The June 2009 2 euro No. 222 Corfu’s Enoglish Lranguagfe Mointholy Magat zine AAffiioonnaass:: TThhee ‘‘GGaarrddeenn VViillllaaggee’’ RReessttoorriinngg CCoorrffuu’’ss LLiigghhtt RRaaiillwwaayy GGMM FFooooddss TThhee ‘‘EEvviill EEmmppiirree’’?? Wherever You Wish To Go... Travel First To ALLIATAWAGEANT Y- SANSROTCCORSQAUAVRE EL BBEESSTT FFLLIIGGHHTT SSEERRVVIICCEE AARROOUUNNDD!! CALL : 26610 33955 (5 L INES ) Fax 26610 30471 Email: [email protected] Website: www.allwaystravel.cd2.com Affordable Homes!!! with ready paperwork SKALIA STONE HOUSE , Liapades. BRUNI HOUSE, Giannades. Old house charmingly renovated. One Beautifully converted cottage in well- KATIKIA HOUSE, Arillas. Delightfully double and one single bedroom. pretty resale mini-villa in rural 'hamlet' ten populated village with good facilities Landscaped garden with BBQ. minutes walk to lovely beach. Traditional - lots of tavernas nearby, adn only Furnished, plus appliances, TV, Sat etc Corfiot aesthetics, up-to-date construction 20 minutes from Town. One bed - included. 145,000 euro and installations. Two bedrooms, garden, room, very artistically decorated with parking, sunny location, country view. flair. Huge sun terrace with sweep - Very quiet yet near to facilities of low-key ing country view. resort. 150,000 euro ono Reduced to 80,000 euro! SANDIE’S HOUSE , Agios Panteleimonas SPRING MEADOW HOUSES , Agnos. Two bedroom vil - Four luxury houses, rural location near lage house, reno - beach. Unique heated pool with vated and immacu - Internet control. From 145,000 euro late. Two large patios with out - THEOTOKI standing sea view. COTTAGE, Parking, bus, tav - GOODGUY VILLA, Kouramades Doukades. Very ernas close. Near Compact villa in peaceful rural set - pretty just-reno - Acharavi. Reduced ting. Two bedrooms, one on mezza - vated one-bed - to 90,000 euro nine. Excellent finishings, tasteful room cottage in a installations. 125,000 euro beautiful village near beach. Tavernas one minute walk. Sun terrace with view. 125,000 euro THE SPITAKI, Sinarades. Little one bed - room house, GAVRADES HOUSE, Near Dafni. In a fully equipped peaceful hamlet 10 minutes from the and furnished, beach, two bedroom cottage-style AGIOS IOANNIS, Elegant villa, two and decorated house, fully renovated with style. Garden bedrooms, air-conditioned, with to high design front and back, pleasant country outlook, large pool. In peaceful country set - standard. parking bay. Now reduced to 149,000 ting yet near good facilities. EOT 60,000 euro euro license for tourism rental. Furnished and equipped. 189,000 euro ono For these and many other properties, call 6930 422917 / 6934 396335 email: [email protected] www.corfurealestate.com www.luvcorfurealestate.com This Month... P Afionas - The ‘Garden Village’ 12 The CPorfiot At the peak of the flowering season in Corfu’s gardens, Hilary Paipeti The English Language Monthly Magazine guides us around the village where the plants are best on show ISSN 1107-3640 C.L.R. - Corfu Light Railway 12 Proprietor & Publisher Phil Mawson reveals the history of the island’s old railway links, and tells us why there are plans afoot to restore it Pedestrian Publications Afra, 49100 Corfu GM - The ‘Evil Empire’ 16 Mobile: 6948 889174 Hilary Paipeti finds out what they’re not telling us about GM foods, and speculates on the true agenda Mobile: 6934 396335 email: [email protected] Website: www.thecorfiotmagazine.com Regular Features Ear to the Ground - The ‘Real Soap’ shop 4 Postal Address P.O. Box 445, Corfu 49100 People in the News - Durrell anniversary 5 Editor Hilary Whitton Paipeti Notice Board - Post your events 6 6948 889174 / 6934 396335 Animal Welfare - Information from The Ark 9 Columnists - Contributers Doctor in the House - Metabolic Syndrome 10 Phil Mawson, Maureen McNamara Fun - Aporkalypse Now! 18 Peter Harrison, Alexandros Tsopelas Thought of the Month 19 Louisa van Vuurde Information & Places to Visit 20 Classified 22 Printed by TYPOEKDOTIKI ALIKES, NEXT TO TSORIS TOYS Tel. 26610 37755 The Corfiot - June 2009 3 ear to the ground I CAN'T EVEN SAY IT: HYDROGENATED HILLARY CLINTON WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE UNOFFI - TRIGLYCERIDES, PHENOXYETHANOL, CIAL MINISTRY COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR METHYLPARABEN *, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE. Of course, SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE), they may be just a posh name for a perfectly natural essence, but which will take place on Corfu on 27 and 28 June. by the sound of them, would you like any of these chemicals near you? The US Secretary of State announced her decision during a dis - Well, have I got news for you... among many others, these are all cussion of the international affairs budget. Discussions will in the small-print ingredient list on the label of a well-known include European security. hand-cream. And since the whole point of hand-cream is to be As Hillary Clinton explained, her participation