IONINNA

Next morning we set off for Ionnina some 90km away from Sivota on an amazing new highway. We passed mountains, forests and blossoming cherry trees. There was even a toll of 2.40E.

Snow covered mountains in the distance

The city is large with many facilities and although we were there to explore, we barely had time to enjoy the coffee by the lake and wander around the busy streets. Once again our tourist skills are not that fantastic, we have the best intentions but seem to always succumb to the yiros and coffee shops.

Enjoying the ambience

The renovated old buildings are coming back to life in the most striking way. The shop below shows how an old ruin can be modernised.

We headed back to beautiful Sivota and spent the rest of the evening relaxing by the water.

SAGHIADA and SIVOTA

SAGHIADA

The trip across to Sagdiada was everything you could ask for. The boat behaved perfectly, catching the light winds and slight swell with ease. Although the information we had suggested the small marina could be too shallow, we had no problems. It was surprisingly empty, making it a pleasure to be in.

The restaurants had a good range of seafood on offer and after an excellent meal we settled in for a comfortable night in the marina.

Next morning we set off south for Sivota, just past the ports of Igoumenitsa and Plataria.

SIVOTA

Sivota is one of our favourite places to stop at on the mainland.  The local authority has made an enormous effort to improve the facilities and environment for visiting boats. There is power and water available for an incredibly low charge (8E) and every effort has been made to welcome visitors to the port. Shops are just starting to gear up for the summer crowds so although it was still a little quiet, the atmosphere felt amazing. It seemed as though the shops and houses had all had a new coat of paint, flowers were everywhere and the locals were happily getting everything ready.

A large flotilla of charter boats came into port as we did making the wharf fairly crowded with novice sailors from all over. Thank goodness the night was relatively quiet with most of the music and merriment finishing by about midnight.

We needed to pick up our Transit Log and register our entrance to Greek waters in Igoumenitsa so we decided to hire a car and do some touring around the countryside as well. Last year we’d heard about an amazing café called Katies Cakes some 20 kms inland. This worked out perfectly as we would also be picking up our hire car there, so after a short bus trip the three of us arrived in Perdika.   

 

Sadly the café was not yet open for the season but we found an equally brilliant restaurant on the square and as usual struck up an interesting conversation with the young owner regarding every aspect of Greek politics and the sad state of the economy.

Mega Amos Bay

Our drive back included a stop at Mega Amos, a most idyllic beach cove just north of Sivota. 

 

Overlooking the beach

The beach at Mega Amos  is surrounded by a couple of family restaurants that run the beach chairs and provide great service. During the height of summer there are usually plenty of German and northern European scantily clad tourists sunbaking the shallows. 

In May it's fairly empty but beautiful.

Petri enjoying the sun at Mega Amos

It was hard to leave the peacefulness of the bay but we needed to fill up with provisions so back we drove to Sivota.

Our next stop was Igoumenitsa where we needed to lodge our boat papers with the Port Police and the Customs office.

CORFU

We arrived without fuss in Corfu with 70+ kg of 'very important' boat stuff. A quick taxi trip to the Naok marina and we were at last on our boat.  We found our new renovated bathroom excellent and all was just as we had hoped.

Our new bathroom

The weather was  superb, warm, not too hot, a slight breeze and a beautiful city to explore on foot.

The marina is close to the main centre and so a quick walk to the nearest 2E pitta shop and all was good!

Corfu children learning about sailing

The Naok marina from above

Corfu town is a delightful city to visit, especially in the early season, as the crowds are small and the streets are full of excellent restaurants. An added bonus is the amazing cost of eating the local dishes. We find the Greek people genuine and helpful even though our 'kalimeras' and 'efkaristos' are probably hopeless.

Greek pastries!

We feel very comfortable in Corfu town and could possibly spend a lot more time there and moving around the island.





Too much time can definitely be spent drinking coffee and Amstels lounging around looking at the ocean.

ADELAIDE - AMSTERDAM - WEERT

After 24 gruelling hours flying we arrived at Schipol airport surprisingly refreshed. Petri had sent us a rail card and so the journey to Weert was very simple.
Weert was so beautifully organised with so much history. Petri showed us around the town, we drank local beer and spent the rest of the night exploring the streets and squares.

A typical street in Weert

Petri in front of the house she was born in

Unbelievable - doggie strollers!

Cheese, cheese, cheese.

Town square

Next morning we headed off to Eindhoven to catch the Ryanair flight to Corfu. So simple!

bags all packed

Anne doing the chores

AGNI BAY

We left Benitses without any sentiment; it was not a place we want to love. 

The trip up the Corfu coast was pleasantly diverting as we pondered the stories behind the occasional tunnel dug into the cliff face, the history of the Achilleon palace whose gardens come down to the shoreline, the new fort at Corfu, 'Mon Repos' the huge mansion where Phil the Greek was born, and so on. 

The fort at Corfu Town

Mon Repos - Prince Phillip's birthplace

Our boat at the end of the small jetty

 

Soon we dropped anchor in Agni Bay and at the beckoning of the tavern staff, tied up at the end of the jetty at Taverna Nikolas.

We knew we were expected to lunch there and so forewent Toula’s to have whitebait cooked by Nikolas’ wife, Voula (absolutely true).

the bay

Boats anchored in Agni bay

Children playing by the taverna

Toula's taverna

We spent the afternoon resting, Anne went for a swim, and then we did as little as possible in the heat of the day.








Agni Bay is very pretty. The hills all around are covered in conifers and olives. There is a sprinkling of villas, but the bay appears to be quite isolated. However,  around the corners but out of sight are large hotels.  Nikolas is smart enough to offer a free boat taxi to both of them and so his taverna was full for lunch and dinner. The tourists are mostly British and there seems to be a tradition of remembering Nikolas and his family as he remembers the tourists and their family; very twee, but somehow nice.

Now at dusk, the sea is calm apart from the roll of wake from passing boats every now and then.  The chatter of diners drifts across the water, swallows twitter and fend off cats near the tavernas, Greek music is playing in the background. The 6 sailing boats including 2 large Lagoons drift around their anchor chains and the mistiness over the Albanian hills is starting to obscure the town opposite us, some 10 miles away.

We are relaxed, renewed and resolved to live this life for as long as we can lift the sails.