Post by alfatime on Feb 24, 2016 11:24:33 GMT
Sorry I know it is in the 2016 part but hey so is my first part so for continuity it is here - roll on the summer 
Day 9
Woke up extremely early for the flight to Skiathos – oh wait we have already covered that bit we are onto day 9 – This is where Jack Bauer from 24 comes in and does his “Previously On Alfatime’s holiday to Skiathos” bit – if you have not read it or missed it here is the link - www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g189499-i809-k9189896-Daily_Dairy_Update_2_Part_1-Skiathos_Sporades.html Anyway today we decided to venture towards Cape Kanapista and round the bay towards Vorolimnos and Troulos. We were just about to leave the hotel and heard a commotion outside – A poor elderly local lady had been knocked off her moped. She looked in shock and was quickly taken upto the medical centre by bus stop 4. I think it was just cuts and bruises and later had confirmation that she was ok but shaken. A great reminder to remain vigilant at all times when on the roads in Skiathos. Lots of people I see think quad bikes and mopeds are very dangerous however if you drive them carefully and respect the road and conditions then you should be fine. Remember to wear your helmets at all times – except when you arrive at your destination as you will look like a right doughnut walking round in your helmet. Plus where I am from anyone walking round in a crash helmet is usually on their way to make a special cash withdrawal from the bank if you know what I mean. The quad we had was a Kymco 350 in gleaming white – although not so gleaming come day 9 as it was looking very dusty and was in need of a good wash. They are 4 wheel drive and are perfect off road but not so good on the tarmac. You have to be careful on the bends as the back end tends to want to slide out on you. The last thing you want is to be coming round a bend and the back end goes light on you. Luckily for us I have a bit of weight over the back axel – no offence to Mrs Alfa intended here! The police on the island have rarely taken an interest in us however I have heard that they like to boost their xmas party fund by randomly blocking the road and completing spot checks and handing out fines for not wearing a helmet. This must be a rule only reserved for tourists as you hardly ever see the Greeks wearing theirs and from what I have heard the fine is substantial too. Earlier I did mention I wanted to be a goat herder however thinking about this a bit more maybe I could be a policeman on the Island – the Columbo of Skiathos ? I am not sure what the crime rate is like on the island as its one of the safest places I have ever been and long may it stay that way. I could spend my days investigating which cat had stolen a fish from the market or maybe look into who had lifted Yianni’s swim shorts off Banana Beach? – Sorry my mistake Yianni does not wear any swim shorts on banana beach! The only time I have seen any issues was a few years back when the island was invaded by bikers and the head biker chased the mayor into the sea – did he jump or was he pushed? I am unsure but the story was probably splashed all over Astra news the following day. We arrived and parked up at the back of Taverna Kanapista and walked down onto the beach we walked the length of the beach and dipped our toes in the
waters gently lapping up onto the beach. We sat on the edge of the wooden mooring with our feet dangling over the edge checking out the little fishies swimming beneath us. We had to move when the water taxi arrived to bring in some tourists from the town. This is a great way to travel avoiding the crowds on the bus by the way. We had a coffee in the taverna on the beach and decided to have a spot of lunch too – We shared a penne pasta dish with peppers, capers and melted feta in a fresh tomato sauce – delicious yet a bit heavy for a lunch as I ate about ¾ of the dish winning the fork war with Mrs Alfatime. We got back on the quad bike and headed round the bay towards Troulos on the dirt road – this is a good route to see the views out to sea and there are a few benches to sit and take a rest. The one we stopped at had a remembrance plaque on it and I thought that one day it would be nice to have my own bench on Skiathos. There is a beach further round the headland that only seems accessible by boat or a steep climb with no defined path through the undergrowth – we are yet to venture down though as flip flops were not suitable for the terrain. We sped past villa Christina and towards Volorimnos – there was a DJ spinning some tunes and we walked up and down this beach too meandering through the bat and ball players on the waters edge. I would enjoy a game of bat and ball but Mrs A is not the most co-ordinated person in the world – it would be like the chuckle brothers but more “to you” than “to me to you” We finished our walk on Volo beach and contemplated another beach like Martha but by now we were beached out for the day – mid afternoon was approaching so we returned to our Hotel for a swim and a off. Tea tonight was taken at the Gyro place opposite bus stop 4 next to the mini market – it was blue and white and the name began with a B from memory – We had pork souvlaki, chicken souvlaki and a salad. We were amazed at how reasonable the prices were. Food very fresh and was rinsed down with a cold bottle of Amstel – (hey I fancied a change) and a white wine. Even got a free cake to finish – good local food and certainly hit the spot nicely. We had a walk down into town in the evening sitting on the harbour to do a spot of people watching and ordering a cocktail each –mine was a mojito and Mrs A had a frozen Strawberry thing and a cherry Daiquiri one too which finished her off for the evening.
