Internet servers have been down all day Saturday. Today is Sunday and we have a tour on Corfu. Corfu is the second largest of the Greek Islands in the Ionian Sea. Over 100, 000 live on the island which has a long and storied past. Corfu is the legendary "Island of the Phaeacians" (Homer's Odyssey) named for the nymph Kerkira. First known islanders were 8th-century BC Corinthians. Over the years, the Venetians occupied the island at least 2 different times, the last being for over 400 years. The British also occupied the island as well, and Prince Phillip, husband of the Queen of England, calls Corfu his birthplace.
We visited Achillion, the summer palace of Empress Elisabeth (Queen Sissy) of Austria, finished in 1893. This was some 16 miles outside of Corfu Town itself. History tells us that she was very beautiful and quite vain. She was an exercise fanatic, always dieted and slept for only 4 hours a night. She was assassinated in Switzerland in 1898. Kaiser Wilhelm ( started WWI) bought the palace in 1907. Considering it was occupied by Italian and German forces in WW II, it looked in pretty good shape with a few of the original furnishings and some of the Queen's jewelry on display.
Back in the town of Corfu Town, the place was bustling with tourists as numerous cruise ships were in the harbor again. The weather was still horribly hot, so by afternoon, we were happy to return to the ship for a late lunch.
This was the old Byzantine Fortress across the port from where our ship was docked.
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