Wednesday, May 9, 2012

I believe in pink.

As my internship finally came to an end, I embarked on a journey across the Mediterranean that began in Greece.  Early on Saturday morning - like 2:30am early - Emily and I left for the airport to catch our flight to the island of Corfu.  I wanted to sleep throughout the journey, but excitement (and the cold airplane) kept me vigilantly awake.  As the plane approached the island, I caught my first glimpse of the beautiful Corfu.  
When I walked outside to experience the warm Greek air for the first time, my tense body relaxed for the first time in what felt like months.  Eagerly, I welcomed the sunny sky and the pleasant breeze.  Then, a shuttle arrived to take us to our accommodation.  As we entered the vehicle, I already anticipated that we were in for quite an adventure.  The bus sped out of the airport parking lot, through the streets of Corfu Town, and began to climb the winding roads that led through the hills.  As we neared Agios Gordios - the beach community where we would be staying - the bus driver asked Emily and I to close our eyes, for he had a surprise for us.  When we finally opened our eyes, the most marvelous site greeted us:
The shuttle pulled up in front of our accommodation for the next few nights, and Emily and I could not help but laugh - the building and all of the recreation facilities were bright pink.
The Pink Palace was indeed a very fitting title for this place.  When we climbed out of our bus, we were greeted by the son of hotel's owner.  He spoke with a friendly Aussie accent and immediately offered us shots of ouzo (which was, of course, pink as well).  We politely declined and were then led to our room which offered us a beautiful ocean view.  
Deprived of the sun for so long, we immediately hopped into our bikinis and bolted for the pool and beach.  I have never before felt so happy to lie in direct sunlight.  For what felt like hours, we soaked up the wonderful Greek sun. 

As the sun finally began to set, we remembered just how tired we were from earlier that morning.  We headed to sleep after a perfect first day, eagerly anticipating what adventures would follow.

The next morning, we awoke with the intention of traveling to Corfu Town that day.  Primarily, we were in search of fruit because our hotel offered very little in this area.  A bus arrived just like the day before to drive us along the winding roads back in the direction of town.  We left only with the hope of finding fruit, but we discovered so much more. 


The town was gorgeous, and we had a wonderful morning marveling at Greek architecture and walking along the stunning pier.
After a few hours, we returned to The Pink Palace which was surprising quieter than the bustling town centre.  We passed the evening sharing stories, laughing, and planning our futures over cups of coffee - like only Emily and I can do.  

The next day, a few clouds rolled in so Emily and I chose not to go to the beach.  Instead, we passed our final day in Corfu hiking up some of the island's hills.  Along the way, we passed delightful Greek villages.  Once we reached the top, we also caught a glimpse of the entirety of Agios Gordios.  Despite the cloudy skies, it was a great day nonetheless.  

The next morning, we had to say goodbye to Corfu and The Pink Palace as we packed up our bags to head to Athens - the next great adventure.  Once again, the shuttle arrived to take us back in the direction of town.  As the bus pulled away from the garish pink buildings, I turned around to catch one final glimpse, and I smiled to myself.  Corfu is truly a magical place that will exist forever in the fondest of my memories.