will be because absorbed by the skin (if the manufacturers' claims are true), you are also ingesting unknown chemicals along with the 'good stuff' of the decision, which was taken by Obama’s administration, to at every application. Same applies (no pun intended!) to liquid support international organizations. soaps, lotions, shampoos, and all the paraphernalia of the modern The US diplomacy leader noted that the meeting on Corfu will cosmetic cupboard. give her the chance to discuss Europe’s security and to hear dif - And the main ingredient in all of them? Aqua - water! Since ferent points of view. She also explained that ‘Estonia’s repre - when did the BigPharm industry start to charge us a fortune for... water? When I was a kid, we used SOAP. And there were only sentative will have a different opinion than a representative from half a dozen choices: Lux, Camay, Lifebuoy and the oddly named Russia, Greece or Portugal and all of us need to be able to dis - Imperial Leather (maybe first intended as saddle-soap!) were a cuss openly whatever is bothering US. This is why I believe that few. the OSCE meeting is the right place and I am confirming my A few years ago, I developed an allergy to soap (probably to one participation.’ of the chemical ingredients that have gradually made their way into what should be a fairly basic product). So I switched to liq - The meeting on Corfu could play crucial role for improving the uid soap, with the result that my skin no longer felt stretched situation in South Ossetia and warming the relationship between (slap on more chemicals with the moisturiser!), nor did I come Russia and Georgia, was Hillary Clinton’s answer to a question out in a rash. by the Democratic Senator Benjamin Cardin. Now I'm back on SOAP! Except this time, it comes without the chemicals. Yes, I've been road-testing our own local soap, from JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE ‘CAMEL’ JOKE ON PAGE 18 the Patounis Factory. IS AN ORIGINAL , not a circular or off the Net; it was my dad’s Though produced commercially, Patounis soap is still hand-made ‘party trick’. So when it starts going the rounds, just remember - in the old way. Apostolos Patounis, whose great-great grandfather you read it here first! founded the factory, believes that it is one of the few establish - ments left which makes pure, traditional olive oil soap by the old- fashioned ‘stamped’ method, as opposed to the more conventional ‘pressed’ process. The factory still utilizes the original moulds SATELLITE and racks, which date from the factory's establishment in 1891. INSTALLERS Only the basic pure and natural ingredients required for saponifi - NATIONAL TPS cation are used to produce the four main types of soap which are GEOGRAPHIC star manufactured by Patounis. The products range from a hyperaller - TPS genic cleanser and a soap renowned for its disinfectant and heal - B B C PRIME cinefamily ing properties on skin infections, allergies, bed sores and strained TPS muscles to one which even gets tomato sauce stains out of whites LARGE SATELLITE DISHES FOR BBC foot - move over, Ariel! SPECIAL OFFERS All the soaps are 100% vegetarian and 100% biodegradable. TPS FOR THE FULL SKY PACKAGE CINECLUB Being economical in use, the product has survived the emergence of detergents - and the soaps cost hardly anything compared with WATCH MOVIES, SPORT & DOCUMENTARIES modern creams and potions. WITH A ONE-OFF PAYMENT And, by the way, since I've started using Patounis' olive oil soap, I've not needed even a moisturiser; the only cream I use now is from: B B C sunscreen. euro * Parabens are a family of preservatives which are added to cos - Tel: 26610 34657 / 26947 FOUR metics. They are thought to mimic hormones, and along with a 190 cocktail of other chemicals, could 'gender bend' a male foetus if 6944413900 Ask for Paul used during pregancy, causing genital deformities and increased English spoken - Visit our shop behind Methodiou St. likelihood of cancer. And that's just one. I. ROUSSOS - ANDREA MARMORA 9 - TK49100 4 The Corfiot - June 2009 AAUUTTOOMMAATTEEDD EELLEECCTTRRIICCAALL SSYYSSTTEEMMSS SALES AND INSTALLATION OF SSAATTEELLLLIITTEE SSYYSSTTEMMSS Specializing in 2.4 m Dishes to receive BBC, ITV and Sky freeview or Sky package on the 80cm dish, also Hotbird, Astra, World sat, Hispersat and many more. All systems and needs catered for with free on-site no-obligation survey and quote. SALES AND INSTALLATION OF SSEECCUURIITYY SSYYSSTTEMSS Wireless and hard wired systems for the home and villa market. From a basic alarm to more advanced systems with GPS mobile dial - ing that notifies the owner of any activation from flood, fire or intruder. Free on-site no-obligation survey and quote. CCAALLLL CCHHRRIISS 26610 57263 Now installing in 6937 813195 Kefallonia [email protected] Zante Established in Corfu since 1991 Paxos The Corfiot - June 2009 11 NOTICE BOARD OLY RINITY HURCH This month's OHpen Monday toT Friday 09.30 - 13.00.C Tel: 26610 31467.