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Post by dennisn on May 22, 2015 21:16:49 GMT
I THINK I AM GOING TO LIKE SKIATHOS!!!! Well, Amy, if you look back at page 1 of this topic, you will find the first words posted by anybody in response to yours were by me. I said I thought you were going to like it. I'm a real, genuine smartypants. I can't see where you may have told us how long you are staying - if you'll still be there in four weeks time, I'll buy you a drinkie up on the Bourtzi. It doesn't matter that you weren't able to do a wave - at the time, I was in a three mile long traffic jam on the northbound M5 at Cheltenham and couldn't have seen you. There is another waving place at the approach to the Bourtzi, but it's no use doing one, because the webcam there is busted. You might like to consider calling round at the council and telling them to get it fixed? It's a tremendous asset for us back here and must surely be a decent contribution to the tourism industry, to attract more visitors. I think the kindness of Paul and Caroline will be a by product of the Skiathan psyche - we never met a single grumpy apart from me!
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Post by amy114 on May 22, 2015 21:27:53 GMT
Hi Dennis, you are right, you did make a prediction, which may even come true! I am only here for a week but think you my have friends in high places! You will know what I mean in my next post. However, for now I'll just say I have had a happy evening and still smiling. :-):-)
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Post by dennisn on May 22, 2015 22:04:35 GMT
Now you've got me really intrigued. "Friends in high places". I shall await your next post with eager anticipation (but in the meantime, just in case, I'll go check the lottery numbers).
Funny, this morning (before setting out to go traffic jamming) I tracked my flight from Birmingham to Skiathos and was very grump about it being half an hour late - I thought it was just Thomas Cook did that. Quite unreasonably, I begrudge every minute of delay in getting there. Hey, look at my signature, I'm down to days now, not months or weeks. Yesssss!
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 7:05:46 GMT
End of Day 8
I hobbled along to the taverna and it was only when I was taking in my surroundings I saw the sign, it was a Gyros taverna !!! (Happy Dennis?) :-):-) by this time the waiter had seen me and came over with a menu so it would have been a little churlish to get up and slip into the restaurant opposite (Marmita). I figured they must offer something different but if not I'm going to have to bite the bullet and eat the first Gyros in my life!
One of the starters was bouyiournti. Never some across this before so asked the waiter what it was. He looked, read it out loud, then told me he was Italian and didn't know. He then ran inside and spoke to one of the staff (they all wear orange T-shirts, and name of place is Fasoulas), came running back out, and recited ingredients (feta cheese, another cheese, peppers then wrapped and cooked in oven) and before I could say anything, he told me "but it's finished for tonight". All that energy and it was off the menu! Really made me smile. I opted for the tzatziki. I checked out the various meats on the menu and asked him about the pork. He tried to describe it as big pieces, then pointed to a picture on the menu with this roll of meat , nearly as long as the plate, which I could never have eaten, so I checked out the menu again. When I found a dish called Exohiko I asked him what this was. He said "come, follow me" and walked off to the window where the food on the spit was cooking, and I hobbled behind him! Easier to show me then explain!
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 7:59:41 GMT
The tzatziki was tick,creamy & very garlicky (yum, yum), and the main, when it arrived five minutes into my starter, was two thick slices of chicken, stuffed with red peppers & onions, with a delicious outer coating (hard to explain the taste but I could have eaten this as a dip with bread and been most content) accompanied by some very pale chips and a decoration of lettuce & tomato slice which unfortunately had a liberal coating of salad dressing. The chicken was tender and tasty but had to share it with my dinner companions for the night - a very sweet, quiet cat, followed by a little dog. All of the above washed down with a small bottle of water & glass of red.
