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Messages - AndyL

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1
Plakias / Photos of Plakias/Crete in April
« on: January 06, 2013, 11:16:32 AM »
Owing to the shutdown of the Webshots site I have moved all my travel photos to Flickr. This link will take you to 55 photos of Western Crete in Springtime, including Plakias and lots of stunning wild flowers, taken in April 2007

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloudon/sets/72157631871317776/

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Where to go / Asi Gonia on April 23
« on: January 06, 2013, 11:01:14 AM »
I'm re-posting this from five years ago because the photos were linked to Webshots which has now shut down, so they appeared as "Temporarily Unavailable." My Crete photos are now on Flickr so I've enclosed the new links.  Go to any one of them and that will lead you into a set of 55 photos of Western Crete in Springtime.
If you're there on April 23 and have a car, go to Asi Gonia for the blessing of the sheep. St George is patron of sheep and shepherds and they bring them down to the church where they are milked and the milk is given away with Cretan rusks to any visitors. Every cafe has a charcoal grill going for lamb souvlaki at 1 euro a stick. It's a wonderful occasion, with few tourists but many Cretans piling in from all parts with empty jugs and bottles for the free milk. Allow an hour and a half to get there and be there for 10am. The route is: Mirthios - Kanevos - Kali Sikea - Velonado - Roustika - Ag. Konstantinos - Argiroupolis - Asi Gonia. Your map may not show a road between Kali Sikea and Velonado but there is one. It's all quite good apart from a really rough section beyond Zouridi, after Ag. Konstantinos.  (N.b. If April 23 falls in the Greek Easter week this festival will be moved back a bit - check locally).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloudon/8130868422/#
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloudon/8130842877/#
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloudon/8131102972/#

3
Where to go / Asi Gonia on April 23
« on: May 06, 2007, 03:54:26 PM »
If you're there on April 23 and have a car, go to Asi Gonia for the blessing of the sheep. St George is patron of sheep and shepherds and they bring them down to the church where they are milked and the milk is given away with Cretan rusks to any visitors. Every cafe has a charcoal grill going for lamb souvlaki at 1 euro a stick. It's a wonderful occasion, with few tourists but many Cretans piling in from all parts with empty jugs and bottles for the free milk. Allow an hour and a half to get there and be there for 10am. The route is: Mirthios - Kanevos - Kali Sikea - Velonado - Roustika - Ag. Konstantinos - Argiroupolis - Asi Gonia. Your map may not show a road between Kali Sikea and Velonado but there is one. It's all quite good apart from a really rough section beyond Zouridi, after Ag. Konstantinos.  (N.b. If April 23 falls in the Greek Easter week this festival will be moved back a bit - check locally).






4
Plakias / Plakias sunset
« on: May 06, 2007, 03:33:01 PM »
Thanks to all for favourable comments on my sunset. Plakias in April: around 20c daytime, mostly sunny, much cooler at night when a jumper and jacket are needed. Strong wind got up for a couple of days. Town very quiet but most tavernas and some bars open (not Ostraco). Much hammering, drilling and painting going on as they all gear up. A very clever tractor was going up and down the beach riddling stones out of the sand and dumping them up near the harbour, leaving the sand looking nice and smooth. Prices much cheaper than my usual haunt (Antiparos) -e.g. 2.2 euros for half a kilo of local wine and dinner for two with wine rarely more than 20 euros. Walk up to Mirthios was very pleasant with little sign of last year's fire.  Main advantage of April is the wonderful wild flowers, especially if you drive around a bit (see attached pix). If you're there on April 23 and have a car, go to Asi Gonia for the blessing of the sheep. St George is patron of sheep and shepherds and they bring them down to the church where they are milked and the milk is given away with Cretan rusks to any visitors. Every cafe has a charcoal grill going for lamb souvlaki at 1 euro a stick. It's a wonderful occasion, with few tourists but many Cretans piling in from all parts with empty jugs and bottles for the free milk.  Allow an hour and a half to get there and be there for 10am.  The route is: Mirthios - Kanevos - Kali Sikea - Velonado - Roustika - Ag. Konstantinos - Argiroupolis - Asi Gonia.  Your map may not show a road between Kali Sikea and Velonado but there is one. It's all quite good apart from a really rough section beyond Zouridi, after Ag. Konstantinos.

Pix show (top to bottom): Heldreich's ophrys, Tassel hyacinth, Monkey orchid, Caper.








5
Where to stay / Plakias Bay Hotel
« on: May 06, 2007, 02:16:15 PM »
Yes, Bouziki still going strong but getting on a bit.

6
Where to stay / Plakias Bay Hotel
« on: May 03, 2007, 03:01:07 PM »
Spent four nights at the Plakias Bay Hotel in late April 2007, €60 per night B&B for two.  Well-run by Aris and Natasha Moraitis. Spacious, clean rooms with good-sized bathrooms and balconies mostly looking down the beach to the town which is 15 mins walk away (with full street-lighting all the way). Very quiet location (in April, anyway) behind the nudie Far End of the beach. Rooms have air/con and refrigerators. Hiccup with the hot water supply was quickly fixed. Very nice spot and good value.
Tel. +30 28320 31215    email: plbay@otenet.gr


7
Plakias / Plakias sunset
« on: May 03, 2007, 02:37:34 PM »
Just back from Plakias and thought you all might like to see what a Plakias Bay sunset can look like in April...


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