Corfu

Many years ago my wife and I attended a Collegium* Meeting in Corfu, a Greek island in the Ionic Sea, very close to Albania.

The Meeting was quite remarkable, as it usually happens in the Collegium. And, of course, there were many friends present, and it is always nice to see friends from other countries.

Apart from that, however, we were in a paradise. A lovely island, with friendly people and a very special atmosphere. Fortunately we had time to wonder through the old and new towns, learn the exciting history of the island. Besides history, there are the legends. Corfu seems to have been the mythical island of the Phaeacians, and it is said that the bay of Palaiokastritsa was the beach where Odysseus was saved from a shipwreck and met Nausicaa for the first time. Nausicaa was the girl who took care of him and later married one of his sons. It is also believed that Corfu is the magical island where Prospero lived, according to Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest. Shakespeare, however, does not mention the name of the island in the play.

I know that the world has many beautiful beaches, in many countries. Here in Brazil we have many of them, some of which still have to be approached by small boats, since there are no roads to reach them. 

The bay of Palaiokastritsa - Wikimedia Commons

But we had very sweet moments in Palaiokastritsa, one of the loveliest beaches in Corfu. The area is beautiful, the sea is deep blue and transparent, and boatmen will show you beautiful caves. So one morning we rented a car and drove there. We took a boat ride and then stretched on the sand to get some sun, staying there for a couple of very peaceful hours. Somebody in the beach recommended us a restaurant in one of the surrounding mountains, where each of us chose a live lobster that was carefully turned into a delicious and unforgettable meal. On our trip back to the hotel we were rewarded by a beautiful sunset.

Both of us have always enjoyed the Greek atmosphere. Now that Greece is facing so many economic problems, we really hope that they can solve them as fast as possible.

Corfu, however, has perfected the Greek atmosphere. Most probably this also happens in other Greek islands.

It is difficult to describe a country’s atmosphere, I am not capable of doing it. But it can be done. If you want to feel it without travelling to a Greek island, try to read Lawrence  Durrell’s book called Prospero’s Cell, written after he lived in Corfu for several years. He was a firm believer that Shakespeare’s Prospero existed and lived in Corfu. Besides, being a superb writer, he was quite capable of transmitting the magical atmosphere of the island to his readers. I had not yet read his book when I was in Corfu, so he did not influence me.

His younger brother Gerald Durrell, who later built a Zoo, spent many of his childhood years in Corfu, already collecting some animals. His first book, My Family and Other Animals, is not atmospheric, but is very pleasant to read.

Another book with a lot of Greek atmosphere, more recently written, is Barbara Bonfigli’s Café Tempest, which, curiously, describes the attempts to produce The Tempest in a small island’s local theater. Her description of the island’s atmosphere, although different, is equally persuasive and reminded me of Prospero’s cell. 

From Corfu we took a boat to the Greek coast and crossed the country all the way to Athens. But this is another story.

* Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Amicitiae Sacrum - see page Collegium ORLAS in this blog - Jan 2, 2011.