Culinary highs and lows

Leaving the madding crowd behind, we descend to Paleo, and again begin the tortuous climb to Lakones. Before that, though, we have the small matter of topping up the simm card in Better Half’s phone. Halfway through a call she got a beep and then received a message which was all Greek to us. So, off to the friendly local petrol station, source of all good things including cheese pies, octopus, teabags and advice on how to top up Greek simm cards. The message did indeed say what we had surmised, that there was one Euro credit left, but it was the phone itself that caused much hilarity. Clearly there is a market for slim-line clamshell phones among the cognoscenti in Corfu. Suitably recharged, we set off back up the hill, to Lakones, Makrades and Krini, in search of lunch, olive-wood sculptures and views.

Lunch first, in the Castillion Taverna, perched high on the cliff above Paleo and boasting the only external glass lift for what must be a very great number of miles. The setting is superb, the views stupendous, the lunch ordinary. Actually, that’s not entirely fair – our starters (Fried Cheese and Fried Marrows) were really very good indeed, hot, fresh and crisp, exactly as the should have been. It was the main courses, of Sofrito and Stifado, that suffered from being dressed up to suit the location. We enjoyed much better versions of both in the considerably humbler surroundings of Smurf’s on the beach. Still, we did get to go up in that lift.

Makrades was closed, as was Krini, so we took a few snaps and began to retrace our steps. Those of you who have read this far will be aware of how steep and twisted is the road up to Lakones, and how narrow the main street through it. I find it plenty challenging to navigate in our trusty little Fiat, so you can imagine our incredulity at finding those omnipresent tourist coaches lumbering their way up here as well. I simply have no way to comprehend how their drivers do it. Or the chaos that must ensue here in summer. Today it was bad enough, with several occasions where two opposing vehicles inch past each other with millimeters to spare. You begin to appreciate why each village has a set of traffic lights at either end, to make the passage of such leviathans at least possible, if not exactly convenient.

Stopped for a coffee on a delightful little terrace overlooking all five of Paleo’s bays, and enjoyed the wonderful aromas emanating from the bakery downstairs. They’re working double time at the moment, because everything is shut for Easter tomorrow, and there won’t be another piece of fresh bread till Tuesday. We’ll just have to live off the contents of the fridge, not exactly a hardship given the extent to which it is currently stuffed.

On the way back down, we stopped at yet another small pastry shop for baklava and sticky buns. Not another shop for miles, but this one’s open - got to get your priorities right. And finally back to the villa for a cuppa and a snooze, in preparation for a trip to Smurf’s to try out his Easter lamb which has been slowly roasting since this morning. Will report when the head clears in the morning…