The world from my window

There's something about this place, this magical place. OK, so we have sun, sea and sand. And plenty of it. But Corfu is so much more. Despite all the obvious influences of its conquerors, the island is just like this graffiti on a hillside crash barrier. It assaults your senses, everywhere you go. This morning, the swallows dart in and out, looking for a suitable place to nest. Oh please come, please . There's a cuckoo in the olive groves, a cockerel crowing, dogs barking, a dove in a palm tree and sparrows chirping in a lemon tree laden with sweet-smelling blossom. Our neighbour is next door building an apothiki and his little Chewbacca dog, who is just getting used to a drastic haircut, has just popped over the say hello. The azure water is crystal clear down at Paleokastritsa. The monastery's beautiful gardens smell of cat pee but you can forgive them for that when you see what's being taken care of in a box. A door looks out onto the courtya...