Corfu's deserted village

We have visited Old Peritheia a number times over the years. On the first occasion the village was utterly silent with a mass of wild flowers underfoot and yellow butterflies in the air. It was quite magical.

So I was irritated at first to find a car park and a restaurant with it's extractor fan making a great din in this formerly peaceful place.

But the sight of a veg garden always cheers me up, especially one with a chair and a table with checked tablecloth!

A beekeeper was at work

and once away from the restaurant all was quiet.

The houses are slowly disintegrating.

It's possible to peer inside

but no longer safe enough to enter.

Ceilings and floors have collapsed since our last visit.

This is my favourite house.

Take a closer look.

When you stand on the veranda there is a cooling breeze that wafts from up the valley.

It must have been a beautiful home.

It saddens me to see it disintegrating.

But perhaps there's hope. Other houses are in the process of being restored. Perhaps 'my' house will get the same treatment before it's too late.

Back to the coast for a swim. We used to holiday for many years in a little place just above this beach and were last here about fifteen years ago. The taverna is now twice the size but otherwise little has changed.

Then along the road to the supermarket to be hugged and kissed by the owners. "Why so long?" they wanted to know. We bought some of their delicious honey.

I stopped to photograph from the road that winds up out of town.

It was a very nostalgic trip!