"All Summer Long......"

".....It was 2009, my thoughts were short, my hair was long
Caught somewhere between a boy and a man....."

"CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???!!!......."

During our second week with Becky, Pig and Hannah we decided to risk trespassing on Paul Deuchlands land once again, and took them to see Afianos village.

This time however we were offered the most priceless photo opportunity. There were 4 little Greek old ladies sat on a wall, and when Becky asked them if it was OK to take their photo, they beckoned at Hannah to come and sit with them. But Hannah was too scared so Pig very enthusiastically took the opportunity to squeeze in-between them and have his photo taken and they became very giddy and excitable.
Pig with his Greek Biatchos

Becky has very enthusiastically embraced Liz’s unhealthy obsession with “Greek Little Old Ladies” and never missed a chance to photograph them!!

................here is just a small sample of some of her great photos.

We hired a boat again, but this time we sailed round the Sidari coastline, we had been here before and seen young lads jumping from 1000 foot high (slight exaggeration) rocks into the sea. Keith & Pig decided to re-live their youth and do the same. We moored the boat and they swam off the boat and over to the rocks, but getting out of the water proved tricky, as the rock had a slippy mossy ledge and a difficult surface to climb onto. So instead of coming out of the water like Greek gods, they both emerged on all fours like a pair of grannies on ice!!!

Then to the rock itself! Keith had jumped off here last year with Gemma and Caitlyn but he said it looked a lot higher than he remembered and so he opted for diving in off a lower ledge. Pig on the other hand, was so inspired by the nubile local girls jumping from the top rock, that he just went for it!!!

Pigs can fly!!!....

He said afterwards he was in the air a long time, long enough to reflect on the wisdom of what he was half way through doing! They both survived and swam back to the boat, which had drifted somewhat, so they had a few hundred-metre swim to add to their death-defying feat.

We had another trip to Corfu town for some more sight seeing and some shopping therapy. It is getting much much busier now, it felt so much more lively than previous visits. As we meandered through the streets we suddenly found ourselves following a procession of traditional Greek musicians and singers, all in traditional costume, they looked like a salvation army band in gondoliers outfits; With guitars, an accordion player or two and a couple of women with tambourines They were fantastic, the singers were singing perfect harmonies as they strolled through the crowded streets, to the delight of shop owners customers and tourists alike, they were clearly busking for money encouraging all to leave money in their upturned tambourines, we followd them to the exit point of the narrow streets near to the old port.

Where Keith & Pig had to do another typical blokey thing!! Try on hats with hair!!! They were not alone in this pursuit as several German Dutch and Italian men were making equal fools of themselves much to the delight and embarrassment of their wives girlfriends and teenage children.

............................................................Chuckle brothers!

As usual we had lots of meals out in Restaurants and Tavernas but there was one treat that Becky had insisted on having, and that was to go to one particular restaurant…..The Three Brothers on Astrakari beach. It is a Fish Taverna that we often visit, although Liz doesn’t eat fish she is always very enthusiastic about going there. This is because the three brothers are great Greek ‘eye candy’ and always flirt with her. And having been there last year Becky (who also doesn’t eat fish!!?? )Was very enthusiastic to take us there to treat us to lunch for Liz’s birthday. The food was fantastic as usual, the girls had their flirt with the decidedly average looking George & Yannis, his equally plain twin brother, we all agreed it was a superb meal except for one minor detail, the wine, which was something else! If you ever want an example of a wine not travelling well this was it, it couldn’t travel off the beach it was undrinkable!!!!! The boys politely finished off the 1/2litre we’d ordered, then we all moved swiftly onto beer to wash the taste away.

On their last night Keith was doing his weekly gig at The Athens bar in San Stefanos. (Hannah couldn’t wait to see her favourite International rock star again!!)

This time we were treated to a guest appearance from a tourist who could sing!! A couple had been in San Stefanos to get married and the bride groom was a singer in a rock band, so with a little prompting from his new inlaws, he and his best man who was also a guitarist, got up and did a couple of songs much to the delight of the crowd of family and well wishers they had brought with them.

Whilst they were playing the mother-in-law came up to Keith to say thanks for letting “Damo” and “Dave” sing and play, and as she shook his hand she slipped a rolled up note into his hand! Thinking it was probably a 5 euro note; he didn’t look at it and transferred it into his pocket before going back up to play, it was only later when everyone had gone that he looked at this note to find it was a 50 euro note!!! Amazing what a thank you that was.

So our 2 weeks of having some great company came to a rapid end and we returned our visitors to Corfu town and the airport, and settled back into our usual routine, to prepare for our next influx of guests at the end of July.

“Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long……….”

p.s.

Keith has done 50 gigs since we got here.......it's knackering and he says he is starting to feel like an old man......so I went and got one for him!!!