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Post by dennisn on Jul 2, 2018 7:43:55 GMT
Saturday. Dawned beautifully with a slight breeze. We rose very early and set off to the beach at 7:30am and got there in a 20 minute walk. The sea was a bit choppy and big girl's blouse was very much the order of the day - Vera was straight in as usual, but I was compelled to get my parts stricken by freezing water in small sections, until the waves forced me to avoid them by getting in. Bracing. Well, cold enough to feel glowing from it. The waves were strong enough to limit us to two ups and downs of the beach, enough effort to equate to our usual five or six.
Back at Villa Maria, we each had our chosen breakfasts, only this time I increased mine to four digestive biscuits with tomato and finished off with a peach from the fridge, so ripe and delicious the juice was running down my chin, so I had to eat it bending over the sink!
WE went into town on the tall thin smiling bus conductor's bus. He recognised us and greeted us enthusiastically. In town, we meandered gently from Acropolis stop down Papadiamantis street, calling into a few of our favourite shops, again being greeted by recognition and friendliness. Vera bought a dress and so did I - not for myself, but for her as thanks for bringing me here. I bought myself some sandals which I wear without socks because I'm a modern (slim) person. As I sat outside one shop, along came a man who I invited to join me at the chair other side of the table. He spoke quite good English, very slowly and explained he's a fisherman. He strongly recommended that when we want Kalamari, we order Thrapsalo, Skiathos kalamari, because if you don't, you get stuff imported from Africa, not a patch on the taste of Skiathos ones.
At Plateia sandwich shop, the boy proprietor has changed routine and now does nights, so we had to make do with another nice boy. The proprietor boy's wife was there though and greeted us warmly and also called her daughter out of Tries Hierarches to come shake my hand and say hallo.
On the Bourtzi, there was much changed staff, with only three we knew from before, one of whom had treated my pathetic Greek last time, so we had to avoid his tables.
That night, Salt and Pepper was our usual second meal and we found the place completely different, totally new staff. Not realising the menu had also changed, we declined it and said we know what we want - I had ribs (enormous, delicious). Vera ordered Kalamari with jacket potato and salad (as usual). But they had no idea what a jacket potato was and Vera tried to explain how to do it, but obviously their English wasn't up to it. That was the first failure. The main failure, however, was Vera's worst nightmare - not kalamari crispy rings, but a whole one lying on the plate giving her the eye. She ate most of it, but only because she has a stronger stomach than I.
Once again, I had forgotten to take my Omeprazole tablet and paid the price that night in bed!!
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Post by kevb on Jul 2, 2018 9:20:24 GMT
I hear there is a 24 hour vomiting bug going round the island so fingers crossed you and Vera avoid it. Just don't go near any actual people and you'll be fine ;-)
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Post by dennisn on Jul 2, 2018 17:53:37 GMT
Sunday dawned to its name day - sunny, bright, beautiful.
Down at the beach, we found the sea quite flat - not glassy, but not wavy. Big girls blouse saw me get in eventually to join Vera who had discovered a couple from Birmingham - we stood (Vera stood, I cowered up to my neck to avoid any cooling breeze) whilst they stayed on shore and chatted for all our swimming time, after which I had to get out for fear of cramp from the cold water!
I forgot to mention that the goats have disappeared from the field opposite Sunrise's appartments, so we can no longer collect tasty goat food things from the verges as we return from the beach. Coming back along the road just after Christakis Sports Bar, we were confronted by an enormous heavy lorry. We stood rigid as close to the drainage ditch as possible and he missed us, but it was a teeny bit challenging to watch him approaching at horrific speed.
We had decided to have a day in for a rest, so after a late breakfast we ambled down to the pool. we have swum at the beach every morning and i our pool every afternoon, but our pool was still Big Girl's Blouse. It's fine once I'm in, it just takes time and effort to get there. But I'm a very brave (and slim) person, so I win in the end.
I had bar snacks and Vera had sensible diabetic stuff. I haven't reported on the weather have I? Well, it's hot, seriously. Any thoughts yu may have that it's under 30 degrees are mistaken. We are sleeping without bedding and don't have aircon because we don't like it. Today (Monday), Niko behind the bar said his thermometer was reading 34 degrees in the shade of the bar. I believed him, and tonight, now at 8:50pm well after sunset it's still 28 degrees. I don't know how accurate those things are, but I do know it's seriously hot!
We ate at Jasteri and thank goodness it was not changed. Vera chose sea bass fillets and I had the night's special, liver and onions. Vera always gets it right, I really should always have the same as her!
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Post by dennisn on Jul 2, 2018 18:13:03 GMT
Monday
Turned out to be a glorious morning, still, calm, peaceful, all's well with the world. The walk to the beach was blissfully peaceful and when we got there, the sea was glassy smooth, not a ripple in sight. As Big Girl's Blouse joined Vera, we were greeted by a shoal of skittering little fishes, our first this year. We saw one more shoal half an hour later too. We still haven't been to look for the terrapins - we went last year behind the beach, but only saw a pond of still, slightly disturbed water, no terrapins. A man we see each morning says they are there - he goes for a walk each morning same time as we're there and he says they are always there - that's the limit of his walk. We left the beach as the tourists started to gather - many had already sneaked out to towel their sunbeds and now they came to occupy them, first moving them about to get the proper position in the sun (or shade). We derive great enjoyment from watching them at it.
