Cooking, drinking, enjoying

Oh man, the alarm clock is ringing too early again, but we can't dawdle. Thousands of yoga enthusiasts are waiting for us at the beach to be taught 😂 or at least one person.

The girl from the vegan café is already waiting, Laura can hardly believe that someone actually came 😂 we enjoy her instructions, it's getting a bit warm, but as long as the sun doesn't shine on us, practicing outside is bearable.

Karo and I only stay for 45 out of the 60 minutes so we can freshen up quickly for the day. We remind ourselves: cooking class at 10 o'clock.

We're really looking forward to it, even though we're still full from last night's dinner and the main dish is supposed to be meat. But so be it.

Just in time, we set off, I praise Karo for getting better and better at navigating... until she says at one point: "Oh, you can ignore the navigation system, it's gone crazy".

If I had done that, we would have driven past. Our way leads us up the mountain, we can't park on the premises because a large tour bus is blocking our way. It becomes clear that it has dumped a herd of Americans. Cruise people, recognizable by the stickers with a ship and the number 15 on them.

Arriving, we first have a drink before we explain in a complicated way why we are here, who booked it, etc.

The area impresses me. http://ambelonas-corfu.gr/

We learn that it has been in family ownership since 1600, but was destroyed in between. In the past, the wine and oil productions were also exported within Europe and to the USA, but this has not been the case for years. It is only used for events, dinners, wine tastings, etc.

After a fire a few decades ago, the area was rebuilt, Corfiot recipes were collected and compiled in a book. In this context, the cooking sessions or demonstrations were also created.

We learn a lot about the Corfiot, English, Russian and Venetian influences on the dishes.

Why is so much cooked with wine? Because the water on Corfu was/is hard, hence the wine 😂 we like that.

Today there is:

• Bread made from wine, seeds, etc.
• Pie without crust with zucchini
• Risotto or pork
• Tzatziki
• Cake
• 
  

Karo and I listen attentively, I sneak away from time to time to take photos.

We quickly start a conversation with the only other young people - Brit (I knew she was called that, without knowing it) and Justin. She is American, but with British roots, and Justin is Australian, living in LA with Brit. They have been traveling through Greece for weeks with different people, and currently they are alone and want to get to know Corfu. We laugh and eat a lot, at some point they ask us if we can give them a ride towards Corfu Town. Sure thing! The small car gets crowded, nice and cozy (We owe it to them, we don't have enough cash for the cooking session and they have to help us out 😂).

In Corfu, I drop them off at the water, we make plans to meet in the evening, because Karo and Caro have to go home and pick up Laura first.

There we quickly take a shower and head back to Corfu Town.

We park near the two new acquaintances and walk into the center... the heat is making my eyes water. But I'm happy, because Karo and Laura quickly make it clear that they find it beautiful here. I can understand that 😊 It's simply a city with flair and so much attention to detail and a thousand cultural influences.

I go back to the FAB Beauty bar to have my battered nails done, Laura goes to the café next door and has to work, Karo keeps her company.

After 1.5 hours, my namesake picks me up and we meet Brit and Justin for a beer, stroll through the city, and settle down for a cocktail. But please: these prices! €12 for a cocktail?! Man, oh man.

But I get to know a drink and immediately love it: Espresso martini (or something like that). Yummy.

We get up, because Karo and I have to go to the Schulenburg statue, where our guided city tour starts with a wine tasting at the end. We meet the guide at 8:30, she is a sweetheart, friendly, knowledgeable, and open. The three of us enjoy the city in the evening light, Karo and I learn so much.

Why am I taking the tour when I've already been in town several times and even lived here for a few days? Simply because you get a different perspective, can better place many places, understand connections. For 2 hours, we wander through the historic old town, I now know so much more, for example, that:

• - there are 200 villages and 800 churches on Corfu
• 
  
• - the 1st university in Greece was on Corfu
• 
  
• - Odysseus was on Corfu last before his journey home
• 
  
• 1 2 windows in the houses indicate Venetian origin, more than 2 for example indicate English rule
• 
  
• - there are still 60 Jews on Corfu and the rabbi always travels from Athens

In the end, the three of us sit down at Josephine's, where Brit and Justin join us. Laura is on a mission, because she is picking up her friend Jo from the harbor, we will see her again the next morning.

We end the evening with wine, shandy, the realization that the French can hardly speak English, and the kind words: "If you ever end up in Australia or LA, you will definitely have a roof over your head, we would be happy." ♥️