Winding down

[benson]

Reflecting on the 4 days that I've just returned from - I won’t be rushing back so late again.

I know its pot luck with the weather, and we all say we don't go for the weather but its no fun sitting inside when it's raining and cold.

And the village was so empty, with many places closed - in my opinion lacking much of the atmosphere we all love about Agios Stefanos.

But we did get 1 and 1/2 days of 'nice' weather, and thanks to a Quad, from Spiros bikes, spent the days at Akrotiri, Gravia  and a bit further afield in the restaurants of Avionis.  - Those of you who have not been to Avionis need to go, stunning views of St George and Arillas, good restaurants too.

The nights spent in the Nafsika - Theodora cooking as always un-missable. Way too much wine though!

So our next visit will be a week at the end of May and then a fortnight at the end of August.

These are just our thoughts, we don't mean to upset people who love it this time of year.

[debra]

my favourite weeks - the last two weeks in August!

[Jimbo]

benson - nobody should be upset by an honest reaction!

Obviously the apartment owners and operators like San Stef Travel and Corfu Selections would like to make as much of the end of season as possible.

What some places do is to run residential courses in writing, painting etc. By mid-October there's loads of spare capacity.

For example, I could run some Creative Writing courses. Apart from being a professional writer and screenwriter, I've taught writing for many years, and still do at Hull University.

One fun course would be Writing for TV and Film. Daily seminar with extracts from movies. Discussion. Hands-on writing with feedback. And then creating a short collaborative movie based in Ag Stef with the delegates acting and as many locals as we could bribe taking part.

When you do this it doesn't matter what the weather's like - it can fit flexibly around beach or rain - it's very social - and even if you're never going to try to sell a screenplay you get a real insight into what professional scriptwriters have to do. Loads of late nights in Athens Bar. Naked sex scenes on the nudist beach. Mysterious goings on in the big yellow buildings. Murder in Mistral. Unexpected love in Akrotiri. Confrontation in Condor. Horses in the olive groves.

In southern Crete they do lots of arty-farty stuff. This is loads more fun! Needn't be expensive. Even a decade or so ago it would be too costly to shoot actual film. Now we can record high-definition video for next to nothing. DVD to take home. 

Just a thought.   

[Lesley]

An excellent one too Jimbo....okay over to you...dates etc please........

[don]

Get writing a script James....

[Jimbo]

Ah well - the point is, I don't write anything. You do! I advise, attempt to inform, give feedback, tell jokes, get the best acting part!

Anyway - it's not just me, is it? I know people who teach theatre, novels, music, poetry... Personally, I'd also like maybe to hear somebody from the University talking about ancient Greek drama, or the geology of the island - nobody can walk or sail along those sandstone cliffs and not wonder a little about when they were thrust up at an angle. And how about some actual Greek dancing lessons?

I may be completely bonkers (may? ed.) but with a bit of imagination and organisation a village like Ag Stef could provide something in October that would be fun, participatory, get loads of coverage.

[loftyscot]

Sound like the Greek Eldorado......

[Lesley]

Well for next year (2012) we may have someone on board for eco style holidayss doing agro tourism if their place is ready,  so wine/grape picking, honey bee collecting and then later into season olive picking as this is a sorta of 2 year rota one year lean and one year a good harvest.......laying the land ready for winter crops........so watch this space so why not along with the greek dancing ( we already help arrange 2 dancing groups each summer normally from Germany in April and September althougth they presently go to Afionas  but no reason why this cant be expanded on and be wordwide for Ag Stefanaos) and  Greek cookery why not for example at Nafsika or whomever is on board....... you cant beat home cooking.......Lets open the place for more than sunshine... that should be a plus sign, then we have the Durrell School in Corfu Town and an established organisation for literature oh getting excited here there could be so may opportunites....I worked in the Algrave for 3 winters and could never understand except for the golfers why tourists came during the wet months and we too here in Corfu have a fab 18 hole course here in Ropa Valley why people came to the Algarve, weather in Corfu same as Algarve they trade in , we dont!!!!!!! Now with the extended flights at end of season and early season could be a good marketing opportunity for someone........and Jimbo you are a man with ideas so - please over too you shall we set up a company 8)LOL x

[Lesley]

Well pleased to say. despite the rain at night the last few days for the end of season have been very pleasant for our last visitors here on the island, wishing everyone a very happy winter from at the moment a very sunny warm(ish) Corfu around 21c today xxxxxx P.S we will keep you posted on our winter activities...........

[Gillywoo]

Jimbo's idea seems OK but how about a wine tasting holiday instead, it doesnt matter what the weather is like, you just visit all the tavernas in San Steph and sample the house red and white!

Afterwards you would need to compile a full report of your findings and any discrepancies would entail a complete revisit of all establishments.

Now thats my sort of out of season holiday

Andy

[Jimbo]

Afterwards you would need to compile a full report of your findings and any decrepancies would entail a complete revisit of all establishments.

Andy - you've been rehearsing this scenario already! "Decrepancies" hovers ambiguously between decrepit and discrepant.

Good plot start. Half-cut Midlander has disappeared in the night. Gorgeous queen bee is sitting at her usual table in Little Prince while admiring courtiers come to pay homage. After four hours she notices that there's a strange absence. Could he have been attacked by Vlad, the Scary Big Black Dog? Could he have been abducted into the Yellow Building by Albanian squatters? Is he in Nafsika discussing the economy with Speros? Is he lying semi-conscious in the little stream below the wooden bridge on the beach? Is he downing shots of Raki with Nikos in the Athens Bar and raving on about his personal reasons for denying the overwhelming evidence for climate change? Has he broken into the Romanza kitchen to steal Kumquat marmalade?

Or has he staggered up to bed?

Exciting stuff!!!  

[don]

Jimbo's idea seems OK but how about a wine tasting holiday instead, it doesnt matter what the weather is like, you just visit all the tavernas in San Steph and sample the house red and white!

Afterwards you would need to compile a full report of your findings and any decrepancies would entail a complete revisit of all establishments.

Now thats my sort of out of season holiday

Andy

Did you mean: discrepancies

Sorry Andy, you and Gill ok?

[Lesley]

Love the vino angle!!!! Can I be an official taster too??

[Gavlah1973]

Dont forget Im qualified in the art of wine and hold the WSET Intermediate certificate. I would have to be there to offer a trained view!

[don]

I've got a good corkscrew so I'm in