2 CORFU PANORAMA English_1

“Green Jem”
Such charm of nature wouldn’t let mythology untouched.
The myth says that the island is a work of the God of the sea,
Poseidon.
He flew his trident with all his strength and separated a part
of Corfu to create his love nest with the Nereid Amphitrite
and they had two children, Triton and Benthesikimi meaning
deep wave.
Etymologically the word Paxos -according to Stravonasderived
from the Phoenician word “Paks” which defines
geometrically the shape of a trapezium.
Paxi is like a perfume: tucked in a small bottle.
But that does not diminish its value.
On the contrary, it multiplies it.
The same happens with this island.
It is small, but its beauty is far greater than its extent.
Once it was the “secret paradise” for deserted vacation.
Today it attracts many visitors, but the “green jem of the
Ionian Sea”, as it is called, has not lost anything of its magic
and no idyllic scenery nor heritage has been altered.
When talking about beautiful beaches, picturesque bays,
rugged coastline, spectacular sea caves, age-old olives,
pines, cypresses and bushes, we do not mean some of the
landscapes of Paxi. We mean any place in Paxi.
All these blend into a perfectly fitting set with the traditional
settlements, churches, chapels and dry stacks.
In the amazingly beautiful bays of Paxi numerous excursion
boats dock enjoying the idyllic nature.
Let’s get to know this tiny island better.
Its capital is Gaius. It was named after the pupil of Apostle
Paul, Gaius, one of the eighty wise men who were tasked
with the translation of the Bible.
According to tradition, he died here during a trip, after having
taught to the island the word of God. The legend says that
he is buried behind the altar of the church of Agii Apostoli.
Small, but with a strong “personality” the capital of the island.
Pastel and bold colors together, ochre in contrast with green
and indigo next to the pelagic deep blue characterize Gaius.
You will see the bust of George Anemogiannis, a captain who
was killed by the Turks at Lepanto in 1821.
The port of Gaius “embraced” by land.
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