Author Topic: Autumn 2015 report  (Read 17956 times)

Offline Jimbo

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Autumn 2015 report
« on: October 11, 2015, 03:47:25 PM »
All I can say is, we were very lucky. Before we left the UK on September 25th the weather forecasts for the entire two weeks were dire. Storms were raging across Spain and Italy, and their tracks looked like clobbering Corfu. We went armed with umbrellas, cagoules, changes of clothing, a laptop, playing cards and crossword books.

Our plane from Robin Hood was on time, and we landed at 7:25 in the evening. There were big puddles at the airport, but it was dry and warm. As the bus drew away from the parking bay the rain began and turned into a torrent. Only later did we learn that planes earlier and later than us were aborting landings, circling for a long time and then going off to Athens or Thessonaliki to refuel.

When we reached the second mountain range, the rain stopped. Joy of joys, the bus went via Arillas and not Sidari, and only stopped once to drop the St George's people before we arrived at Little Prince for the usual hugs. There was a tiny shower in the morning, and that was the last rain we would see for ten days. There was a cool breeze for 24 hours, and from then on, apart from one brief evening blow, it was remarkably calm and warm. It was my birthday on the 26th, and Spiros at Nafsika brought a goodly slice of cheesecake with a solitary candle. I was touched.

Apart from walking to Akrotiri and another day to Arillas, we did pretty much nothing. Dropped in on Lesley, and of course went to pat Jackie and Pete and catch up with Bod. We divided our days between the beach and the Nafsika pool, where I did quite a bit of writing sitting in the bower with a beer, so I was pleased to come back with nearly half of a new novella written.

We had some wonderful food. Nafsika was on the top of its form, with lovely fish, moussaka, lamb on the spit and more. Spiros likes to test new menu items out on us, and one lunchtime I had a fantastic starter invention: mildly-spiced slivers of liver, onions and peppers with a delicious sauce, elegantly served in a crispy baked potato shell. Utterly yummy. We spent quite a long time deciding what it should be called without reaching a definitive answer. We’d also moaned to Spiros that Agios Stefanos never had green beans in a nice tomato sauce that you can get everywhere else in Greece (flat beans, not those stupid skinny French things). Stung by this slur on Corfiot cuisine, he emailed me the next day to say he got some runner beans, and when did we want them? Later that day a superb lunch of said delicious beans, with scrumptious tiny crisp whitebait and keftades – meatballs.  At Nafsika you don’t just get food – you get cuisine. Also on the menu while we were there were lovely chicken kebabs at Little Prince, and, of course, a big bowl of moules frites at Beachcomber.

The first week was a busy one for the village; the second was the quietest I have ever seen, probably because Thomson had cancelled all Monday flights apart from a couple of main airports. Little Prince had only a handful of people in the evening, and mostly didn't do any dancing.

Met some very nice and interesting people  in the Nafsika bar - including Catherine Barnes, who is a superb artist, and Tracey, who is a somewhat gorgeous embalmer, of all things.

Wednesday evening there was a massive storm. We got to Nafsika for dinner just before it started, and when we left at midnight it had abated.

Thursday was the last night at Little Prince. The place was packed. Dimitris had laid some kitchen staff off on the Monday because it had been so quiet, and now, faced with a full house he had to spend the evening cooking. Pavlos, having closed Zorba's, came to dance and help out. Later Dimitris complained that Pavlos had used seven times as much barbecue lighter fuel than Dimitris used, and indeed Alex's Zorba's Dance looked a bit like a clip from The Towering Inferno. The smiles were genuine that night. It had been a scorching summer, and everyone in the village was exhausted.

Friday morning the tables and chairs were all packed away. Our bus didn't leave until 4:45 pm, and we spent the day at Nafsika Pool, had a great lunch, then went up to Hippopots to buy a new frog for my desk collection, and say goodbye to Jackie and Bod.

We already knew our flight was delayed, because Doncaster airport's arrivals web page showed the incoming plane from Malaga that then becomes the Corfu flight was on a fifty-minute delay. So, some sitting around in the cafe outside the airport, flight, driving back to Hull and getting home just before midnight.

Despite the gloomy forecasts - we had two weeks of wonderful weather. Agios Stefanos wove its usual spell of good food and good company. Gillie so did not want to come home that she burst into tears when Spiros kissed her goodbye.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2015, 10:07:00 PM by Jimbo »



Offline Karen

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2015, 05:10:54 PM »
Fantastic post Jimbo! Felt like we were there too! Gillie, I too get upset when I have to leave all our friends, never mind, soon be Christmas!! >:(

Offline mrsjune22

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2015, 06:02:42 PM »
Who doesn't get upset when they say their goodbyes to friends especially when they know,for various reasons,that they are not likely to be returning next year. love to Jackie.  form June.

Offline Jimbo

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2015, 09:43:10 PM »
I should also have mentioned the meet-up at El Greco organised by Gillian Rhodes. That was fun, and Gillie and I won first prize - a beautiful mug hand-painted by Jackie at Hippopots.

It's so great that people care enough to spend their time getting people together. That's entirely what Agios Stefanos is about. Thanks, Gillian!