In town, we bought a couple of things, then to Nikos place for gyros and beer, followed by walking round to see the man who pretty much saved my leg last July - the shopkeeper who called the ambulance and police. I showed him my mended leg and offered a drink, but he declined because he only has one coffee and it was only halfway down his cup.
Then round to the old harbour to buy a ticket for Agios Nikolaos on Thursday. Please all be ready to look at the Skopelos webcam and give us a wave. I'll be on 4G and hope to give an accurate guess at the time for it.
Afternoon swim in the pool - without any bad weather since we arrived, it's getting more tolerable.
Evening meal at Ratatouille. Lovely normal welcome and reliable excellent menu. I put myself to shame for not eating much of my delicious chicken à la creme. It had been a mistake to have two gyros in town, two beers and half a carton of cold peach juice back in our room!
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Post by dennisn on Jul 2, 2018 18:45:32 GMT
And now, after some techno stuff, my ticker is updated to show next two visits after this one.
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Post by Tre on Jul 2, 2018 20:34:15 GMT
Just what I needed to read this evening. Sounds like a perfect day. Really starting to feel “giddy” now. We were there this time last year & the year before it was “wedding Eve” Keep the reports coming Dennis.....
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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 3, 2018 6:12:06 GMT
What a lovely treat, three days reporting in one. Thanks Dennis. 😎
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Post by philipt22 on Jul 3, 2018 8:12:47 GMT
Fabulous read Dennis. This has certainly put me in the mood for 2019’s return. Thanks 😬
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Post by dennisn on Jul 3, 2018 9:52:21 GMT
Tuesday (part one)
A staying in relaxing day today, so an interim report to make up for late beginning when we first came out.
Another AWWTW morning (All's well with the world). Clear, calm, sunny, not a breath of wind to blow your towel off your sunbed. 7:30am stroll to the beach is to die for, peaceful like all the Tories and UKIPers and right wingers have emigrated and we're staying in Europe! (Well, I can still dream). At Sunrise Taverna we at last saw our friend the goat man, in his vegetable garden. He's the patriarch of Sunrise and their studios and does all sorts of things - we call him goat man, vegetable man, milk man, grill (he works the grill for the taverna too) man, everything man. He stays there during winter season whilst the youngsters all hibernate off to the mainland. He doesn't speak a word of English and my Greek is fairy limited so our conversations are somewhat low in content. Vera doesn't speak a word of Greek, but addresses him the same as every other Greek person she meets - she tells them all sorts in Smile - all they understand is Smile and that's enough to win us friends all over the island! She explained to their cleaner (who we meet every morning as we go to the beach) that she had seen the goat man and because he wasn't looking our way, she whistled to attract his attention - I so admire her for that, I've never been able to whistle with my fingers and she can, really loudly, incredible, and goat man recognises and realises it's us. Cleaner didn't understand a word, of course, but on our way back greeted us with a gesture of whistling with her fingers and a big smile and laughter.
When we got to the beach, Vera met somebody and was engaged in chat for long enough for me to get up hopes as I trotted into the sea to beat her. I was up to the bottoms of my shorts before she finally made a move and I claimed to have beaten her, but the somebody said I hadn't because I was still not IN so Vera still beat Big Girls Blouse to it. With glassy sea, we did quite a few up and downs. Perhaps I should explain that up and down is not the length of the beach, it's from where we park our bag and towel, up to the buoys for the boat people and back. There were two "Intrepids" today, swimming the crawl from end to end of the beach at least twice and breathing out of the sides of their heads. Didn't go looking for the terrapins again - will we ever?
Back at Villa Maria now, we were in time to wave off some of today's leavers, with a gloat about how we are staying. Some ignored us, some grinned ruefully - you win some, you lose some! Their incoming flight has landed now and I have a suspicion, Di, that THAT family is arriving on it - I'll let you know later!
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Post by *Di* on Jul 3, 2018 15:35:21 GMT
Tuesday (part one)
A staying in relaxing day today, so an interim report to make up for late beginning when we first came out.
Another AWWTW morning (All's well with the world). Clear, calm, sunny, not a breath of wind to blow your towel off your sunbed. 7:30am stroll to the beach is to die for, peaceful like all the Tories and UKIPers and right wingers have emigrated and we're staying in Europe! (Well, I can still dream). At Sunrise Taverna we at last saw our friend the goat man, in his vegetable garden. He's the patriarch of Sunrise and their studios and does all sorts of things - we call him goat man, vegetable man, milk man, grill (he works the grill for the taverna too) man, everything man. He stays there during winter season whilst the youngsters all hibernate off to the mainland. He doesn't speak a word of English and my Greek is fairy limited so our conversations are somewhat low in content. Vera doesn't speak a word of Greek, but addresses him the same as every other Greek person she meets - she tells them all sorts in Smile - all they understand is Smile and that's enough to win us friends all over the island! She explained to their cleaner (who we meet every morning as we go to the beach) that she had seen the goat man and because he wasn't looking our way, she whistled to attract his attention - I so admire her for that, I've never been able to whistle with my fingers and she can, really loudly, incredible, and goat man recognises and realises it's us. Cleaner didn't understand a word, of course, but on our way back greeted us with a gesture of whistling with her fingers and a big smile and laughter.
