June 17th My presence at Economics tutorials at Oxford was as much a trial to my poor tutor as it was to me – My delivery of a meager essay on some topic such as the laws of Money Supply, that I never really believed in, would be followed by a 30 minute silence where … Read more
June 11th I finally managed to view the villa where a group of Russian clients, (not ours) were staying; they very kindly let me have a quick scoot around. I brought out my best schoolgirl Russian and told them that dark night lay over the hills of Georgia, that the River Aragva was foaming far beneath … Read more
10th June Five Star Greece villa tour – Corfu continued My villa tour continued, with an animal theme; Villa SK, just above a secluded cove up the coast from Avlaki, has an elderly bull-mastiff called Abi, She is doted on by Anna, the laughing girl who looks after the house, and is taken for a … Read more
June 9th
Five Star Greece villa tour continued
A dawn start to get some good photography done at Corfu CH, which is really one of the top villas on Corfu now, and then non -stop, frantic rushing from house to house, sending pictures, answering clients and forgetting mobiles, cameras and car keys all over the island.
June 8th
Corfu High life
It doesn’t get much better than this – magnificent villas in Corfu on the sea, two of which compete for the crown in this area – Corfu CH is an oasis of Aman-style serenity in the happy-go-lucky muddle of Greece. The colour of the pool matches the blue of the sea and the towels perfectly folded on each deckchair, orchids reflect in mirrors, pavilions are mirrored in the pool, stone paths wind down to little beaches, cypresses frame beautifully planted vistas, underplanted with blue iris and lavender. The other is an even grander affair with courtyards, vast terraces, and wonderful full length picture windows to show off the views. There were guests staying, ( not ours,) so I was told to say I was the upholsterer if anyone asked, and we tiptoed round, sticking to the shadows…
June 7th
The island hopper plane jumps from Crete, to Zakynthos, to Kephalonia, to Preveza, to Corfu. The stewardess just has time to explain about seatbelts before it is time to land each time. A great day out for 40 euros!
The first house to be visited was Corfu AT which sits grandly above Kassiopi. Secluded in its wonderful garden, it looks out through stone arches over its lovely pool and Albania. The owners’ children – a group of 6 university students, were there, and had obviously been told to tidy up and make themselves scarce, for they fled as soon as they saw us to take the boat out and spend a day pottering along the coast. The house was immaculate and anyone lucky enough to spend time there will see Corfu at its best.
June 6th
Ithaca
Those of a certain age who spend childhood summers on a Greek island, appreciate as no-one else can, the joy of coffee and condensed milk for breakfast. Thick and sweet, you gloop it into your coffee and stir. Infinitely better than any Nespresso or cappuccinos… It may have something to do with the fact that when we were growing up, the remoter islands like Ithaca only had goat’s milk as an alternative, which in coffee, or in anything else other than a baby goat, is truly revolting. I still get a thrill when it appears on the breakfast table. Try it!
June 5th Ithaca I woke up this morning to a big grey cloud that burst as I was having bread and honey for breakfast on the veranda – the rain banged on the cane pergola and a thunderclap with lightening flash made us all jump and shriek. The smell of hot earth and herbs steaming … Read more
June 4th
Ithaca
A day of house management – and a refresher course in Greek logic:
“ Penelope, this coffee machine is broken.”
“ Yes, I know, of course it is.”
“If you know it is broken, why do you put it back in the cupboard rather than tell someone?”
“Because I only thought it was broken.”
June 3rd
Architects in 19th century Berlin had an uphill struggle in their aspiration to recreate ancient Athens on the Spree. Ernst Ziller, brought from Germany to the Court of Athens by George 1st of Greece in 1860 experienced the ecstasy of sun-starved northeners exposed to the sunshine of Attica for the first time, and built almost 500 buildings in the neo-classical style that became the idiom demanded by the great and good of 19th century Athens – the King’s Palace on Syntagma is his most famous. Ziller is responsible for what beauty there still is in Athens, and the National Art Gallery has put together a wonderful exhibition of his work. Open till the end of August. www.nationalgallery.gr