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Date: April 24, 2004
Cities: Metsovo, Ionnanina, Corfu
Today's lesson: check the telephone ringer when you check in to be
sure that it wasn't turned off by a prior guest. Jane woke on her own,
looked at the clock and declared, "Oh #*%&, it's 7:00!" and we were
off at a run. Since we'd both prepared the night before, the only
things missed were calm, decorum, and Allan's shower. An associated
lesson was, don't be last on the bus if you don't want to have to share
a seat, which was uncomfortable for us.
At the peak of the Eipiros pass, about 5500 feet high,
there was some crystalized, slightly dirty snow. When we stopped for photos
there, several of the college girls feined making snow angels while
their friends photographed them.
The town of Metsovo, in the mountains just below the
pass, was pretty and very quaint compared to the tourist-centric
places we'd been before. Their local wine, Katoi, was said to be quite
good, so Allan bought a bottle while we were there. Jane haggled three
€7.5 evil-eye bead key rings for €10 total.
In Ioanania we made a disorganized stop for the citadel
and lunch. We had a coffee break, then walked through the citadel to
the far side where there was a Byzantine museum, mosque, and a tomb
covered with a wrought-iron canopy enclosure.
Since the group separated before entering the citadel, we walked
through somewhat more of the outer citadel than might be considered
efficient, but we got to see lots of interesting houses and
people. The outer citadel is still inhabited and makes a charming, if
slightly convoluted neighborhood to walk through.
 The
ferry to Corfu was one and a half hours of pleasant breeze and calm
sea. The Corfu Holiday Palace used to be the Corfu Hilton. It has a
sea side and a lake side. We were on the sea side; the lake side also
faces the airprort. There are also indoor and outdoor pools, a bowling
alley, gym, hair dresser, etc.
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