunning views of St George and Arillas, good restaurants too.
The nights spent in the Nafsika - Theodora cooking as always un-missable. Way too much wine though!
So our next visit will be a week at the end of May and then a fortnight at the end of August.
These are just our thoughts, we don't mean to upset people who love it this time of year.
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my favourite weeks - the last two weeks in August!
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benson - nobody should be upset by an honest reaction!
Obviously the apartment owners and operators like San Stef Travel and Corfu Selections would like to make as much of the end of season as possible.
What some places do is to run residential courses in writing, painting etc. By mid-October there's loads of spare capacity.
For example, I could run some Creative Writing courses. Apart from being a professional writer and screenwriter, I've taught writing for many years, and still do at Hull University.
One fun course would be Writing for TV and Film. Daily seminar with extracts from movies. Discussion. Hands-on writing with feedback. And then creating a short collaborative movie based in Ag Stef with the delegates acting and as many locals as we could bribe taking part.
When you do this it doesn't matter what the weather's like - it can fit flexibly around beach or rain - it's very social - and even if you're never going to try to sell a screenplay you get a real insight into what professional scriptwriters have to do. Loads of late nights in Athens Bar. Naked sex scenes on the nudist beach. Mysterious goings on in the big yellow buildings. Murder in Mistral. Unexpected love in Akrotiri. Confrontation in Condor. Horses in the olive groves.
In southern Crete they do lots of arty-farty stuff. This is loads more fun! Needn't be expensive. Even a decade or so ago it would be too costly to shoot actual film. Now we can record high-definition video for next to nothing. DVD to take home.
Just a thought.
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An excellent one too Jimbo....okay over to you...dates etc please........
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Get writing a script James....
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Ah well - the point is, I don't write anything. You do! I advise, attempt to inform, give feedback, tell jokes, get the best acting part!
Anyway - it's not just me, is it? I know people who teach theatre, novels, music, poetry... Personally, I'd also like maybe to hear somebody from the University talking about ancient Greek drama, or the geology of the island - nobody can walk or sail along those sandstone cliffs and not wonder a little about when they were thrust up at an angle. And how about some actual Greek dancing lessons?
I may be completely bonkers (may? ed.) but with a bit of imagination and organisation a village like Ag Stef could provide something in October that would be fun, participatory, get loads of coverage.
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Sound like the Greek Eldorado......
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Well for next year (2012) we may have someone on board for eco style holidayss doing agro tourism if their place is ready, so wine/grape picking, honey bee collecting and then later into season olive picking as this is a sorta of 2 year rota one year lean and one year a good harvest.......laying the land ready for winter crops........so watch this space so why not along with the greek dancing ( we already help arrange 2 dancing groups each summer normally from Germany in April and September althougth they presently go to Afionas but no reason why this cant be expanded on and be wordwide for Ag Stefanaos) and Greek cookery why not for example at Nafsika or whomever is on board....... you cant beat home cooking.......Lets open the place for more than sunshine... that should be a plus sign, then we have the Durrell School in Corfu Town and an established organisation for literature oh getting excited here there could be so may opportunites....I worked in the Algrave for 3 winters and could never understand except for the golfers why tourists came during the wet months and we too here in Corfu have a fab 18 hole course here in Ropa Valley why people came to the Algarve, weather in Corfu same as Algarve they trade in , we dont!!!!!!! Now with the extended flights at end of season and early season could be a good marketing opportunity for someone........and Jimbo you are a man with ideas so - please over too you shall we set up a company 8)LOL x
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Well pleased to say. despite the rain at night the last few days for the end of season have been very pleasant for our last visitors here on the island, wishing everyone a very happy winter from at the moment a very sunny warm(ish) Corfu around 21c today xxxxxx P.S we will keep you posted on our winter activities........... 8)
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Jimbo's idea seems OK but how about a wine tasting holiday instead, it doesnt matter what the weather is like, you just visit all the tavernas in San Steph and sample the house red and white!
