Picturesque beach reminded me of northwest Italy
Trip Start
May 30, 2010
1
20
60
Trip End
Ongoing
Mirtiotissa Beach, Ionian Islands, Greece
Monday, July 5, 2010
The bus ride to the beach was enlightening. I could see how developed parts of Corfu are (they even had a couple of stoplights!). There was plenty of traffic, new development and a full bus. We passed Aqualand which I'd seen advertised everywhere. It's a huge waterpark with countless pools, slides, parks, etc. The kids would go crazy there! There were also very nice villas up in the hills but without a sea view.
It still bothers me people don't dispose of trash properly. Here, like many places in Greece and Turkey, any empty lot tends to be a garbage dump. It makes me wonder where they think the trash is going to go. Even businesses and restaurants tend to have unsightly garbage around them. It just boggles my mind since people could easily dispose of trash properly.
The bus drops you off on a narrow country road (in the middle of nowhere!) at the fork to Mirtiotissa Beach. The road to the beach used to be a dirt trail but has recently been paved much to the chagrin of beach loyalists. Apparently the beach had a certain escapist vibe to it since you had to navigate this challenging trail to get to the beach but now anyone can come visit. The paved road does detract from the beauty of the beach too. There is no development at the beach but the road is right behind it and there is precious little beach as it is.
I read where spring storms washed away much of the sand from the beach. This was readily apparent since there was just a small sliver of fine golden sand between the road and the surf. You could lay on a rock as an option or take one of the sunbeds.
I was just blown away by the setting! It reminded me of the area around Portofino, Italy with beautifully forested hills and a deep blue sea. The area was tranquil and pristine (except for the ugly road). Behind the beach are steep mountains reminiscent of the Sierra Nevada. The new road to the beach winds around olive groves (why don't birds eat the green olives?) and an occasional small house.
I went for a couple of swims and enjoyed seeing plenty of small fish in the refreshing water. It's just too bad so much of the sand has been swept away since I can see how the beach would have been awesome. It was still extremely beautiful and serene.
