Pink Sunrises and Rickety Rails

At long long last we have returned to the Greek Islands, Lefkada to be precise, after a four year break. We couldn`t have asked for a better week. It was hot hot hot. We were mightily glad of our lovely shaded areas.

The villa was truly beautiful with views of Nidri town and the further islands, once owned by the Onassis family. From our hilltop home we could watch the pink sunrise.

And the sparkling seas.

We watched the ferry to Meganissi and the smaller boats going in and out as well as white-sailed yachts. In the afternoon we could watch parasailing around the bays.

 We had a warm, turquoise pool and my sister and I stepped up the lengths throughout the week, with her beating me by a long chalk!!! 

 

We had a wonderful shower to wash off the chlorine. And it had a great view.

 
Our exploration of the nearest beaches turned up one not very good and one just up our street; the latter reached by steep concrete steps, very narrow, backed by vegetation and with sea like a millpond. The water was very clear and it was possible to see the many tiny fish, some of which gave a nip every now and again.It certainly encouraged plenty of movement in the water, adding to our swimming targets.

 

We had lovely simple lunches on our terrific terrace.

 

Then we lazed the afternoons away, crafting, reading interspersed with bouts of swimming.

 

  I always love to craft on holiday and I made up a pack of felt llamas. Here is the finished result, hung on a cycad.

 

 

In the evenings we walked down the hill to the restaurants enjoying shrubs which I have never seen before .... 

 

 

 

 ...... Duranta Repens.

 

..... and encountering a horse and rider galloping along the main road accompanied by a moped!!

Past the scrawny blond dog who barked at us the first nght but thereafter wagged its tail whenever we spoke to it. After our first interaction, which must have been observed, a sign appeared next day saying in English, "Do not feed the dog."

 

 The walk was 25 minutes each way. On the first evening I wondered how I I was going to do this for seven days and it would be true to say that I had aching calves for two days. I felt like an old lady (well I suppose I am!!!) hobbling up the steps and hanging on to the rickety rail.

 

But then it began to get easier. By the end of the week we weren`t exactly running up the hill but we did find our fitness levels improving.

 

Oh how I love the Greek food. 

The ambience of the restaurants, so hard to describe.

The lovely waiters, friendly, happy in their work, sharing their glee when the young and beautiful come to eat. Saving the blue Indian wrap left behind the night before. The warmth of the evening, the savouring of the aromas, the sea lapping nearby and the Scops owl calling in the pine trees above.

This is stuffed red peppers. The filling ..... crumbly feta cheese.

One had gone before I remembered to take a photo.

 

Here is Paula`s salad which she shared with me.

 

 

On the way home an orange tinged moon accompanying us. The sky so clear I managed to get a fairly good picture.

Passing the tall white eremurus, glowing in our torchlight. And the old ruined windmill with its gaping doorway.

 

And so back to the villa for a nightcap .... ouzo!! And to enjoy the nightime views.

 

We are home now but what memories we have made.