When we got to the beach, Vera met somebody and was engaged in chat for long enough for me to get up hopes as I trotted into the sea to beat her. I was up to the bottoms of my shorts before she finally made a move and I claimed to have beaten her, but the somebody said I hadn't because I was still not IN so Vera still beat Big Girls Blouse to it. With glassy sea, we did quite a few up and downs. Perhaps I should explain that up and down is not the length of the beach, it's from where we park our bag and towel, up to the buoys for the boat people and back. There were two "Intrepids" today, swimming the crawl from end to end of the beach at least twice and breathing out of the sides of their heads. Didn't go looking for the terrapins again - will we ever?
Back at Villa Maria now, we were in time to wave off some of today's leavers, with a gloat about how we are staying. Some ignored us, some grinned ruefully - you win some, you lose some! Their incoming flight has landed now and I have a suspicion, Di, that THAT family is arriving on it - I'll let you know later!
Oh no... 🤦🏼♀️😬😂
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Post by *Di* on Jul 3, 2018 15:36:04 GMT
But great half day report nonetheless dear Dennis 👍🏼🙂
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Post by balddave on Jul 3, 2018 15:56:28 GMT
Dennis excellent feedback, totally on side with your dream,if only common sense would prevail. Sounds like you’re busy doing nothing but having happy fulfilling days, marvellous
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Post by dennisn on Jul 3, 2018 18:42:56 GMT
Tuesday part two.
It's OK Di, not them. Nice people instead.
Well the kickoff should have been half an hour ago and no sounds yet from Christakis Sports Bar.
We spent so long in the pool today that I've become tanned. Whatever is the world coming to? Late afternoon, new arrivals came in. After a few minutes, a lady's voice called Hello Vera, it is you isn't it? A male voice said I recognised Dennis's hat. And here they are, two rooms full of previous good fellow guests. We now have a fine compliment of convivial people around the pool, yippee!
When I went for the paper, I also popped next door and booked our Jimny for Monday and Tuesday next week, give my new driving licence its first foreign outing. Before I went, the weather app was forecasting (the usual) thunderstorm for Tuesday, but it's gone now, so Angela will have to water the flowers.
We ate in Kalivi, usual tsatsiki with pitta bread was totally delicious, Vera had a large water and Moussaka, I had a beer and pork brizola. My teeth just about coped and both meals were really tasty (and big, of course). Bill was €26 - yes, TWO SIX, twenty six Euros!!
Well, that's it for today. It's incredibly hot and must be half time by now with no sounds of joy or disappointment - maybe we are too far away to hear? I'm certainly not putting our telly on (to be honest, I don 't know how to work it anyway, never tried in ten holidays)
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Post by kevb on Jul 4, 2018 10:03:27 GMT
You will no doubt know by now but England actually WON A PENALTY SHOOTOUT !!! You will have to go down the Christakis on Saturday for the quarter final clash with Sweden, the atmosphere will be great. Kick off will be 5pm your time. I'm off to Kefalonia tomorrow, have a great holiday.
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Post by dennisn on Jul 5, 2018 5:18:23 GMT
Wednesday 4th July
We heard England winning last night, three huge bouts of cheers, first one during normal time, then two more outside proper match time, so when I checked the result on line I deduced the second rejoicement was for Them missing a penalty and the third was either for us getting the fourth, or them missing the fifth.
So, another AWWTW dawning, stroll to the beach feeling like a king in charge of everything and no Boris or Jacob to spoil the atmosphere. When we got there, I was really the man abut the house, getting dipped in incredibly soon after Vera and she agreed I hadn't Big Girl's Bloused it. Perhaps I should say that she always has an advantage of a start - I hold the bag for our tops and as soon as she's put hers in, off she goes, leaving me to put mine in and set the bag down carefully on the sand - I'm on a permanent loser here!!!
SUCCESS AT LAST - we went to see the terrapins and there they were, first a couple, then a host of them, peeping up at us. We've been told they will eat bread out of your hand, so I suppose they associate the silhouette of a human against the horizon with food and come galloping for a share. Such a shame, I didn't take my phone, but in any case, I thought the lighting background was so low that they'd probably not show up.
When we got to town, our destination of Plateia sandwich shop was not yet open. The owner's wife was clearing up and said the assistant boy person was still in bed, so we had to leave empty-stomached and went for another really excellent gyros at Nikos Taverna (yellow fence).
Second success of the day, our homecoming bus conductor was the blonde lady bus conductor bloke. When she reached us, she exclaimed delighhtedly and after getting all the fares, came back and chatted for the rest of our journey.
End of day's report.
We are going on the Ag Nikolaos boat to Skopelos today (Thursday). Watch this space for an estimate of the time we shall be at the cabin on the port entrance to wave at you all.
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