Day 10
Got up this morning and opened the curtains to another El Scorchio day – or as the Greeks would say kapsálisma – I have noticed a little Greek goes a long way so I am more determined to practice my Greek language skills as you should do too. I have also learned the Greek for “cheers” is “malaka” – Feel free to try a “cheeky cheers” next time you are out – don’t worry if you get a few strange looks the locals will just be very impressed you are trying out a bit of the native tongue. The plan for today was to walk down to the Plakes area to have a sunbathe on the rocks, a swim and a little picnic. We headed into town and purchased some cheese pies from the bakery at the top of Pap Street and then picked up 2x sandwiches at the café opposite Portobello. Ham and tomato for me and chicken lettuce and mayo for Mrs A. We also picked up some cans of pop, some feta cubes to add to my sandwich and to pick at – oh and also got a large peach to share for desert. It is a nice walk from Bus stop 4 through the cobbled back streets into the Plakes area – we deliberately got lost and stumbled upon a few restaurants we had not seen before towards the back of Alexandros restaurant. We ended up on the front of the harbour so we re-traced our steps back up towards and past Taverna Selini – we managed to decline the lunch options offered on our way past although if we had not bought our lunch already we would have stopped – I do like to stop and chat to see what the special of the day is and it is great to see how enthusiastic and passionate the restaurant staff/owners are about the food they are offering. We managed to get to the rock that juts out in the Plakes area – the path on the route down to the rocks is quite shaded and a nice breeze blows over you on the way down. We spent the afternoon here eating lunch, sunbathing and had a dip in the sea. If you have youth on your side or maybe if you are just feeling adventurous you can dive into the sea from these rocks. Beware of the black spikey sea urchins on the sea bed and on some of the rocks too – I have heard sea urchins are quite a delicacy but they don’t half hurt if you step on one so be careful when swimming here. For the less adventurous diver there is another board with less of a drop on the front of Bourtzi which can be seen from the rocks at Plakes – you can swim across just be careful to avoid the boats coming in and out of the harbour. The evening arrived and we were booked into the Windmill Restaurant for tea. It is quite a few steps to get to this one but it is worth it. A few too many sherbets and you will be rolling back into town. The meal we had was really nice – more of a place for a special occasion if you are watching the pennies though.
Day 11
Apparently there is a Donkey Sanctuary on Skiathos – could I find it ? NO ! 2 Hours wasted. There is also a horse riding school – found that and it was closed. There is a go-karting track by the airport – found it – abandoned! – there is a dog shelter – found it arrived at 2:15 – closed ! there is lots of abandoned cars on Skiathos – could I find any ? No they have all been picked up and removed – sadly my “project VW camper” is included in this too which was parked on the hill opposite bus stop 4. Even the white Honda CRX has gone from the airport carpark. Thankfully the old truck and plane stairs are still there. Pretty much a wasted day really. I would love to be able to tell you I could not find the Mama Mia boat – we did and yes she booked it. Can today get any worse ?
Day 12
Mama Mia get me off of here my my why am I having to suffer this ? And so into my little song about my Mama Mia boat trip that I had to suffer with constant replays the entire journey! Sorry to the Abba lovers out there but my worst nightmare is 1. Having to watch the film AGAIN and 2. being stuck on a boat surrounded by fellow Mama Mia enthused tourists – hopefully my face gave away the fact that I was not a massive fan of the boat trip or Mama Mia – Next time I am going to insist we get on a boat that does not have a sound system or copy of Abbas greatest hits.
