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Post by kevb on Aug 2, 2017 10:09:04 GMT
I've found the trick is to get a bit early doors, keep out of it during worst of it then back round the pool from around 4pm till 6pm, that can be a lovely time of day as if the wind has been up it frequently dies down late afternoon. Don't think I'd attempt the mega steak, well overweight presently as it is. Glad the BBW did you proud though. Hope I can get mum down to Kouk just once during the hol, maybe a bite to eat somewhere then a couple of drinks at the Agustera but this bus situation is a bit worrying. We would probably be going back to town fairly late so maybe we'd just miss the rush of kids heading that way for their nights out? How are they looking town-bound at around 11pm-midnight?
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Aug 2, 2017 10:32:50 GMT
As far as I can tell, they're fine from around 9:00 onwards.
It's mainly beach traffic - people hotelling in town and sunbathing at Kouk.
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Post by kevb on Aug 2, 2017 10:35:11 GMT
OK I was under the impression that a load of kids had picked Nostos beach as a party beach into the evening and were then upping stumps and crowding the buses late on to get to the clubs on the strip in town, must have misunderstood.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Aug 2, 2017 12:26:12 GMT
Here's a bit of an oddity. I don't know if this is just at the Palace, but most here appear to be Eastern European, mainly Russian.
That's in the hotel and on the beaches, but they're conspicuous by their absence on an evening. The bar manager at Stamelos said he thought they were just all staying st the hotel and not coming out.
Strange.
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Post by kevb on Aug 2, 2017 13:13:13 GMT
Ian (who does the Skiathian blog) wrote about this a year or 2 back iirc, not specifically regarding the Palace though. Up to then the flights from Russia and baltics were few and far between but then a few years back some budget airlines started flying routes to Skiathos from those countries. However, the initial excitement among the local restauranteers was soon cut short as the new tourists, as you point out, werent going out in the evenings much and doing it all on the cheap (cheap supermarket liquor on hotel balconies)and not troubling restaurants or bars much. Some were making a bad name for themselves by doing things like going into a cafe and sitting there all afternoon using their wifi with only 2 coffees bought to show for it. Cultural differences aside, you have to enter into the spirit of at least giving something back to the local economy while on holiday and this lot just werent playing the game.
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Post by Tre on Aug 2, 2017 18:17:24 GMT
Evening YM, happily you sound like you're in the "Skiathos groove" Just love that chilled out feeling. Even now, when we aren't returning home to work!! Hope you managed the bus into town tonight. My main moan about the bus is not that it was busy /full with young & old returning from the beach, but, the fact that some were on the bus in "WET" swimwear! As one girl got up to leave, she stopped me from taking her seat as she saw I was in my "finery" for the evening & she sheepishly told me her seat was wet! 🤔 Anyway, have a great evening, continue to enjoy.
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Post by amy114 on Aug 2, 2017 18:25:58 GMT
Experienced the same in Bulgaria some years ago. They appeared to be early risers and you could not get a table in a restaurant between 6 - 8 pm, but then suddenly the resort was completely dead, the Russians had retired for the night. All bars and restaurants were empty! No atmosphere in the evenings!
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Post by dennisn on Aug 3, 2017 7:02:45 GMT
Ian (who does the Skiathian blog) wrote about this a year or 2 back iirc, not specifically regarding the Palace though. Up to then the flights from Russia and baltics were few and far between but then a few years back some budget airlines started flying routes to Skiathos from those countries. However, the initial excitement among the local restauranteers was soon cut short as the new tourists, as you point out, werent going out in the evenings much and doing it all on the cheap (cheap supermarket liquor on hotel balconies)and not troubling restaurants or bars much. Some were making a bad name for themselves by doing things like going into a cafe and sitting there all afternoon using their wifi with only 2 coffees bought to show for it. Cultural differences aside, you have to enter into the spirit of at least giving something back to the local economy while on holiday and this lot just werent playing the game. Some years ago when we were in Corfu, a Russian family were doing this every day. Father would bring the two youngsters into this all day cafe/bar, sit them down and go away to get them a pastry for their breakfasts - cheaper than those in the bar. When he came back with food, he'd get a coffee and plug his laptop into the socket by his table and totally ignore the kids, who toured the place in small child fashion, leaving minor havoc in their wakes. After a couple of hours, he'd disappear, then his wife would arrive with some more food for the kids, plug into the socket and have a coffee and stay for several more hours. They did this every day and must have spent at least 5 Euros there! All the traders in the village knew they did this sort of thing and whilst none of them made objection, so neither did any of them welcome them. Today's blog by Skiathian has a newspaper quote saying that the eastern bloc visitors arrive with cars full of food and turn their accommodation balconies into self catering restaurants, spending virtually nothing in the local economy. The article also says there has been a noticeable increase in shoplifting.
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Post by dennisn on Aug 3, 2017 7:07:45 GMT
I think I must be mentally gearing up for going away as for the last couple of Fridays I've been checking on Flightstats to see if the TC flight from EMA got away on time. As if it will have any influence whatsoever on my own flight! Doesn't EVERYBODY do this?
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Post by dennisn on Aug 3, 2017 7:09:42 GMT
Ended up staying local yesterday night. Went to the Big Bad Wolf and ordered the 660g Tomahawk steak. Very nervous that it would come well done (a complete waste of a lot of money), but it was perfect. Going into town tonight, but we're on the much earlier 6:00pm bus. I wonder if they'd mince that steak for my teeth?
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Post by kevb on Aug 3, 2017 8:19:37 GMT
Thanks for the heads up on the blog Dennis, I haven't looked in on it for a while. Turning up with cars packed with food to a small island with a short season like Skiathos (or indeed Corfu) is poor form. I can see that some folks can't afford eating out every night (when I was seeing a lady with 2 kids we went to Cyprus and realised the budget wouldnt stretch to eating out every night but at least we went AI and still ate out a couple of times rather than abusing a self catering system) but you need to put a bit of something back or soon the choice won't be there anymore as businesses fold.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Aug 3, 2017 8:26:59 GMT
Palace mini bus into town last night. Then on to The Final Step, only with the longest diversion ever (I got the two churches mixed up, don't ). Absolutely smashing, though a bit more pricey than we expected. House white very nice. Once again I'm finding I save money at expensive restaurants this way. Many cheap tavernas have house wine that's poor, so you have to buy a bottle (more than I need) for €20. Good restaurant 500ml house wine for €6. You almost save as much as you spend extra on the food. One thing, I didn't research The Final Step enough and didn't realise it wasn't traditional Greek food. Anyway, we're realigning the budget, so its Souvlaki/Under/Pine and a €3 bottle of retsina.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Aug 3, 2017 8:30:32 GMT
On the Eastern European thing, I think it's probably a cultural thing. No right or wrong, just what people are used to doing.
If they're not bringing enough business to the island, maybe charge the Eastern European package firms more until they're priced out of the market. There are plenty of other people who'll fill the island every year and spend their money.
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Post by kevb on Aug 3, 2017 8:43:06 GMT
Ended up staying local yesterday night. Went to the Big Bad Wolf and ordered the 660g Tomahawk steak. Very nervous that it would come well done (a complete waste of a lot of money), but it was perfect. Going into town tonight, but we're on the much earlier 6:00pm bus. I wonder if they'd mince that steak for my teeth? Coming soon to the Villa Maria specials board - beef fillet smoothie
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Aug 3, 2017 11:05:57 GMT
A friend just posted on FB that they're going on holiday tomorrow (not Greece) and the forecast is 40.
Surely that's too hot, isn't it? I'm not sure I'd go out in 40.
Anyone else?
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