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 8:12:00 GMT
When the waiter came to clear the plates I complimented him on the tzatiki, which he then offered to put in a container for me to take away! My first Greek doggy bag! However, I passed on that as I had bought a container at the supermarket so had plenty back at the room. A little while later he asked if I would like an ice cream but as I was so full, I refused. When I asked for the bill sometime later, he asked again if I would have a small ice cream, on the house, so I had the banana. The whole bill came to 11.5 euros (really cheap) so left a tip of 2.5. This was because I had had a really tasty meal, his energy& helpfulness with the menu, and having managed to foil yet another cosmic joke! I went to bed happy! :-):-):-)
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Post by dennisn on May 23, 2015 8:17:27 GMT
What about the on high friends? You were supposed to be explaining by now. Anyway, the Gyros is a wrap filled with that meat and other stuff, like salad and a sauce - either chili or tzatziki. I like them a lot, as a snack, not a meal, a bit like walking down the street with a bag of chips, although we have eaten them sitting in those snack bars with a drink. I have to say I admire your trenching ability - I love tzatziki and want it as a starter with bread or similar, but all too often I indulge myself and discover that I really with the mains. Probably something to do with having a beer (although only one).
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 8:49:06 GMT
Well Dennis I like to think of them as "the friends upstairs" those that are no longer with us. You mention gyros, I say never, but someone decides to play a little joke and I end up in a gyros restaurant! Hope this post has not offended anyone!
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 11:20:38 GMT
Day 9 - 23 May
Unfortunately I can't was lyrical about my breakfast today as it was made by me! :-) Just a bowl of yogurt with kiwi and strawberries. After sorting myself out I thought I would go and check out papadiamantis street. Following instructions given, I turned left out of hotel, first left then first right. Came to a junction and turned down walked for a short while then turned into another street and was completely lost!! :-) turned down another street and found my self near the school? Turned left and found myself heading upwards so another left turn by the fish market and spying the Potobello, sat in the shade and ordered a coffee. Just across the road I saw the Fooie Cafe and realised I was indeed on papadiamantis. How to get back to my hotel is going to be a challenge though! :-):-)
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Post by dennisn on May 23, 2015 13:28:29 GMT
We always make our own breakfasts. Vera has half a grapefruit, yoghurt, fruit and all sorts of diabetic-kindly stuff. Me, I have one or two digestive biscuits each with a (big) slice of tomato.
Reversing your direction from hotel to Papadiamantis, I reckon you have to turn left, then first right, then right again (after you get back to the street where you didn't know where you were). I take it you ignored the advice to pick up a free map at the airport when you arrived? I always think Skiathos town must be small enough to never get properly lost, but then I turn into a narrow street with overhanging or overbearing buildings, pursued by somebody on a motorbike, and my navigational theories seem to go haywire!
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 17:30:02 GMT
Hi Dennis, yes I did ignore the advice as I was so busy looking for my first host and not seeing her, I just ended up outside! It was only later that I realised I had not picked up a map but as I was off to Skopelos the following day I didn't think too much about it! I have just been told that if I had carried on going upwards I would have come to Megali Amos , somewhere I intended on visiting whilst here but can save for another day.
As it happens, shortly after leaving the Portabello, I came on a street to my left and saw a sign for the Australia Hotel , which is just around the corner from mine, so I knew how to get back!
Had a good day, wandering the lanes off papadiamantis, taking me past a few restaurants I liked the look of - Maria's & Mandraki so I have two more on my list! Whilst wandering the lanes I saw a sign for the old port and came out by the steps with the brightly coloured cushions and made my way to a bench and sat admiring the view of the two islands just off shote for about 20 minutes.
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Post by amy114 on May 23, 2015 17:39:21 GMT
I then called in to see Spiros & Touli, and met two boomerangers who had been coming to the island every year since 2003. Spent a good couple of hours with them and they suggested a couple more restaurants to try before heading back to the hotel. I think I am going to have to shelve any plans I had for visiting places around the island as I don't seem to be getting far before I find myself chatting to someone and the hours just fly by. I am learning that Skiathos is such a chilled out place to visit!
