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Post by dennisn on Jul 11, 2018 18:36:46 GMT
Monday 9th July
First jeep day, off to the beach for swim very early and got there before 7am. Glorious swim again and I nearly beat Vera in, but only nearly!
We set off in the jeep, down to Koukounaries to turn off before the end to go north. Once off road, we ambled gently along, slowly enough for any animals to avoid us and for us to enjoy the views we love so much. The unsurfaced roads were reasonable and we drove north to run along the coast past all the small beaches, eventually wending our careful twisty upsy downsy way to Asellinos beach for a refreshment in the taverna there.
Then back onto the forest roads to Ligaries for lunch. Because I rive so slowly, it took us just the right amount of time to get there in time for midday lunch. Their excellent Greek salad washed down with Amstel Free beer (alcohol free). It's a long time since I learned to like the Greek peasant food of bread and olive oil and I am able to indulge that with this salad.
We then headed off through Kechria beach. I knew I was asking a lot of Vera, but I had been told that more work had been done on the road, so I set off confidently expecting success. I was wrong. The only change I found was a concrete wall at the bottom on one of the bends, but the very bottom bend was still the same. I misjudged the tightness and had to stop to re-adjust my approach, backing up a bit to get more angle. The tyres were less than new, so the first couple of tries suffered noisy wheelspin - terrifying for Vera (who had already disembarked) and hugely entertaining for all the onlookers. So along came a right plonker on a quad, approaching up the bottom few yards of the hill, where there was no chance of us passing each other, and started to yell at me to get out of his way. His wife got off and came to yell too. According to Greek traffic law, he should have given way to me, reversing back down the odd few yards to let me get down, but he didn't. So I pulled left into the entrance way to the taverna and let him go, preceded with a comment to his wife that if he didn't know how to drive a quad he shouldn't hire one!
The climb out of the other side of Kechria was just as bad as we remembered, so 4 wheel drive persisted for quite some distance - those things stink of something wrong in 4WD and don't give you a lot of confidence that they can stay alive! That will be our last trip there I'm afraid - I'm happy enough with it because I'm driving, but Vera was truly petrified.
Performing a circuit, we returned via the valley running down into Agia Paraskevi. At one stage, I spotted an oncoming large lorry, so I stopped and waited for him at a wider (small) spot and he gave me a nod as he went by. I thought it was worthy of an effusive gesture of gratitude for saving him from stopping head on, but apparently you can't have it all.
We ate at Varelli, where we arrived to find them battening down the hatches and moving all the tables under cover in anticipation of more rain. By the time we had eaten our tsatsiki, the gusting wind cracking the side blinds persuaded me to make the short walk back to Villa Maria to close the roof of the Jimny and to close our room shutters to prevent a slamming of doors with consequent broken glass. It spotted with rain as I set off and was doing more as I walked back - with my back to the wind, my shirt back got quite wet, because, of course, I completely forgot about the pacamacs and umbrellas in our wardrobe!
But who cares? We're still enjoying our holiday.
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Post by dennisn on Jul 11, 2018 19:10:12 GMT
Tuesday 10th July
We don't give up our morning swim just because we have a jeep and we were rewarded by a huge shoal of skittering fishes at the far end of the bay. I tried (weakly) to beat Vera into the sea, without success. Most of this is down to what a gentleman I am. I put my hat down on the sand for our glasses. Then the bag for our over clothes. I let Vera put hers in first to avoid being wet by hands when we get them out, then my t-shirt to give her extra wet protection, then the towel on top for final proofness. In the meantime, she's off and away and I'm left to catch up, which I'm not good at. So she beats me every time. But at least, I have got over the Big Girls Blouse effect now.