Ive been forced on a boat and I don’t know why
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, all miserable and old
I am definitely gonna suddenly lose control
There a screeching within my ears
Just one look Mrs A please don’t sing
Im not with her and I want to forget everything w-o-o-o-oh
Mama Mia Im on this boat again
Why Why how can I continue
Mama Mia please crash into Bourtzi
My my just how much i have not missed ya
Yes I am bored to death
Over the moon since I last departed
Why Why did I get back on ya
Mama Mia now I really know
My my I really want to let you go !
Once off the boat the sights are worth seeing – the little Church with all the Steps, Glossa, Skopelos Town, Alonessos – all lovely. Later that afternoon we visited Ikea just outside Troulos, enjoyed Sweedish Meatballs washed down with several Kopparberg fruit ciders spending all my money money money.
Day 13
Today is our penultimate day of the holiday – any mention of going home, packing, going to miss the island is banished until tomorrow morning. We are here to enjoy ourselves and not moan that it is all coming to a sad end. We needed a plan and the plan was to fit as much as we could. It was the last day of the quad hire too so we decided we would try and drive every road we could on the island. We were going to eat at our favourite places and not worry about feeling full. We ate and drank late into the night.
Day 14
Going home, packed, miserable and nursing a cracking hangover – the taxi man picked us up from the hotel and dropped us at the airport. We quickly checked our bags and walked to the Taverna for a last hour or so of sunshine. There was a bit of a breeze kicking up some dust as the works at the airport expansion continue. I do my usual nervous flyer routine of pacing up and down the carpark waiting for our plane to land to catch a glimpse of the pilot and make sure he is not looking tired. A tearful Mrs Aflatime was reluctantly dragged through security into the holding pen that is the departure longue of Skiathos Airport. We have our usual lets jack our jobs in conversation whilst we queue for the scanners but we both know its not a realistic prospect just yet. We looked up at the board with hope in our hearts that a technical fault would develop on our plane and we would be stuck on the island for a few more days – sadly no. . A pretty smooth direct flight home and back to a cloudy Manchester airport. So another fabulous holiday done and on countdown now until we return to do it all again. I’ll be back thanks for reading Alfa Time.
Day 9
Woke up extremely early for the flight to Skiathos – oh wait we have already covered that bit we are onto day 9 – This is where Jack Bauer from 24 comes in and does his “Previously On Alfatime’s holiday to Skiathos” bit – if you have not read it or missed it here is the link - www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g189499-i809-k9189896-Daily_Dairy_Update_2_Part_1-Skiathos_Sporades.html Anyway today we decided to venture towards Cape Kanapista and round the bay towards Vorolimnos and Troulos. We were just about to leave the hotel and heard a commotion outside – A poor elderly local lady had been knocked off her moped. She looked in shock and was quickly taken upto the medical centre by bus stop 4. I think it was just cuts and bruises and later had confirmation that she was ok but shaken. A great reminder to remain vigilant at all times when on the roads in Skiathos. Lots of people I see think quad bikes and mopeds are very dangerous however if you drive them carefully and respect the road and conditions then you should be fine. Remember to wear your helmets at all times – except when you arrive at your destination as you will look like a right doughnut walking round in your helmet. Plus where I am from anyone walking round in a crash helmet is usually on their way to make a special cash withdrawal from the bank if you know what I mean. The quad we had was a Kymco 350 in gleaming white – although not so gleaming come day 9 as it was looking very dusty and was in need of a good wash. They are 4 wheel drive and are perfect off road but not so good on the tarmac. You have to be careful on the bends as the back end tends to want to slide out on you. The last thing you want is to be coming round a bend and the back end goes light on you. Luckily for us I have a bit of weight over the back axel – no offence to Mrs Alfa intended here! The police on the island have rarely taken an interest in us however I have heard that they like to boost their xmas party fund by randomly blocking the road and completing spot checks and handing out fines for not wearing a helmet. This must be a rule only reserved for tourists as you hardly ever see the Greeks wearing theirs and from what I have heard the fine is substantial too. Earlier I did mention I wanted to be a goat herder however thinking about this a bit more maybe I could be a policeman on the