Kristin,

Yes, yes, Corfu is lovely. If you go, make sure you do as she did and leave Corfu town which is full of the ticky-tackiest shops and oh, how shall I put this, ummmm...."holiday makers" (as they say in Europe or at least the UK) on package deals.

It has always been one of "those" package destinations, but, I was so lucky to have experienced this island for the first time with an exchange student my family hosted when I was in high school.

I was taken to that high view point, but, at night. Total blackness, nothing open, including the tiny family restaurant we were going to.

Ding, dong, knock knock, "We have brought special guests from abroad". The lights strung across the two wooden picnic tables suddenly lit up. Soon the matriarch of the family started bringing out platters of deep fried calamari. There were just four of us. We ate and drank whatever appeared at our table. It was all good. So delicious. I can still hear the whisper of the pines (lots of them on Corfu)and the sweet smell of fish just caught that morning but prepared for us that evening, (I'm sure earmarked for that family).

By midnight my hosts and hosting restaurant family were surrounding us. So many toasts and happy feelings.

It was just not the same when I was there doing the "cruise ship" thing in Corfu town two years ago. I'm sure the magic of that island is still there...