Afterwards you would need to compile a full report of your findings and any discrepancies would entail a complete revisit of all establishments.
Now thats my sort of out of season holiday ;D ;D
Andy
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Afterwards you would need to compile a full report of your findings and any decrepancies would entail a complete revisit of all establishments.
Andy - you've been rehearsing this scenario already! "Decrepancies" hovers ambiguously between decrepit and discrepant.
Good plot start. Half-cut Midlander has disappeared in the night. Gorgeous queen bee is sitting at her usual table in Little Prince while admiring courtiers come to pay homage. After four hours she notices that there's a strange absence. Could he have been attacked by Vlad, the Scary Big Black Dog? Could he have been abducted into the Yellow Building by Albanian squatters? Is he in Nafsika discussing the economy with Speros? Is he lying semi-conscious in the little stream below the wooden bridge on the beach? Is he downing shots of Raki with Nikos in the Athens Bar and raving on about his personal reasons for denying the overwhelming evidence for climate change? Has he broken into the Romanza kitchen to steal Kumquat marmalade?
Or has he staggered up to bed?
Exciting stuff!!!
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Jimbo's idea seems OK but how about a wine tasting holiday instead, it doesnt matter what the weather is like, you just visit all the tavernas in San Steph and sample the house red and white!
Afterwards you would need to compile a full report of your findings and any decrepancies would entail a complete revisit of all establishments.
Now thats my sort of out of season holiday ;D ;D
Andy
Did you mean: discrepancies
Sorry Andy, you and Gill ok?
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Love the vino angle!!!! Can I be an official taster too?????
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Dont forget Im qualified in the art of wine and hold the WSET Intermediate certificate. I would have to be there to offer a trained view!
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I've got a good corkscrew so I'm in
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I've got a good corkscrew so I'm in
Getting out can be a problem!
Still, good ideas coming in for what we might call an Oktovriosfest - ten days of art, music, dancing and booze. Shaping up nicely.
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Who is??
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Who is??
Care to expand on that a little? Best answer I can give is "a rock band."
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Andy - you've been rehearsing this scenario already! "Decrepancies" hovers ambiguously between decrepit and discrepant.
Good plot start. Half-cut Midlander has disappeared in the night. Gorgeous queen bee is sitting at her usual table in Little Prince while admiring courtiers come to pay homage. After four hours she notices that there's a strange absence. Could he have been attacked by Vlad, the Scary Big Black Dog? Could he have been abducted into the Yellow Building by Albanian squatters? Is he in Nafsika discussing the economy with Speros? Is he lying semi-conscious in the little stream below the wooden bridge on the beach? Is he downing shots of Raki with Nikos in the Athens Bar and raving on about his personal reasons for denying the overwhelming evidence for climate change? Has he broken into the Romanza kitchen to steal Kumquat marmalade?
Or has he staggered up to bed?
Exciting stuff!!!
;D ;D ;D Very Good Jimbo cheered me up no end
Andy
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The last holiday flights by TUI and Thomas Cook leave Corfu for the UK on Monday, anyone on them?
Any Taverna's still left open in San Stef this weekend? It must seem eerily quiet in the fading light of Autumn.
184 days till the 2012 season :'( :'(
Andy
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Well guys and girls. I just spent a fair bit of time reading the whole thread - very good and thanks to all,
a few smiles along the way - nice one!
I returned from India after 3 weeks, nice and brown, fully recharged for the winter ahead.
Fairly fit as we did loads of walking and I lost over a stone with Delhi-belly.
The local quack in Goa told me it was due to my Malaria tablets,
but my GP gave me anti-biotics for gut infections on monday, after 2 weeks taking an immodium every morning,
so I escaped the Indian hole-in-the-floor squat loo in the beach huts, and I went back to normal in 2 days.
We had sun every day and between 30-40C.,
Yesterday afternoon I had an accident in the park walking my dogs, when I put my foot down a rabbit hole and fell heavily.
