Firstly Corfu.
Absolutely gorgeous, I think we are running out of adjectives to describe what we see, we won't however run out of them in describing some of the people we have dealt with!
We sent out an SMS with a photo of the beach in Corfu, where we eventually spent a lazy afternoon laying on sunlounges.
Met an English woman, who raised her family in Canada, working in a surf shop in Corfu, who was quite happy to give us directions, chat about how rude the non English speaking tourists are, I think she was starved of the English language, she wouldn't let us leave the shop but didn't try to sell us anything.
There are 2 forts at Corfu, a really old one and just a really really old one. We walked around the really really old one....whose idea was it to put anything old on top of a bloody hill, I tell ya I will have buns of steel by the time this trip is over!
Corfu has a cricket pitch in the middle of the park (past English influence) and has a working replica of the French riviera (past French influence). After a refreshing Frape overlooking this beautiful place, it was down to the beach. I don't know if they built it to look old or that's just happened.
The beach was Stoney but the water crystal clear and lovely on yet another 33 degree day. So that's where we stayed!
Katakolon (island of Olympia - you know, where the Olympics first started and where every four years the Olympic flame is lit!). Originally we were not even going to leave the ship, but we are so glad we did, we wandered around the town which is quite a pretty little place. We sat in a very local, bar and drank beer with the locals and used the free wifi. I think I have already posted on this so won't bore you again.
Dubrovnik, always a pleasure, this town is definitely one of our favorites. Found somewhere to get my nails fixed while Greg sat in an Irish pub listening to cronulla beat warriors (eventually) and watch new zealand beat Ireland (eventually) in the rugby (he is such a culture hound?) We had to be back on board the ship early this day as it is a long haul to Venice.
I do like venice, the history, the uniqueness of a town of canals, the call of the gondoliers to one another as they navigate the winding waterways. This place is truly one of the man made wonders of the world...but...The place could do with a good scrub from top to bottom, and the need for a skimmer box on the canals is obvious. Do they really need to still chuck every bit of rubbish in the joint into the waterways?But, nonetheless it has an undeniable charm. The public transport system is novel also. I think the public ferry drivers could employ the reverse thrusters when coming to a dock rather than just slamming into it, same effect less whiplash? Just a thought...
We wandered around the city, we joyfully parted with the 54 euro for 2 seats on a gondola for 1/2 an hour, hey, when in Rome!! And then there was our visit to the oldest pub in Venice, Established 1991..... (how is it everything else in the place is thousands of years old, but the pub is just over twenty?) Utilized the free wifi (again) drank the half pints by the 1/2 dozen, ate of their pasta and utilized fully their facilities (well they are free if your a paying customer). We decided after some more wandering that we would do the veneitian thing and sit at a table at Florians on San Marco piazza and have a cup of tea in a silver service to boot. Florians is one of the oldest traditions, they have a string quartet playing to you while you partake of their service, all for a mere 6 euro each, yep if you wander sround San Marco you can listen for free but sit down and that's 6 euro thanks. After our tea was thrown to us buy a waiter who wasn't short on attitude (perhaps a career change is in order) we parted with 30 hard earned euro and went on our way. Jumped a boat and took a trip to Murano.
This is another lovely town, again in the style of Venice, but way less crowded. The ferry trip was quite interesting, but a lot of fun. They are renown for their glass making, which is phenomenal. Just happened we finished the day there with a couple more beers and a couple of pizzas. Gluten what?
There are no celiacs in Europe! (you can see who is writing the blog now can't you?) While I am on the subject of food, it is apparent that despite the amount of walking I am doing, the number of hills I climb, all the swimming I am doing, it HAS NOT made a dent in my eating strategy in respect of my weight. I can't understand it? If anyone has access to Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers, can they tell me their thoughts on the benefits of having four beers a day (litres) a couple of crusty bread rolls a day (of course with equal parts butter) and pizzas as big as my house? And I threw all my fat clothes away before I left Australia.
On the way back to the ship, we again met some new people from the States and South Africa. They shared their thoughts about the cleanliness of Venice and the shame of the state it is in. Also a comment or two about the habits of some of the locals. If it were once or twice, you could turn your head. But seriously, they hack and spit in the street and on footpaths. They blow their noses with their fingers. But, hey, that's ok cause you can then wipe your fingers on the seats. Not to mention pushing in queues, into trains, ferries and lifts. Arghhhhhhhhh....So much for one of the oldest civilizations in the world? Where is the smooth stylish European gentleman? I know I can be a snob and a 'little' opinionated, but come on!!
Ok, over that now. Just had lunch at the old town of Bologna (yes a couple more beers...) On the train to Rome now and looking forward to what is ahead.
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