Island – the Columbo of Skiathos ? I am not sure what the crime rate is like on the island as its one of the safest places I have ever been and long may it stay that way. I could spend my days investigating which cat had stolen a fish from the market or maybe look into who had lifted Yianni’s swim shorts off Banana Beach? – Sorry my mistake Yianni does not wear any swim shorts on banana beach! The only time I have seen any issues was a few years back when the island was invaded by bikers and the head biker chased the mayor into the sea – did he jump or was he pushed? I am unsure but the story was probably splashed all over Astra news the following day. We arrived and parked up at the back of Taverna Kanapista and walked down onto the beach we walked the length of the beach and dipped our toes in the
waters gently lapping up onto the beach. We sat on the edge of the wooden mooring with our feet dangling over the edge checking out the little fishies swimming beneath us. We had to move when the water taxi arrived to bring in some tourists from the town. This is a great way to travel avoiding the crowds on the bus by the way. We had a coffee in the taverna on the beach and decided to have a spot of lunch too – We shared a penne pasta dish with peppers, capers and melted feta in a fresh tomato sauce – delicious yet a bit heavy for a lunch as I ate about ¾ of the dish winning the fork war with Mrs Alfatime. We got back on the quad bike and headed round the bay towards Troulos on the dirt road – this is a good route to see the views out to sea and there are a few benches to sit and take a rest. The one we stopped at had a remembrance plaque on it and I thought that one day it would be nice to have my own bench on Skiathos. There is a beach further round the headland that only seems accessible by boat or a steep climb with no defined path through the undergrowth – we are yet to venture down though as flip flops were not suitable for the terrain. We sped past villa Christina and towards Volorimnos – there was a DJ spinning some tunes and we walked up and down this beach too meandering through the bat and ball players on the waters edge. I would enjoy a game of bat and ball but Mrs A is not the most co-ordinated person in the world – it would be like the chuckle brothers but more “to you” than “to me to you” We finished our walk on Volo beach and contemplated another beach like Martha but by now we were beached out for the day – mid afternoon was approaching so we returned to our Hotel for a swim and a off. Tea tonight was taken at the Gyro place opposite bus stop 4 next to the mini market – it was blue and white and the name began with a B from memory – We had pork souvlaki, chicken souvlaki and a salad. We were amazed at how reasonable the prices were. Food very fresh and was rinsed down with a cold bottle of Amstel – (hey I fancied a change) and a white wine. Even got a free cake to finish – good local food and certainly hit the spot nicely. We had a walk down into town in the evening sitting on the harbour to do a spot of people watching and ordering a cocktail each –mine was a mojito and Mrs A had a frozen Strawberry thing and a cherry Daiquiri one too which finished her off for the evening. Day 10
Got up this morning and opened the curtains to another El Scorchio day – or as the Greeks would say kapsálisma – I have noticed a little Greek goes a long way so I am more determined to practice my Greek language skills as you should do too. I have also learned the Greek for “cheers” is “malaka” – Feel free to try a “cheeky cheers” next time you are out – don’t worry if you get a few strange looks the locals will just be very impressed you are trying out a bit of the native tongue. The plan for today was to walk down to the Plakes area to have a sunbathe on the rocks, a swim and a little picnic. We headed into town and purchased some cheese pies from the bakery at the top of Pap Street and then picked up 2x sandwiches at the café opposite Portobello. Ham and tomato for me and chicken lettuce and mayo for Mrs A. We also picked up some cans of pop, some feta cubes to add to my sandwich and to pick at – oh and also got a large peach to share for desert. It is a nice walk from Bus stop 4 through the cobbled back streets into the Plakes area – we deliberately got lost and stumbled upon a few restaurants we had not seen before towards the back of Alexandros restaurant. We ended up on the front of the harbour so we re-traced our steps back up towards and past Taverna Selini – we managed to decline the lunch options offered on our way past although if we had not bought our lunch already we would have stopped – I do like to stop and chat to see what the special of the day is and it is great to see how enthusiastic and passionate the restaurant staff/owners are about the food they are offering. We managed to get to the rock that juts out in the Plakes area – the path on the route down to the rocks is quite shaded and a nice
