Village People - Exploring The Hill Town of Lákones

After all the tourists return home, there's only around fifty people left in Paleokastritsa, most of the Corfiots who work there live in the hill town of Lákones, a 4 km hike from the seafront.

With the finest views of Paleokastritsa said to be seen from Lákones, we took advantage of our hire car and visited this precariously perched balcony-village via a twisty paved road with a terrifyingly sheer drop into the Ionian Sea beneath it. Not the most relaxing of driving experiences for someone who hates heights as much as Jon does, I think we'll take the less lazy option next time! 

 Our first stop was for a nerve-calming iced coffee, served on the terrace of the village bakery and, with Lákones not being a tourist spot, the bill was a fraction of the price of the tavernas at the bottom of the hill. From our seats we watched as a number of villagers tended to their plots on the slopes beneath. Most Greeks are self-sufficient, growing their own produce and, when the short five month tourist season comes to a close, their only income is generated from their olive trees but this year has been drier than usual and poor for olive production . Sadly, it looks like being a harsh winter for the Corfiots.

All over Corfu you'll find these death announcements pasted up on telegraph poles. Sadly our knowledge of written Greek is non-existent so I'm unable to tell you if the locals live long lives but judging by the locals we passed in Lákones, I think they probably do.

I have an obsession with photographing old doorways and windows, have you noticed?

I don't use the internet on my travels -  you'll never find me posting on social media when I'm away - but when I got home I googled houses for sale in Lákones and was amazed to find this pretty 18th Century stone dwelling that I'd photographed up for sale at just €55,000. I'm seriously tempted, imagine that view every day of your life and being able to escape bloody Brexit! Fancy joining me?

Meanwhile, back in Paleokastritsa.....

WEARING: 1990s Diesel shirt, 1950s novelty print leisure shirt, contemporary striped shirt with pastel coloured shorts (all charity shopped) and his beloved Birkenstocks.

The Paleo Inn had a perfect little spot for posing before going out for the evening. Packing-wise, I wore everything I packed - I could have got away with taking less but after years of backpacking it's fun to have options!

WEARING: Vintage Mexican maxi dress (2016, birthday present), 1970s Indian cotton block print halterneck (June, 2019, eBay), 1970s Dollyrockers maxi (2011, vintage fair) with a Moroccan tasselled clutch (2018, charity shop)

None of the other (predominately Brit) residents used this terrace, preferring to lie round the swimming pool downstairs - our idea of holiday hell. On the way back from the beach we'd buy a can of beer from the local shop and sunbathe undisturbed up here until sunset.

Although a basic breakfast was included in with our accommodation (toast, butter, jam, juice and coffee or tea) we preferred to buy fruit & Greek yogurt from the local shop and eat breakfast on our terrace and, as we always travel with a kettle and Pukka tea bags, made hot drinks whenever we wanted them. On the days we went exploring we ate Greek salad for lunch and on our beach days took a picnic of village bread, tomatoes, tzatziki and olive pate.

Each and every taverna in Paleokastritsa offers wonderful food (and we've tried most of them!) Sometimes we'd forego a big dinner and order a variety of vegetarian appetisers to share - cheese sagnaki, plaka gigantes, courgette fritters, stuffed vine leaves, oven baked feta cheese, aubergine salad, village mushrooms and the ubiquitous Greek chips! Vegetarian food was plentiful so if Jon, a carnivore, fancied a meaty option (slow roasted lamb shank or mixed gyros which he'd share with any passing cat) I'd have vegan moussaka, briam (roasted, seasonal vegetables) or herby rice stuffed tomatoes & peppers ...yum!

A new discovery for us was the village red wine, served chilled with added ice cubes. A carafe cost around €4.50. It went down a treat.

Cheers, Corfu - you were a joy!

Now we're back to yet more political turmoil, rubbish weather and depressingly dark mornings & evenings not to mention spiders the size of saucers and armies of slugs & snails creeping up the windows. Between downpours we've been working in the garden like demons as well as getting stuck into some serious vintage hunting and subsequent laundering and mending in readiness for this Autumn's vintage fairs. Hopefully I should have booked our next flight outta here before the end of next week.

See you soon!