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Post by *Di* on Sept 6, 2019 8:22:09 GMT
Disaster. Row 17, no window for my window seat. GRRRRRRRRRR! Oh noooo!! Double GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.. đĄ
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Post by kevb on Sept 6, 2019 13:18:34 GMT
No further reportage yet. Dennis sulking...đ
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Post by kelso on Sept 6, 2019 13:38:12 GMT
If I remember correctly it took him some time to get into gear on their earlier trip this year. I did reprimand him then but I don't think he paid any attention. Bob
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Post by kevb on Sept 6, 2019 16:13:48 GMT
If I remember right when I was furiously waving to the camera on Skopelos, Dennis decided to go see the quack instead...
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Post by dennisn on Sept 7, 2019 4:36:51 GMT
If I remember right when I was furiously waving to the camera on Skopelos, Dennis decided to go see the quack instead... And if I remember rightly, âfuriously wavingâ should be edited to read âskulking hidden away under the tree at the bottom right of the screen, which shall henceforth be known as âKevâs Hideawayâ and be avoided by right minded waversâ.
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Post by dennisn on Sept 7, 2019 4:47:34 GMT
So just a very quick first report before we dash off late to the beach. More later.
Plane landed on time, took ages to get to the carousel, then ages for the last six cases to arrive, of which one was ours, then it seemed like miles walking to the transfer coaches where they now park. So it was close to two hours after landing that we arrived at Villa Maria, happy as pigs in muck despite the delays. Sorry, but we have to get going, Iâll hopefully report on yesterday when we get back from the beach.
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Post by dennisn on Sept 7, 2019 7:59:32 GMT
So ... Arrival day. It took about three quarters of an hour to unpack and fill the wardrobes - if it had been me it would have taken longer and Iâd be shattered for the rest of the day. But off we went to get several heavy bags of supplies from the local supermarket. The fruit looks like fruit, canât wait to try the peaches, size of overfed cricket balls!
Then my long awaited first swim in the pool. Nikos said the pool is warm but the sea is cold, so it was a shock to discover the pool was at big girls blouse temperature. But I was brave and didnât get jeered at because Vera didnât come in order to give her new hairdo a rest for the day.
Meal at Vareli, tsatsiki with pitta bread, kleftiko for Vera and sirloin of pork a la creme for me. 1.5 litre water for Vera, large draft beer for me, 36.20 before tip.
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Post by kevb on Sept 7, 2019 8:17:36 GMT
If I remember right when I was furiously waving to the camera on Skopelos, Dennis decided to go see the quack instead... And if I remember rightly, âfuriously wavingâ should be edited to read âskulking hidden away under the tree at the bottom right of the screen, which shall henceforth be known as âKevâs Hideawayâ and be avoided by right minded waversâ. You remember wrongly, I must have left (after waving a lot, in full sun, in the OPEN area away from the tree) by the time you had come out of the doctors. No skulking at all, you just werent watching when I was waving but you are on holiday so I shan't mention it again. I've just looked back at the screenshots. They all have the fish van in them and I was standing waving in full view BEFORE it arrived so you've missed it, not sure I'm in any of those screenshots visibly.
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Post by cariad23 on Sept 8, 2019 7:05:22 GMT
Have you met your old lady on the beach again Dennis
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Post by dennisn on Sept 8, 2019 8:07:47 GMT
Have you met your old lady on the beach again Dennis No, we looked out for her and asked the old man from the Taverna, but drew a blank. Presume sheâs gone back to Athens.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Sept 8, 2019 10:18:57 GMT
So ... Arrival day. It took about three quarters of an hour to unpack and fill the wardrobes - if it had been me it would have taken longer and Iâd be shattered for the rest of the day. But off we went to get several heavy bags of supplies from the local supermarket. The fruit looks like fruit, canât wait to try the peaches, size of overfed cricket balls! Then my long awaited first swim in the pool. Nikos said the pool is warm but the sea is cold, so it was a shock to discover the pool was at big girls blouse temperature. But I was brave and didnât get jeered at because Vera didnât come in order to give her new hairdo a rest for the day. Meal at Vareli, tsatsiki with pitta bread, kleftiko for Vera and sirloin of pork a la creme for me. 1.5 litre water for Vera, large draft beer for me, 36.20 before tip.
That sounds smashing. I seem to remember you're not a wine drinker, is that right?
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Post by dennisn on Sept 8, 2019 10:36:03 GMT
Briefly before I report further, I'd like to record my utmost sympathy for cariad and kev in their nightmare return flight on Friday. No holiday should end like that and I'd only wish it on one couple I know (who are not called cariad or kev).