Offline hippopots

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2015, 09:45:10 PM »
Great write up Jimbo, see you next year!   :D

Offline Sellsy

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2015, 10:03:25 PM »
Great post Jimbo, have never travelled to SS so late in the season, weather wise guess the mind set needs to run along the lines of whatever will be will be .Glad you did OK on that front. I would imagine flights and accommodation prices are a fair bit cheaper through October?                                           It must be strange to see shutters going up and tables and chairs being stacked.                       Anyhow we are returning next year with 6 San Stef virgins, we are hoping they will soon understand why it's the only place we return to.
Fingers crossed when the chairs and tables are dusted down in May that the beach has reset itself and the winter storms don't cause any further erosion.


Offline StevenM

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2015, 10:11:45 PM »
Great post Jim, thanks for sharing.

Steven


Offline debra

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2015, 01:25:40 AM »
I loved your post Jimbo.  So evocative of holiday life there.  I endorse wholeheartedly the gorgeous food at the Nafsika, it was brilliant.  We spent four weeks there and I did wonder if we would get bored - but not for one second.  Agios Stefanos wove it's magic into our souls.  We stayed at Fedra Mare for three weeks and our last week at the Nafsika - but eating there several times in between.  I so enjoyed our time at the Fedra - feeling like a personal house guest of Hari and Dimitris.  Dimitris making John's holiday by including him in his drift racing and taking him out with his friends.  And then there was Stephanos at Nafsika - he's wonderful - the whole team are at Nafsika - it still runs like a well oiled car under the watchful eye of Speros - who was more relaxed than I've seen him before (as it was first week of September and before we stayed in height of season - when sometimes Chris and Nikos etc have been know to run between tables!)  I know some people say Speros can be a little brusque - but I have always seen the genuine kindness underneath the professional veneer.  I LOVED IT there when I first went in 2002 and I still do.  Could there be a better location?  Could there be a more spotlessly clean room by the marvellous amazing superwoman cleaning lady Katerina? 

I, too, felt a little upset on leaving - I am determined to go somewhere different next year and stick to every other year - but I look, contemplate and then compare.................Oh dear

Offline Karen

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2015, 02:07:53 AM »
We love the Nafsika and eat there every night. Speros and the 'A' team are fantastic and the food is fabulous. Roll on next July!

Offline Jimbo

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2015, 02:15:20 AM »
Thanks, Debra. I could probably write a novel set in Agios Stefanos by now.

I count Spiros now as one of my real, dearest, friends. He's a fundamentally shy, thoughtful and intelligent man who spent many years in New York and was, for family reasons, obliged to return to a village on Corfu and run a hotel. He is an evangelist for food and Greek food, and cares passionately that we should learn what Greek food really is, as opposed to the surrogate Greek food served in most tavernas (that's me saying that, not him!). He tries, for the residents, to juggle the impossible task of balancing his genuine desire to give people the best, with the very tight money that TUI decide is the budget. Yes, he does rub some people up the wrong way. Sometimes they deserve it. He is not an ever-smiling plastic sycophant, though he can be immensely charming. He is a rounded and sometimes vulnerable person.

There's much flag-waving from some people about "I only eat Greek food when I'm in Greece." Except those are also people who want their food hot and all on the plate at the same time. It's traditionally somewhat rude to serve food hot, and real Greek meals arrive in bits and bobs. For really genuine Greek food, the soups at Nafsika are a revelation. They're light, almost consomme, and full of subtle flavours. Nowhere else, as far as I know, does traditional soup.

Spiros is always sad that more people stay in the new part of the village rather than come to the old village, where at Manthos and Nafsika you can experience cuisine like nowhere else. Plus Spiros' never-ending search to take a traditional dish and put a "twist" on it.

Offline RedroseMax

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2015, 03:54:32 AM »
After a couple of years in the Perros and Jasmine,we will be trying the old village for the first time next year,really looking forward to it,not that we didnt like it at the other two places.

Offline dibully

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2015, 02:53:05 PM »
Lovely post Jimbo felt transported back to the village will be sad to miss you next year but I'm sure our paths will cross again lots of love to Gillie x

Offline WINKIE

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2015, 10:40:40 PM »
Superb post Jimbo,thanks for taking the time to type that. As others have said, it made me feel I was back there too,you have a talent sir.
If its not one thing,its your mother.

Offline deelightful44

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2015, 10:47:23 PM »
We stayed at the Nafsika from the 18th sept to 2nd of October and had a lovely time,we previously stayed twice at the Athina,both very different hotels but we enjoyed both immensley,we didnt have one bad meal at the Nafsika and all staff are lovely people,we will return to ss maybe next year or the year after,both hubby and i have said we have never been so relaxed as we are when we go to ss.

Offline debra

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Re: Autumn 2015 report
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2015, 01:04:25 AM »
I agree about the Nafsika soups Jimbo.....divine taste

The old village has my heart - I have stayed once at the Perros and once at the Athina - loved the Perros and the fmily there - enjoyed the Athina - but I need to be in the old part - I prefer the view from that angle - I love the winding road - love the little church at the top..........I don't actually like the main street very much now.

 

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