XC 1X2

 Today was a complicated plan. In the summer they run ferries from here to Kefalonia and it would be a no brainer to take a boat over. In the winter it’s a different story. To get there first I need to take a ferry from Gaios to Lefkimmi, the south end of Corfu. Then the ferry company runs a transfer service to take me to Corfu airport. The plane flys direct to Kefalonia but with one stop in Lefkada along the way. With a 7:30 am taxi pickup to get me to my 7:45 am ferry, we should be right as rain. I packed up my bag and waited outside for the cab. He was early and we made the ride to the port in a couple minutes, before boarding even started. The fast ferry is smaller and only seats 50 or so people. Everyone is piling on the as we cross the gangway the attendant isn’t checking for tickets, he knows everyone already. People are chatting with their friends and family, smoking, or listening to music to pass the time. We make it to Lefkimmi in short time and I wait in my seat for the ...

 Liina gave me an enthusiastic recommendation for a coffee in the middle of the island so I made that my first mission of the day. I had my morning cuppa outside, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. People are curious about an English speaker they don’t recognize hanging around at this time of year. When people realize I don’t speak Greek they’re always shocked and curiously ask me where I’m from.  A resident After coffee I went to Lakka, the northernmost village on the island. Lakka is more vibrant than Longos but still quite small. Chris and Liina enthusiastic recommend I go to a bakery there for a specific loaf of dense barely risen bread. No need to remember the name of the bakery, it’s not like more than one is going to be open this time of year. I scanned the shelves and found a short loaf that bore a resemblance to my own baking when I improperly activate my yeast. I ate it on a boat launch and took in the scenery. The bread was more like a Greek focaccia. Mission fail...

Today’s first mission was to pick up my rental scooter. I woke up at 10 am and I’d arranged to meet him at 10 am. Oops. Luckily he’s only a two minute walk away and I was not delayed by much. Liina, yesterday’s aforementioned American, was kind enough to refer me which made things smooth. He doesn’t have too many questions to ask. It’s not like I can take this thing very far. After a quick riding test I was off. To start, I explored the south end of the island. Is this a selfie? It felt good to be back on a bike, especially in a way that I am not entirely accustomed to. In the US, being safe on a motorcycle takes a lot of work. Rider training, a quality full face helmet, anti abrasive gear from head to toe, earplugs. Out here the speeds are slower so it just doesn’t take as much to stay safe. The going limit on the island is about 25 miles an hour, this is generally adhered to. Some places are slower than that. As bicycle speeds, you can get away with bicycle protection. Helmets are op...

 Last night I walked everywhere I needed to go without looking at maps. Now that I’m comfortable, it’s time to go. Earlier on this trip I was reading Job by Heinlin, I find myself relating more and more to the protagonist drifting through ever changing versions of earth. Today is a ferry trip from one island to another. In the high season this would be relatively simple. Take a bus from Corfu town to the southern tip of the island and zip on a hydrofoil to Paxos. Since it is Sunday and the low season, I have to take a ferry back to the mainland and then to Paxos. Annoying but at least it’s cheap and comfortable.  Paxos Ferries aren’t typically part of the transportation landscape in the US and it’s taking me a while to get the hang of how things work in Greece. The boats in the states are small. The only car ferry I’ve seen in California is The Balboa Island ferry which only holds 3 cars at a time. These monsters swallow semis all day long. Small wonder then that the ports are...

 The plan was to rent a scooter and see more of the island. I’ve been curious to see the world outside of town and today the interurban bus schedule is not so amazing. As it turns out, you cannot rent a scooter in Corfu on the weekend during the off season. No matter, I fired up my Chevrolegs and got on with it. I still had my ticket from the old fort I bought days ago. The person at the front charged me, then told me the top was closed but I could come back later with my ticket. After some sweet talking at the gate (she was unhappy) I was discharged to begin my ascent. While the view was fantastic the most interesting thing I found there was a pair of tourists. A couple from of all places… Long Beach California. I think we were all surprised to be seeing locals so far around the world. Top of the tower I continued my walk of the road around the outside of the old town. There’s a lot to see and the ocean is so clear. From the walls of the city, you can look into the water and see t...

 Before I went to bed I popped my clothes in the combo washer/dryer. With a little luck, I’d wake up to clean clothes. I was half lucky, I woke up to wet clothes. Normally this wouldn’t be any sort of encumbrance but for two things. My room has the European hotel feature of not having electricity unless the key is inside the room. The second being that this thing takes over two hours to dry clothes. There goes the morning. Not much matter anyway, it’s raining out and I’d rather be under a roof anyhow. After an eternity I managed to escape my sudsy prison and try for an adventure. Corfu has a synagogue. Predictably, it is closed right now. I did learn an important fact for the day, there is a cruise ship in port and that means tourists. The once-calm streets are now full of families in ponchos speaking Spanish and Italian. Damn tourists ruin everything. Wait, I’m a damn tourist. I guess I can only get so grumpy when I’m a part of the problem. As such, I commenced cafe hopping with t...