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Post by amy114 on May 24, 2015 7:52:51 GMT
End of Day 9
I decided to go to the Ladokola, in the old port for dinner tonight . There were four of the day trip boats moored in the little harbour and after the arrival of 17 planes yesterday, quite a number of people parading up and down. The restaurant was full but I managed to get one of the two empty remaining tables.
I decided to approach dinner differently tonight, instead of a starter and mains, I would have two starters so ordered the garlic bread and the mezes. I asked for a glass of red but it arrived in a bottle! Oh heck!!!!!
You have probably got the impression by now that I like garlic. I certainly had my share of it this evening! I'm not complaining though. The bread was loaded with it and the meze contained tzatziki (with more garlic), two types of local soft cheese, two small stuffed vine leaves, a grilled pepper, a tuna & onion salad. This was accompanied by quiet a large potato on a separate plate. It was good but again I could not eat all of it! I finished the meal with a coffee. I had asked for a latte but the interpretation I received was a glass of milky coffee not made via a machine! It was so good, I had a second.
When I had arrived in the restaurant there was a pre-wedding party finishing their meal made up of the bride, her bridesmaids, mother, mother of the groom, etc, so there may well be a wedding taking place this week.
Touli and her friend arrived and joined me at my table and it was 2.00 am before I finally got to bed! I even left the restaurant without paying for my meal as Spiros had left earlier, so no no problem, will settle tomorrow!
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Post by amy114 on May 25, 2015 7:01:15 GMT
Day 10 - 24 May
After breakfast, bowl of yoghurt and strawberries, I decided to go to Megali Ammos. I climbed the steps opposite the fish market, walked to the end of the road and at the junction, turned right figuring t would lead me to the beach and ended up in the car park! :-):-) To my right was the graveyard and a road leading downwards, so took this through a little wooded area and could see through the trees, a little cove with a Sandy beach. The road brought me to the Cafe del Mar and just beyond this was the Twilight taverna. Had I arrived at Megali Ammos beach? I cut through the Cafe and before the taverna, I looked out over a very big bay with a sweeping curve of sand, nearly half of which was laid out with sunbeds! Ah, MA! I stood for a couple of minutes admiring the view then decided to nip back to the Cafe for a drink before moving on.
I noticed a few people stood looking down on the beach taking photos and as I approached a seat near the front of the Cafe, there in the water was a fully clothed man exercising a beautiful horse! A sight I never expected to see. She (at least I think it was a mare) was up to her belly in the water and he was walking her in circles, whilst she was also taking a drink! Not sure whether she was really enjoying herself as she kept trying to pull him back to the beach but we spectators were enjoying the sight. There was nothing for it but to order a small Mythos (2.5 euros) and continue watching! He eventually coaxed her a little further out and she was then swimming but after two turns pulled him back towards the shore where she was in shallower waters.
This went on for about 30 minutes until he eventually brought her out and they walked off through the trees.
I left the Cafe, started to walk back along the road, noticed some steps, which took back to the main road and turned left to head for the quieter area of the beach. After walking for some time, I took one of the less steep roads to my left and walked through some of the lanes but when I got down to the beach, it was still in the sunbed area, so took the next lane back up to the road.
A the top, part of the road had been coned off and there was a chap with an orange flag and walkie talkie, describing the vehicles coming down to another chap at the other end. Greece's answer to temporary lights?? :-)
Found the quiet area of the beach (Ftelia beach) and spent a pleasant hour chilling. Walked back along the beach and bumped into my neighbours who had spent the day on sunbeds outside the Anemoni hotel, stopped for 10 minutes before heading to the Twilight for a delicious slice of baklava and a nescafe! My neighbours joined me for a drink and we walked back to hotel together.
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Post by kelso on May 25, 2015 7:36:20 GMT
Wow Amy, you had me worried for a wee while as we hadn't heard from you for nearly a whole day, with you having posted so frequently before. It sounds as though your injury isn't holding you back, thank goodness. There certainly is a lot to see in and around the town but don't miss out on a trip on the bus. If you time it right it can be quite an experience and there are so many lovely beaches along the route. Bob
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