☕️Coffee in Corfu 🇬🇷 with the granddaughter of the REAL Spiros Americanos from 'The Durrells'
Close Encounters of a Beautiful Kind!
Some travel moments simply can't be planned.
Today, while sitting at a local café in Corfu, an elderly Greek woman started talking with Jeff, thinking she recognized him. After discovering he only spoke English, she switched languages effortlessly.
Little did he know he was about to make a connection with one of Corfu's most famous historical figures...
"My grandfather was Spiros Americanos," she told him with evident pride.
For anyone familiar with Gerald Durrell's beloved memoirs about his family's time on Corfu in the 1930s, or the popular TV series "The Durrells," this name instantly rings bells.
Spiros was the larger-than-life local who became the family's driver, fixer, and dear friend - essentially their guide to all things Corfu.
When I joined Jeff after my doctor’s appointment, I was intrigued at the scene unfolding before my eyes. This woman was so friendly…but also larger-than-life.
Here we were, having coffee with Spiros’ granddaughter Anastasia.
She welcomed the photo Jeff asked to take together, and was delighted when we recognized the significance of her family connection. As she spoke about her grandfather, describing how handsome he was and how he stood out on the island, the stories from the books and TV series suddenly felt more real than ever.
Tomorrow, God-willing, we will sit down and visit with her again over coffee…and hear more stories about her delightful grandfather who made such an impact here on the island.
Tune in next week to hear “the rest of the story`” about our time together. I will share more in an exclusive EXTRA! post for paid subscribers.
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