
We tried to introduce some variety in our breakfast by going to 📍Gabao. There was only one person on staff, and we were turned back because she could not accommodate us, even if some tables were free. Not wanting to risk a random spot, we went back to 📍Starenio bakery. Not to be completely outplayed by the event, we introduced a change in our order, featuring a feta and honey pie, a meat pie, and some yogourt. All good and fresh, the feta and honey pie is a tube of phyllo paste with feta in the middle twisted into an oval shape. It has a slight honey drizzle on the outside with some sesame seeds sprinkled for texture, I assume. It could have used more honey, to be honest, but it remained delicious.
Getting the car out of the parking lot in the early afternoon was a challenge. As we walked into the parking lot and made our way to the far corner where our vehicle was, we were stalked by a line of cars. Only the first could win, of course. We were about ten cars from the entrance and about a thousand vehicles from the exit, the parking lot lanes being only one way. Assuming our clueless tourist persona, we bolted for the entrance and exited against the 5-meter one-way corridor. We remain unsure if we would have had to pay for parking when leaving, but we assumed not, since, despite an attendant being present, all gates were up. That’s our rationale for disobeying traffic laws and dodging the exit, and we’re sticking to it.
First stop, the 📍Nymfes Waterfall. An hour and a half drive, with traffic. Some of it reminded us of the drive through the Amalfi coast. Many switchbacks to go up mountains with 180° turns, village crossings with streets only large enough for one car, despite being two-way, sheer cliffs, and hidden streets that you have to find and turn onto. The secret to the latter is to brake suddenly when you see it and yank the wheel, ignoring people around you and your passenger trying to record a video holding a phone over the dashboard; other people can brake too, and your passenger has a seatbelt and Applecare on her phone.

Things get sketchy towards the end of fall. There’s not much parking, just a section of road that is a tiny bit wider before it gets too sketchy for cars. Parking and, even more fun, turning the car around, were a challenge in driving skills. I made not so much a three-point turn as a six-point turn. But turned around the car was.
One thing nobody told us we had to bring to the waterfall was water. There’s a path promising falls at the end, there’s a rock face from which water could fall, but there’s no water. If you want a waterfall there at this time of year, you can either use your imagination or bring a truckload of water and dump it at the top of the rock face. Alternatively, you can look at it and imagine water falling. We opted for the latter, as we hadn't planned for the former.




Our next stop is 📍Porto Timoni beach, a twin beach: one twin on each side of a skinny sea arm. That beach is on every postcard of Corfu. As the Ionian Sea hasn’t evaporated yet, we’re confident in visiting a beach with no added water or imagination required. Arriving a little before 15:30, we made it to the village before the exodus traffic. Given the distance of one car's width and two-lane roads, it would have been challenging to navigate against traffic.
The thirty-minute hike down from the village to the beaches afforded us great views of the bay and, for the adventurous willing to do an extra 300m both ways, an unspoiled view of the beaches, the exact spot where the picture on all the postcards was taken. I must admit the postcards lied; there are a bunch of people on the beach, and it’s far from the pristine and private beach promised by the glossy postcards sold to tourists. The beaches themselves are narrow but sandy with clear water and a gentle slope. If the nearest service wasn’t 30 minutes away and our bathing suite was an hour drive away, we would have gone in for a quick swim.



Wondering why we didn’t bring our bathing suits? Well, dear reader, you might remember from yesterday’s log entry (don’t I feel like Captain Picard) that there were thunderstorm warnings. We figured it would be overcast and rainy, and it sure looked like it when we pulled away from Kerkira (the central city on the island). We thought, "Why burden ourselves with bringing back swimsuits and towels when we drop off the car at the airport?” In hindsight, I can say that because the sky might open up and we’re hiking to a freaking beach. We’ll hopefully learn from our mistake and bring the beachwear when going to the beach, regardless of the weather forecast.
After getting our feet wet, we hiked back to the village and stopped by the first restaurant for a quick hydration stop and to regroup on our following destinations. As you might know, the winter schedule came in early this year, so pretty much everything will be closed by the time we make it to them (it was almost 17:00). We came to the only conclusion possible: drop the car early and eat, drink and be merry.


Dropping off the car and hopping on the bus was an easy affair. It’s not even stressful once you accept that the bus will come when it comes. We stopped at 📍Josephine for finger food, a glass of wine, and some people watching before our usual dinner time on this trip.

Dinner was at 📍Pane E Souvlaki. Limited card of all homemade, you’ve guessed it, pita bread and souvlaki. Delicious, with meat that's juicy and tender, despite being cooked on a stick. The staff work as a well-oiled machine, getting you seated as soon as a table opens up, getting your order promptly, bringing you the food just as quickly and the check within 10 minutes of you finishing your plate. The lack of reservation is not a worry, as you’re unlikely to wait very long for a space to open up. While you might feel a little rushed, it’s well worth it for the food.

Tomorrow we’re getting thrown out of our apartment at 10:00, and our flight is at 14:30. We’ll have a couple of hours to go on an adventure before the trek to the medieval city of Rhodes.
Places
Gabao · Maniarizi Arlioti 10, Kerkira 491 00, Greece
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Starenio bakery · Gkilford 59, Kerkira 491 00, Greece
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Nymfes Waterfall · Thinali 491 00, Greece
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Porto Timoni beach · Unnamed Rd, Greece, Ag. Georgios 490 81, Greece
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Josephine · Kerkiras 4, Kerkira 491 00, Greece
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PANE E SOUVLAKI · Gkilford 77, Kerkira 491 00, Greece
★★★★☆ · Chophouse restaurant
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