breeze blows over you on the way down. We spent the afternoon here eating lunch, sunbathing and had a dip in the sea. If you have youth on your side or maybe if you are just feeling adventurous you can dive into the sea from these rocks. Beware of the black spikey sea urchins on the sea bed and on some of the rocks too – I have heard sea urchins are quite a delicacy but they don’t half hurt if you step on one so be careful when swimming here. For the less adventurous diver there is another board with less of a drop on the front of Bourtzi which can be seen from the rocks at Plakes – you can swim across just be careful to avoid the boats coming in and out of the harbour. The evening arrived and we were booked into the Windmill Restaurant for tea. It is quite a few steps to get to this one but it is worth it. A few too many sherbets and you will be rolling back into town. The meal we had was really nice – more of a place for a special occasion if you are watching the pennies though. Day 11
Apparently there is a Donkey Sanctuary on Skiathos – could I find it ? NO ! 2 Hours wasted. There is also a horse riding school – found that and it was closed. There is a go-karting track by the airport – found it – abandoned! – there is a dog shelter – found it arrived at 2:15 – closed ! there is lots of abandoned cars on Skiathos – could I find any ? No they have all been picked up and removed – sadly my “project VW camper” is included in this too which was parked on the hill opposite bus stop 4. Even the white Honda CRX has gone from the airport carpark. Thankfully the old truck and plane stairs are still there. Pretty much a wasted day really. I would love to be able to tell you I could not find the Mama Mia boat – we did and yes she booked it. Can today get any worse ?
Day 12
Mama Mia get me off of here my my why am I having to suffer this ? And so into my little song about my Mama Mia boat trip that I had to suffer with constant replays the entire journey! Sorry to the Abba lovers out there but my worst nightmare is 1. Having to watch the film AGAIN and 2. being stuck on a boat surrounded by fellow Mama Mia enthused tourists – hopefully my face gave away the fact that I was not a massive fan of the boat trip or Mama Mia – Next time I am going to insist we get on a boat that does not have a sound system or copy of Abbas greatest hits.
Ive been forced on a boat and I don’t know why
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, all miserable and old
I am definitely gonna suddenly lose control
There a screeching within my ears
Just one look Mrs A please don’t sing
Im not with her and I want to forget everything w-o-o-o-oh
Mama Mia Im on this boat again
Why Why how can I continue
Mama Mia please crash into Bourtzi
My my just how much i have not missed ya
Yes I am bored to death
Over the moon since I last departed
Why Why did I get back on ya
Mama Mia now I really know
My my I really want to let you go !
Once off the boat the sights are worth seeing – the little Church with all the Steps, Glossa, Skopelos Town, Alonessos – all lovely. Later that afternoon we visited Ikea just outside Troulos, enjoyed Sweedish Meatballs washed down with several Kopparberg fruit ciders spending all my money money money.
Day 13
Today is our penultimate day of the holiday – any mention of going home, packing, going to miss the island is banished until tomorrow morning. We are here to enjoy ourselves and not moan that it is all coming to a sad end. We needed a plan and the plan was to fit as much as we could. It was the last day of the quad hire too so we decided we would try and drive every road we could on the island. We were going to eat at our favourite places and not worry about feeling full. We ate and drank late into the night.
Day 14
Going home, packed, miserable and nursing a cracking hangover – the taxi man picked us up from the hotel and dropped us at the airport. We quickly checked our bags and walked to the Taverna for a last hour or so of sunshine. There was a bit of a breeze kicking up some dust as the works at the airport expansion continue. I do my usual nervous flyer routine of pacing up and down the carpark waiting for our plane to land to catch a glimpse of the pilot and make sure he is not looking tired. A tearful Mrs Aflatime was reluctantly dragged through security into the holding pen that is the departure longue of Skiathos Airport. We have our usual lets jack our jobs in conversation whilst we queue for the scanners but we both know its not a realistic prospect just yet. We looked up at the board with hope in our hearts that a technical fault would develop on our plane and we would be stuck on the island for a few more days – sadly no. . A pretty smooth direct flight home and back to a cloudy Manchester airport. So another fabulous holiday done and on countdown now until we return to do it all again. I’ll be back thanks for reading Alfa Time.