I injured my Left ankle, right arm and shoulder, wrist and top muscle on my left arm, my right knee and my hip.
I had kyle with me (Grandson age 5) and all the dogs and I couldn't get up, off my knees, 10 mins later a passer-by assisted
and I hobbled back to the car, Just my luck, being on nights this week, I felt obliged to drag myself into work.
The pain-killers are wearing off as I write this and I still have to try and shop at Tesco's on the way back or no food!
Yes - right now I could do with 30C. of heat, and a chinese massage, but on Ag. Stef Beach and a lazy few days without the Dehli-Belly
but with the great food of Corfu.
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Tony wishing you well and a speedy recovery and relaxing weekend......
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Tony - get better! Didn't anybody tell you that exercise is really dangerous! We're all going "ouch!" for you.
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Hope you are feeling better soon.xx
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Does nobody care about the poor family of rabbits who have had the entrance to their home wrecked?
On a serious note be careful out there. Get well Tony.
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On another note as this post was origionally about 'winding down' - just to say most of the holiday companies customers will be leaving us in Agios (San) Stefanos tomorrow and it has been a lovely half term holiday week for those whom visited this area this late in the season. Hubby and I were out an about today and whilst we were dressed somewhat for the forthcoming winter approaching we enjoyed fab temps around 21c again today, (had to take our jackets off) - bright blue skies overhead and above the sun shone down brightly over the coastal areas. Wishing all a very happy winter and countdown to rejoining us all again next summer. And of course a happy Halloween. I have made via this website and met some great people via the forum this summer and looking forward to seeing you all again next summer......... 8)
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It certainly looked a beautiful day on the webcam this morning. There was a misty grey drizzle falling here.
Maybe I should, on behalf of all of us, say an enormous "thank you" to those of you in Ag Stef who have made 2011 not just a year of record sunshine, but also a year when so many of us have enjoyed the warmth, welcome and friendship of people from apartment owners, to bus drivers, to beach-bed attendants, to pool-bar waiters, to hidden cooks and visible dancers, to mini-market and other shop owners. In fact to everybody who helps to make it the place we come back to again again.
Please give us late season report on how the St Spiridon name-day parties go on December 12th.
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Well put Jimbo. Our thoughts exactly.
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Thanks Jim that says it all
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I'll add to that. Our hosts were all wonderful again this year, and we hope they have a relaxing & rewarding rest.
7 months is a long rest too!
Tony
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Thanks for the remarks above, I haven't done too much damage, worst is a strained tendon in the right arm, just a bit sore.
The legs are a bit stiff but going back to normal and I have been back walking the dogs in the park, avoiding rabbit holes.
Anyway, I am off to bed now, finished my night shift, on lates for three days before a week off!
Alls well and we are discussing when to go to Ag, Stef next year.
Prices are a bit high everywhere, so looking hard.
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So glad you're on the mend.
The news of the Greek referendum makes "winding down" a possibly prophetic topic!
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today whilst having a turf out we found 2,000 drachma- seems like it is best we keep it for later use!!
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6:41am on a cold and dank morning. Another day of leaving home in the dark then likewise work. Oh to be in Agios Stefanos even if only in the mind!
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Well just about recovered from my tumble in the park now, and up late again as I cannot sleep, still suffering from Jet-lag and time-zone problems after holiday then night shift.
6 days off now to adjust properly, and off to the comedy club tomorrow for a night out and meal.
Looking forward to next season, now looking for accommodation, I emailed Athens bar Nikos but no reply, maybe I'll try elsewhere if I don't hear soon, all options open right now.
where is the sun?
Raining far too much and the papers say we'll suffer with cold weather in 2 weeks time! YUK!
I hate damp cold winters!
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Hi Tony, I emailed Nikos last week as well and didnt get reply so not sure if he is perhaps travelling, if I see him in passing will tell him though that you also have emailed him.