Off towards town. Turn left along club strip to see Geoge's (ex Salt and Pepper) new restaurant (which they say costs an arm and a leg to eat in), then up to the road to Xanemos. As we turned past the end of the runway, a plane was coming out to leave. I hoped to reach Xanemos in time to experience it flying overhead, but didn't get there in time. Round the far end and up the steep concrete hill towards the village up there, Kalivia, approaching via a typical narrow road with enough space to let me get through still with the wing mirrors on. The taverna I was aiming for was shut! So onward to Platanos Restaurant, for their Platanos omelette and an Amstel Free each (well, I had two because they were only 330ml). I demonstrated more wheelspin getting the thing out backwards up the parking area drop. Next time I'll ask for one with tread on the tyres! I mean, I've driven well over 19,000 miles in my van since mid March, so it's acutely embarrassing to have onlookers asking each other if the silly old fat pensioner will manage it.
Another gentle drive down into Agia Paraskevi, then with time and fuel to spare, carried on to look at Koukounaries. What a shock to see what's happened there. The scruffy old carpark is now enclosed by a fence - I didn't see if there was a fee charging station, but I wouldn't be surprised. And the farthest end completely changed into chicken wire enclosed tennis and basketball courts. The end road closed off by a raising barrier with an intercom box to get entrance to Elivi Hotel. I'm pretty sure there was also a man on guard.
Another lovely evening meal at Jasteri. Vera had her favourite there, Sea Bass fillets and I tried Snitzel in the hope it might be small enough to fit my innards - with much effort, it did go in, but gave me a to walk 'home'!
Why does it do that green Mandarin instead of writing?
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Post by dennisn on Jul 11, 2018 20:01:23 GMT
Wednesday 11th July, the BIG MATCH DAY
I handed back the Jimny (by simply leaving it parked outside and it was gone when we got back from our dawn swim). When we opened our balcony doors this morning, I spotted next door's field sheep trotting up and down the main road.
They had got out of the field next door by escaping round the bottom of our garden and into an improvised car park, then off into the road to challenge the kamikaze early morning drivers. I have since learned that the man just puts them in next door field and forgets them. They eventually found a way back into the car park, then out of that into the next door field at the other side and entrenched themselves there very happily in knee high grass and greenery. The problem is that the other field belongs to a goat man, who is very displeased that these sheep are gobbling his goats' food - he was planning on moving his goats here soon!
Anyway, in town we bought a couple of things and I bought a new Google t-shirt. Gyros and beer in Nikos Taverna. When we were done, I asked for the bill in Greek and Nikos decided to get me to speak real English - "Wot?" he grumped, so I said "Bill, please". He harrumphed, went off and came back with a beer!
Vera had her nails done at Anjeli and I went off to have a juice - pineapple at a place called Home's. She said she only does a whole pineapple so I said OK. When it was ready, it was an actual hollowed out pineapple, with its glop squeezed inside and two straws.
Back at the nails shop, Vera's person offered me a free go with the feet chewing fishes whilst she was continuing the nails stuff, so I did. It felt a bit tickley and who knows, maybe they got some nice stuff off my feet. I have to say I can't see any difference!
The bus back was full. We squeezed on and another pair followed and off we went. Squeezed another two small ones in at the first stop, four more at the next, then a load more at bus stop 4. The conductor had already passed along squidgingly, so when they stopped to pick up more at 8, he got out at the front and came to the back to urge more in and down to the back. The back was already more than full and he stood on the bottom step of the rear entrance shouting "Two more persons, two more" but they all declined.
Getting off was a sort of mountain climbing exercise, even for us as far along as 18. At that time of day, very unusual, maybe a load of returners wanting to get back to their chosen BIG MATCH viewing place?
Our plan to eat at Ratatouille was thwarted by every table being booked for early eaters going to watch THE MATCH afterwards. So we ate at Kalivi. Tsatsiki, two moussakas, large water and one beer €27.50. And it was huge and delicious.
We heard the England goal at five minutes into the game. I see they are now into extra time at one-all.
Some disgusting person in UK won a few pounds short of 58 million last night. I hate them. I wonder if we could find them and get them to buy the webcam they cheated me out of?
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Post by dennisn on Jul 12, 2018 9:07:02 GMT
Thursday 12th July
Our last day and we decided that we will have a staying in day. I said we've bought everything in town anyway and Vera agreed - she took that to mean everything she wanted to buy and I decided discretion is the better part of honour, rather than say I had meant we'd emptied several shops!
