Antiques on the roadside

Just past the Chandris hotels on the way north a new shop has opened displaying quantities of old furniture and bric-a-brac on its wide pavement. Looking rather like a cross between a shop and a selection of market stalls, this is a great place to stop and browse. Anyone looking for decorative items for their newly finished renovation project, or a special piece of traditional furniture might well find it here.

There are trays full of old watches - great for a collector, and rows of old stone and wood mortars which would make wonderful garden decor, or - even better - vast quantities of skordalia! Some rather strange stone statues jostle for space with old wooden threshing slabs (I've seen one made into a coffee table in one of the smartest villas on the island). I saw an old wireless and typewriters and Nazi helmets (don't ask!) as well as cutlery, glass bottles, wagon weels and even a couple of donkey carts. Inside are heavy wooden dining tables and benches, intricately carved dark wood sideboards that wouldn't look out of place in a castle, and quite a lot of furniture whose original purpose you need to ask about.

When we there at about 1.00 p.m. one of the large tables was being put to use by the entire family of the shopkeeper. Plates of macaroni and tomato sauce were being served and we were asked if we would like to join them just before they all crossed themselves and tucked in. Only in Greece!
Susan

Roadworks!

Roadworks seem to be spreading all over the south of the island. On the way from Corfu town to Moraitika there are now three sets of traffic lights, plus the occasional man with a red flag, ending in the brand new roundabout. A very nice roundabout - the only problem is there are no lines on the road to indicate who has right of way. And in some cases people have problems working out which way.

Then, when you go over to Halikouna, the bits of road that are not now tarmac have been covered in grit/sand - all except for the 50 metres or so outside my house. I begin to wonder if someone has something against us! However, when you look at the photo, perhaps we are better off just being left alone, if this is what happens to the road after roadworks and tarmac!
Diana

Lost in translation

There is a plethora of online translation software to choose from - some of which is actually quite good. This company obviously chose the wrong one.

This short extract is from something called "An Investors Guide to Buying Real Estate in Greece" and is, we think, supposed to be about buying land as an investment.

Investing into a concept in a assorted land is a bounteous selection and would order competent investigate and some visits. Planning a budget and employed by is advisable. It is sharp to ready opening options acquirable by studying the sellers mart as concept prices and situations dont rest constant. Professional instrument from a topical attorney or concept consultant would be the prizewinning artefact to move it. Factors same concept valuation, rentals and ontogeny possibleness are areas of skillfulness and it is prizewinning to lease the services of a proven consultant . A beatific discernment of the regulations for apiece land is also pivotal before language some acquire agreement. Be player certain if it is a partnership or daylong constituent deal.

Hospital praised

We met a very nice couple this week who are intending to buy a property from us in the village of Episkepsi. Unfortunately the lady was taken ill in the early hours of this morning with severe stomach pains and taken by ambulance to the Corfu General Hospital.

Once I heard the news, I phoned her husband to find out if he needed any help, and he told me that everything was in hand and he was hoping to take her out of the hospital today with some antibiotics, as the tests had revealed a kidney problem. I warned him that as doctors are in short supply on a Sunday it was likely that she would have to wait till Monday morning before being discharged, thus missing their flight home.

He called me again later, to say that there was a doctor in attendance who had discharged her with a prescription and a report to take to her doctor in the UK. Full of praise for our usually much maligned hospital, he said that they couldn't ask for anything more and that all the staff had been very helpful and polite to them. How nice to hear praise for a change!
Sarah