So, Saturday, 7th September, our first day in harness so to speak. We woke late and never got out on the beach walk until about 8am. The walk was glorious, absolutely calm, quiet and everything we love about it. We were caught up and joined by a couple of ladies who weren't rushing to drop towels and disappear off until lunch time. I tried to stamp loudly as we walked past Byzantium to wake Andrew and Tommy who arrived Friday same as us (different flight), but I got no reactions.
As we arrived at the beach, we saw evidence of stormy weather since we left in July - the road steps have been undercut and have collapsed in a very large lump, negotiable with care, but less easy. The skittering fishes came out in force to greet us, even before we got into the water. And they celebrated our return frequently throughout our swim. A solitary black swan sailed gently across the bay at some distance. The sea was so calm it was magnificent. Nikos had said the sea is cold, but I found it actually warmer than the villa pool. Vera said I gritted my teeth, which I denied and said I had concealed it carefully. No matter, my first sea swim was as great as I have been anticipating. We met the glass man - he walks along the beach every morning looking for washed up little pieces of glass which have been ground opaque by the sea and sand, which his wife makes into mosaics. He said it's been slim pickings this year.
We take an empty water bottle to the beach and fill it with sea water to rinse our feet when we leave, sitting on the wall of the taverna. Where we were spotted by Judith from the Facebook Boomerangers (she's the one who supplies the ribbons). I asked if her tan ever fades, because she always seems to be on holiday somewhere warm, including multi trips to Skiathos.
As we passed Byzantium on the way back, I wondered if that was Andrew and Tommy by the pool, but I don't know what they look like so I kept mum.
Breakfast was a great success, tomatoes like they've been injected with tomato flavour and the peach I ate was not only enormous, but perfectly ripe and tasted like it too had been injected, this time with peach flavour.
Nice comfy bus into town, with spare seats and a strange couple who got on and stood in the gangway, then when the seat in front of us was vacated, he got into the window seat and she put their bag on the aisle seat and stayed standing in the gangway. There's nowt so queer as folk!!
We couldn't believe the cheap sales prices in the shops, so we stocked up on dresses and things. By the time we reached Nikos Taverna for gyros and beer, I was fair hanging! Then I bought my sandals in the nice lady's shop - she asked what happened to the ones you bought from me in July and I had to say there wasn't enough weight allowance in our case. In truth, I had dumped them because I was panicking over hand baggage, mine being about 17 kilos for the 10 allowance - when I was checking for our trip this time, I discovered I had the weighing thing set wrongly to display lbs instead of kgs, makes quite a difference! I had to smile as we went down Papadiamantis street and I pointed out all the "our fav for gyros" places - facebook has a million on the Boomerangers page, all of them "the best gyros on the island"!!
In the Bourtzi, we landed in the seats served by the guy we dislike, that's the one with the long hair who likes his hair sufficiently well to toss it frequently. Vera was ready to give him a rocket, but her frappe was perfect, so we let him off and actually had another! There was nobody at the Agios Nikolaos counter on the old port, so we didn't book our trip yet. Having a day off Sunday so we shall book on Monday - we try to avoid the man who charges ridiculous prices and get the boy who gives us good ones. But we're going anyway, so heigh ho. Skopelos waving day will be this Thursday, I shall post times as we approach, so everybody be on the lookout. Remember, there are two waving points and I shall be wearing my new bright blue t-shirt, the only excuse for missing us is if you're meeting up in the Topiary Cafe for weekly discussions on the world's problems, in which case, please solve the Boris and Jacob problems.
Back in Troulos, we ate in Jasteri. Their tsatsiki is the best on the island (maybe I should tell Facebook and start a big todo about which is the best!!). We both had sea bass and it was so good, cooked to perfection, succulent and stuff. We had an extra frappe and glass of red wine (in addition to the litre of water and large beer). The bill for about 43 Euros came with two tiny glass thimble things of pink glop with whipped cream on top, quite tasty, but not many teaspoonfuls!
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Post by dennisn on Sept 8, 2019 10:43:25 GMT
That sounds smashing. I seem to remember you're not a wine drinker, is that right?
Quite right, I like the decent mouthfuls you get from a large glass of beer, not the small sips from a wine glass. Plus which, most wine is sour and I like it sweet - Mavrodaphne is the only one I've identified.
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Post by cariad23 on Sept 8, 2019 16:43:08 GMT
Great to hear all is well. I thought the sea amazingly warm at megali ammos, compared to july sea temperatures. Even muyhusband who is a big wuss loved it, he usually prefers the pool.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Sept 8, 2019 17:32:03 GMT
That sounds smashing. I seem to remember you're not a wine drinker, is that right?
Quite right, I like the decent mouthfuls you get from a large glass of beer, not the small sips from a wine glass. Plus which, most wine is sour and I like it sweet - Mavrodaphne is the only one I've identified. I disagree about the taste, but Iâm with you 100% on the âmouthfulâ thing. Maybe thatâs why I drink too much wine!
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