The last beach dawn swim was as lovely as all the other days. Slightly wavy, so we were put through our paces and I felt the pounds dropping off. I expect to have lost at least half a stone and will swear profusely at the scales if I haven't.
A few beach observations for you.... We normally get our entertainment by watching the towellers - they come down and select their ideal beds (if nobody else has already towelled them), disappear off for breakfast and come back some time later. When they come back, the bloke has to arrange them properly and that's a complicated matter. The proprietors who hire them out put them in serried, perfectly aligned and spaced rows, which is absolutely wrong, so bloke has to put them right. Pull one out and put it at right angles, blocking the beach front, or back or side, taking up about four times the size of the bed and the allocated rectangle. It has to be in the right spot too - sunny or shady. And guess what happens if he puts them in someone eles's sunny or shady territory? A couple of years ago we saw an almost fisticuffs discussion in front of Troulos Bay Hotel.
One morning this week, we were entertained by a couple of young lady persons who laid out their towels on the sand area between two banks of beds. They were doing pressups as we arrived, then later progressed to stretching Thai Cheese, or Gung Ho. I can't be doing with it myself.
Another morning we saw a couple approaching down the entry road. He was 'normal', she was wearing mules with pink fur - to go on the beach, for goodness sake!
The sheep are back in their proper field today - I don't know how long they had been there before, but the grazing is very sparse. No wonder they looked so contented in the other field.
England lost last night, you will already know. We heard the goal at five minutes into the match, then nothing as it progressed to one-all and silence when the extra time proved their downfall. So we didn't have a procession of celebrants passing by noisily as they did for the quarter final result.
Make do lunch coming up today. I have the remains of my origami crisps from the previous one, together with a beer which has been in the fridge since last week, so it should be nice and cold.
Don't know if I'll post again before we depart, but in case you're interested, we'll be back here 56 days tomorrow - YEAH!!!
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Post by philipt22 on Jul 12, 2018 12:42:04 GMT
It's amazing how 14 days fly's when your having fun. Great thread Dennis, thanks for the obvious time and effort you put-into this.
Have a safe journey home.
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Post by kelso on Jul 12, 2018 16:49:00 GMT
Wow! I can't believe that is two weeks up already. Good to see that you didn't have to visit the Health Centre this time. 😉 I hope you have a pleasant flight and run home. Bob
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amy115
Full Member
Posts: 339
Visits to Skiathos: 5
Accommodation Stayed At: Thymis House Hotel
Dream House
Elizabeth Studios
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Post by amy115 on Jul 12, 2018 17:50:14 GMT
The day you arrive you think, I have 14 days to enjoy, then you blink and are packing your bags for the journey home! Thank you for sharing Dennis, very much appreciated. I am sure we will have a final update even if it is after your return home. Have a pleasant flight to tomorrow. 🤣✈️
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Post by dennisn on Jul 12, 2018 19:51:08 GMT
Wow! I can't believe that is two weeks up already. Good to see that you didn't have to visit the Health Centre this time. 😉 I hope you had a pleasant flight and run home. Bob I’ve made a note to read this after we’ve flown and run home.
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July 2018
Jul 14, 2018 20:33:37 GMT
via mobile
Post by Tre on Jul 14, 2018 20:33:37 GMT
Wow! How fast that went. Sorry we didn’t get chance go meet up. Enjoy the build up to your next visit
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Post by dennisn on Jul 15, 2018 6:35:10 GMT
Conclusion then.
Without the wheelchair of a year ago, I was compelled to join the rest of everybody when we trundled into JSI and joined the correct crocodile for Birmingham. At both the airports we use, the passenger handling arrangements seem designed to persuade you to buy a lottery ticket and move to private jets and chauffeurs. Just a familiar grind we have to go through. So we did. They weighed both cases and hand baggage all together and I already knew we were under the limit. I felt a small glimmer of sympathy for one couple who were on one side with open cases choosing what to dump!
Flightradar24 showed our plane flying in formation with Stansted Thomas Cook, and eventually overflying Thessaloniki crept slightly ahead. Although both were running their “normal” 30-45 minutes late, they landed within seconds of schedule. Departure gates were bad, as usual, including a woman announcer from Foreignland, who was too close to the microphone, shouting unintelligible directions, instructions, requests, information, something which might in clear English have meant something!
