Sushi on Pelekas Beach!
Pelekas Beach Hotel is now being run by The Aquis Group. During the winter it was completely refitted and refurbished and as a result it now has five stars. Amongst a host of new services are three restaurants, two of which are open to non-residents. They include an a la carte restaurant and a sushi bar! The hotel's bars are also open to non-residents and there is free Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel. Postscript: We recently tried the sushi and can thoroughly recommend it! Smoking Ban LatestGreece's health ministry is pushing to implement a ban outlawing smoking in all public places, including restaurants, bars and offices by the summer - a half year earlier than required by law. The new law does not require implementation until January 1, 2010. But Greek Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos announced in parliament that the ban would be pushed up by six months, to take effect July 1, 2009. The new law will have a heavy impact on a nation where nearly 45 per cent of the adult population smokes, and where smoking in offices and cafes is seen as a traditional pastime. The government has already banned smoking in hospitals and taxis and requires restaurant and bar owners to designate smoking and non- smoking areas to safeguard public health. However, the measures have been widely ignored. The Health Ministry has said the new law is aimed at saving the lives of an estimated 6,000 people who die every year from smoking in Greece. Under the new law, smoking will be banned in public places, including all bars and restaurants, offices, hospitals and on all forms of public transport. The restrictions will also apply in all outlets that produce and sell food. Avramopoulos said he decided to implement the law in the summer, because he believed that businesses and citizens would have an easier time adapting to the new law during the warmer months, when many sit outdoors. The new law will also impose a fine of 1,000 euros on the owners and managers of bars and nightclubs that fail to respect the restrictions. Repeat offenders will face fines of up to 20,000 euros and have their licenses revoked. New Bar at Pelekas Beach An unusually designed new bar has opened next to the hotel at Pelekas Beach. Petra Bar is circular and is made from stone, wood and glass. The windows are retractable which means that in the summer the bar is completely open. Due to its position Petra has great views of the beach and the sunset and operates all day till late with a DJ each night. Buses to the BeachThis summer's bus service to Pelekas Beach and Glyfada Beach started at the end of May. Buses to Pelekas Beach leave at 10.15; 11.45; 14.45; 18.15; and 19.45. Buses to Glyfada Beach leave at 11.10; 13.30; 17.30; and 19.15. Summer FestivalsPelekas Cultural Society has finalised its programme of cultural events for this summer. Highlights include;
Events take place in the two village squares, at the school and in the garden of the council office. Villas for Sale
Agiotfest 2009
There are only 1,000 tickets available for this concert and they can be purchased through the festival's website. Cookery CornerThis section gives you the opportunity to re-create some of your favourite Corfiot taverna recipes at home. This time, Swordfish Souvlaki.
IngredientsOne kg of swordfish cut into one inch cubes. Cherry tomatoes. Bay leaves (if large break in half, if small use whole). 1 pepper (any colour), seeded and cut into squares. Half a cup of olive oil. A third of a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. 1 bay leaf, crushed. 1 teaspoon of sea salt. A quarter of a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. 2 tablespoons of minced garlic. InstructionsWhisk together the olive oil and the lemon juice until thick and creamy. Whisk in remaining marinade ingredients - crushed bay leaf, salt, pepper, garlic. Place the swordfish cubes in a plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and turn it several times until the fish is well coated. Place in the fridge and marinate for two to three hours, turning the bag occasionally. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. Place a piece of swordfish on a skewer, then a bay leaf, a cherry tomato and a piece of pepper. Repeat until each skewer has three of each ingredient. Grill for 8-9 minutes, turning to cook evenly. Serve with rice. | EditorialDespite gloomy predictions, there was not an empty hotel bed to be found in Corfu for this year's Easter celebrations. One of the reasons for this was the fact that the new Egnatia Highway - linking the north-east of Greece with Igoumenitsa - has now been completed, allowing journey times of around four hours from Thessaloniki. Port authorities reported record numbers of arrivals from northern Greece and a large number of cars from Bulgaria were in evidence on the roads. We are also noticing another new trend this year. People are taking advantage of the increase in EasyJet flights from the UK and are coming for long weekends. In fact, rather than coming for a week, they are choosing to visit maybe two or three times in the low season. In the current economic climate this makes prudent financial sense! Combined with more and more people finding their own flights and accommodation online, the tour operators could soon be struggling to compete with this new breed of DIY holidaymakers! Corfu Trail Guide
The Corfu Trail is a long-distance footpath which runs the length of the island. Approximately 220 kilometres long and taking around 10 days to walk, it meanders through all the island's rural municipalities and avoids heavily developed areas. It links the very best of the island's beauty spots, biotopes, beaches, picturesque villages, monuments, monasteries and diverse landscapes. The Trail passes through Pelekas - at about its halfway point - making it an ideal centre for walks either to the north or south. A new edition of the Companion Guide to the Corfu Trail has recently been published in pdf format. It is available online for just 10 euros. Each day's information and guiding notes are on a single A4 sheet. The maps which accompany the notes are cross-referenced with the day they apply to. The sheets can be laminated for ease of use during your walk. Corfu Postcards
Born in Corfu to a noble family, Angelos Giallinas (1857-1939) is generally regarded as the island’s foremost watercolour artist, and his paintings, immensely popular during his lifetime, still command high prices. Transparent and full of light, they capture the charm of Corfu. The Beach That Lost Its Goose - Postscript
As a follow-up to the story in the last edition of Pelekas News, Marjorie & John Williams write; One of their photos is reproduced above. If you haven't seen it yet, click here to watch the film. Current Pelekas Weather
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Two newly-built cliff top villas have recently come onto the local property market. In a dramatic location, each has an infinity pool and incredible views down to Pelekas Beach.
They are just a couple of minutes drive from the centre of Pelekas. The villas are being sold through Corfu Premier Property.
Agiotfest 2009 - this music festival is held in Agios Ioannis, close to Pelekas and takes place this September. The highlight will be a concert on Saturday 12th by 'The Dylan Project', featuring Fairport Convention and former Jethro Tull members David Pegg and Gerry Conway, with Steve Gibbons, P. J. Wright and Phil Bond completing the line-up. 
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