Today is the feast day of St Spyridon, Patron of Corfu. Here are 10 things you might not know about Corfu:
Corfu is located north east of mainland Greece, but the northern coast of the island is less then 3 kilometers from the coast of Albania. Corfu is the seventh largest Greek island with an area of 592.9 km².
In Greek, the name of the island is Kerkyra. This name derives from a nymph called Corcyra, who was kidnapped by Poseidon, god of the sea, who brought her to the island. The English name, Corfu, comes from two rocky hills known as Corifes, on which the Old Fortress is built.
The capital is also called Corfu but is referred to as Corfu Town or simply the old town. The Old Town of Corfu Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Corfu has been occupied by the Romans, the Normans, the Venetians (from 1386 to 1797), The French, and the British up until 1864 when King George I agreed to give the island back to Greece. One foreign power it hasn’t been ruled by is the Ottomans, even though most of Greece was part of their empire. It wasn’t for want of trying: there were three major sieges in 1537, 1571, and 1716 but Corfu always managed to resist.
Saint Spyridon’s most famous miracle was calming a raging storm on Corfu when the people prayed to him. This miracle is celebrated every August. Spyridon is a popular first name for boys in Corfu.
It’s a popular film location. The movies filmed here include The Guns of Navarone, For Your Eyes Only and Mama Mia!
It’s also mentioned in a rap song. “I always meant to get you that villa in Corfu” is a line in Drake’s Still Drake.
Its highest point is Mount Pantokrator (906 m/2,972 ft).
It is the greenest island in Greece, which earned it the nickname Emerald Island.
Famous people born here include (according to legend at least) the poet Homer, Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Governor of Greece and Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, husband of Queen Elizabeth II and the longest-serving royal consort in history.
Christmas is coming!
A Very Variant Christmas
Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.
The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?
Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.
Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.
Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.
Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.
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