Stansted got away before us, presumably because it didn’t refuel, heading for the petrol pumps at Kavala. Our captain crackled and tally ho-ed something probably reassuring about slot. My window seat was perfect and it didn’t need cleaning. Quite soon, Captain Competent reassured us again and off we went. Unusually, cabin crew tannoy announcements were as efficient and unintelligible as Captain Competent. Can’t they hear themselves? Maybe they just work their mouths without listening?
We landed at Birmingham at 3:50pm, reached the toilets a legs crossed 15 minutes later and entered the customs passports crocodile at 4:20. Half an hour to get off the plane and reach the uniforms who shout at you to “Hats and glasses off”. This time I quickly turned my passport the right way, only getting it wrong once. This palaver meant that we had already given the baggage handlers time to start our carousel turning. But not carrying baggage, except for a single lonely case which went round a couple of times before disappearing. It was normal that our cases were behind nearly everybody else’s, so an hour after landing we were able to start the next long walk, do a little food shopping in Marks and Sparks and walk the long trek to Meet and Greet to collect the van. Which wasn’t there yet. For the first time, we waited for them to bring it, loaded up and set off for the M42 queue.
One lovely part of the two hour journey was it rained. Yes, real actual rain enough to require the windscreen wipers. We exclaimed with joy. And got home at 7:30pm, twelve hours after leaving Villa Maria.
The greenhouse greeted us with a veritable jungle - I have no idea how son-in-law managed to water them, the tomato plants had celebrated my absence by throwing out branches (not side shoots) so big I struggled to get past them. Cucumbers had formed a pack of triffids, but none of the tomatoes had managed to get enough sustenance free from the branches, so none are ripe.
Saturday was a fire fighting exercise in the garden. Eventually abandoned in the late evening sight of a family of blackbirds brazenly picking the gooseberries!
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Post by kevb on Jul 16, 2018 11:38:31 GMT
Glad you had another enjoyable trip Dennis. I saw the video of your drive to Kechria on facebook. Not sure I'd be brave enough to give it a go, still haven't hired a car on any Skiathos trip yet though with only 7 nights (and I like to fit a boat trip in) it's often not really feasible. Got back from Kefalonia last Thursday, had a car for 5 days there as its a much bigger island than Skiathos. Even with 2 of the 5 days put aside as 'not driving very far' days we still knocked up 365km.
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Post by philipt22 on Jul 16, 2018 13:30:26 GMT
Yes Kev Liz and I’s first holiday to Greece was on Kefalonia; we stayed in Skala. We found the island too big although very pretty, we weren’t keen to return. The next year we made probably the best decision we’ve ever made: we chose Skiathos 😬😬😬
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Post by katet on Jul 16, 2018 14:19:32 GMT
We are lady b******s on holiday - only hired a (very small) car once in Skiathos and were scared the wheels might fall off!!! And that was on the Tarmac roads!! We are thinking about car hire next year, though, as we are contemplating a four week stay in Koukounaries and will need to get out a bit more.
Great reports again, Dennis - thank you 😊 I was rubbish this time and didn't do any ..... my excuse being that Paul wasn't too well, so we didn't do much to write about.
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Post by Tre on Jul 16, 2018 14:42:15 GMT
With being a prisoner in our room today I’ve only just fully caught up Dennis. Wishing you good luck with your garden. The next 1 month, 3 weeks will fly by 😎
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Post by dennisn on Jul 16, 2018 20:23:29 GMT
We are lady b******s on holiday - only hired a (very small) car once in Skiathos and were scared the wheels might fall off!!! And that was on the Tarmac roads!! We are thinking about car hire next year, though, as we are contemplating a four week stay in Koukounaries and will need to get out a bit more. Great reports again, Dennis - thank you 😊 I was rubbish this time and didn't do any ..... my excuse being that Paul wasn't too well, so we didn't do much to write about. I wouldn’t recommend hiring a car for four weeks though, Kate, not enough roads to drive on for four weeks. We hire for two days!
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