Operation Resignation and a Walk to Arillas

The evening of the day after the storm I wandered down into the village to seek out somewhere to eat. Every night so far I’ve eaten at Spiros and Maria’s next door to Sun Sea View and haven’t been disappointed. However, I need to spread my horizons and see what else is on offer. I perused the tavernas along the main stretch which were all advertising their specialities. Menus varied from authentic Greek to something a little more Anglicised. Most of the tavernas were busy and I was confused. It was too difficult to make a choice. In the end, I headed back to Spiros and Maria’s where I knew that I’d be guaranteed a friendly welcome and good food.

The restaurant was busy and Dimitris offered me a seat at the bar until a table was free. As a table of 4 left, a man made his way to the table. Dimitris intercepted him and told him the table was taken – yes for me. Now this may not seem to be noteworthy but let me tell you as a solo female traveller that it really is. I’ve posted before about the trials and tribulations of eating at restaurants as a solo traveller. Things happen that would never happen if I was travelling with my husband – which I do now and again. His job just isn’t as flexible as mine so what is a girl to do? I love to travel and my husband and I are not joined at the hip! Anway, sometimes when on my own I’ve been signposted to a rubbish table, even when others have been available. Why? Because some restaurants want to give their best tables to customers that they think will generate more income. Well, I assume that’s the reason anyway. Nowadays I don’t accept this discriminatory behaviour. If a taverna signposts me to a less than satisfactory table when a front-row table with a nice view is available I will move on and find somewhere else to eat. Nobody puts Grandma Stephanie in the corner right! TBH, these negative kinds of experiences are far and few between nowadays but when I receive extra special consideration, I notice it and appreciate it.

I did feel a bit guilty. The man who’d tried to take the table had been joined by another man and was now dining at a table for 2. Here I was alone dining at a table for 4! This evening I had Gigantes Plaki, giant beans baked in tomato and dill sauce and Kokkonisti, a delicious beef stew cooked with tomatoes and cinnamon and accompanied by mashed potato all washed down with retsina from the barrel. Absolute perfection!

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The following day I popped into San Stefano Travel to see if the weather forecast was looking more favourable for either of the trips to the Diapontian Islands (forever the optimist!). The weather has been so changeable that they still don’t know if it will run and even if the Sunday trip to Othinoi and Mathraki does go ahead they didn’t recommend it. The wind will pick up in the afternoon and it won’t be the most comfortable of trips. The vision of being surrounded by people spilling their guts is my worst nightmare. I don’t get seasick but suffer from emetophobia – the fear of anything related to the V word. You see I can’t even say it!. I’m not going to risk it.

It was the Diapontian Islands and the opportunity to visit them that brought me to Agios Stefanos. Although the trips to the Diapointian Islands aren’t going to happen during my stay here, I’m so happy that I ended up in this little village. It has been the perfect place for me to rest and relax which was very much needed after such a busy season. During my stay so far I don’t seem to have done much except watch the changing weather which TBH has been fascinating. Every time I look at the sky, a completely different canvas has been created by – well whoever is in charge of the weather! Let’s say for now that’ it’s Zeus. Whoever it is, they are a true artist!

Whilst I’m here in the North West of the island I do want to see a little bit more of it. The bus service is very limited. Only the A1 bus from Corfu runs through here and only several times a day (and not on a Sunday). The lady in San Stefanos Travel tells me that it is possible to walk to the next village of Arillas. She directed me to a steep path adjacent to the agency and told me that there was a taverna halfway up and another at the top. She also advised that if I didn’t want the steep walk back to Agios Stefanos, I could follow the main road. Believe me, this was very useful information!

I started up the track, stopping occasionally to catch my breath. It felt as though it was a 2:1 gradient though my age and state of unfitness made it feel worse. The storms have definitely cleared some of the humidity making it much more comfortable to walk. The gentle breeze that whips over my skin is very welcome. I passed the first taverna, keeping the main goal of reaching the top as my priority. Boy was it worth it!

Agios Stefanos is set in a deep bay surrounded by low and gently undulating hills. This keeps the village relatively sheltered but to exit the village you need to climb – if you take this route anyway. When I reached the top there were spectacular views of Arillas Bay. To the right I could see the very tip of Cape Kefali and just beyond, Mathraki and Othonoi taunting me, giving me the proverbial two-fingered salute. ” You will not get to us” they call. “Sod you Diapontians” I say. I will get my revenge on you another day!

To the left is Arillas, but before I head in that direction, I stop at Akrotiri Cafe for refreshments. A slice of sweet lemon pie (for energy of course), a cup of tea and sparkling water – a nice reward for the effort!

Back on the path, I reach a crossroads next to another cafe called Gravia. I’m unsure which path to take, though the steep track to my right makes sense. As I consider my options, two couples reach the top of the track looking pretty ‘pooped’. They also seemed confused at the crossroads but I heard them mention Agios Stefanos. I was able to point them in the direction that I’d come from and reassured them that from here it was all downhill. They also confirmed that the track was the best way to get to Arillas so down I head. It was steep and a little muddy after the rain but as always, much easier going down than up.

Once onto the main drag, I could see that Arillas is made up of a mixture of hotels and tavernas, some of which have small swimming pools at the front. Everything that you need is within a short walk. As the road is flat, this would make a good destination for people with mobility issues. (I always have my travel agent’s hat on!) I don’t know if there is a bus service that runs through here but would imagine that you would need to hire a car. Judging by the amount of cars parked along the back of the beach, it seems that this is what most people do.

The sea is as choppy here as it is in Agios Stefanos. The wind is certainly making its presence felt but the sun is warm enough to entice people onto the beach.

I didn’t stay here very long. My mission was to see Arillas and I’ve been able to do that in a short amount of time. I decided to take the advice from the travel agency and take the main road back to Agios Stephanos. I have no idea what this option is like but judging by Google Maps it is on much flatter ground.

The narrow asphalt road initially takes me past several large villas set amongst allotments growing squashes and tomatoes. Further along, there is a small vineyard with rows of vines standing to attention. The map then takes me off the road and onto a path that looks as though it is leading me onto private property. As I get closer I can see the path skirts around the property and up a short incline. Eventually, I find myself on another asphalt road which snakes down onto a level plateau, and in the direction of the village. There isn’t much traffic on the road so if feels perfectly safe to walk, even ‘sans pavement’!

The road takes me through open countryside where the pine-clad hills wrap around the village. I spot a buddha on top of a container and what I think is the saddest looking Greek flag I’ve ever seen. One of the benefits of walking in solitude and not travelling by car, is the ability to spot little details like this – the tiny things that bring a smile to your face!

I spend the rest of the afternoon sitting on the terrace overlooking the beach. Those Diapontians in the distance are no longer taunting me. I’ve decided to fry some other fish. This evening I’m going to Kassiope!