Messages

286

Plakias / Bike/car rental

« on: March 07, 2003, 10:12:40 AM »

If you intend to hire a bike you have to be aware of the risks! A friend´s friend died there a few years ago. I think most accidents happen with small scooters driven by people who never drove a vehicle with less than 4 wheels. They are good to cruise from Secret Nest to the Meltemi but they´re not made for off-road use. If you want to take a big machine you should be an experienced driver and better: a good team on the bike. If one of you doesn´t feel good with it: let it be.   Take it slowly!

Have a nice trip
shinaria

287

Plakias / Bike/car rental

« on: February 26, 2003, 12:02:54 PM »

I got the name again: odyssia  

288

Where to stay / Place to stay for 4

« on: February 26, 2003, 10:24:12 AM »

Hello!
Thank you all very much for your answers!!!
We will walk along and have a look at the sites as we were able to get an appartement at the "sofia beach"!  ! 16th June ´til 7th July! Hope thing haven´t changed so much since our last time in Plakias in 1999?! Especially we hope they didn´t put some Tavernas and hotels right on "the far end" of the beach...

See you
shinaria

289

Plakias / Last summer

« on: February 17, 2003, 10:01:51 AM »

Is it still Nikos Papadakis runnin´the Secret Nest?

290

Plakias / Newbie - couple of questions :)

« on: February 14, 2003, 12:21:08 PM »

Dog, cats and flies...

There are diffferrent types of dogs to be met on the island. There are these "domestic dogs" hanging around the tavernas and sharing the food donations of the tourists with the cats. This does not mean that they don´t belong to anybody! The "cretean dog" is not used to be led around by his owner on a line through the streets or carried around as a toy.

The next category is the "working dog", a sheppard e.g.

If you are walking or cycling through Crete´s mountains you might meet the third form of dogs. They are wild animals and you should not try to pet or feed them. Stand still, pick a stone...


There is an organisation [called "ARCHE" I think,] collecting strayin´dogs from the island "to give them a better life". Most of them are castrated then to reduce the population in a human way. Some they transfer to Germany.
Coming myself from Aachen [Germany] let me say: I´d rather be a poor, free dog on crete than a well fed one here!

291

Plakias / Bike/car rental

« on: February 14, 2003, 11:41:58 AM »

Kalimera!
We used to rent bikes at the ....ah-mh...i forgot the name but it is the one next to the "KriKri" in the middle of the village near the bridge. The bikes were always o.k. and if not, they made it work. They had some big Trial - bikes with real all-terrain slicks so we could reach (almost) every place of the island. The prices were also cheap esp. when you rent it for a longer term. We brought our helmets from home but they have some in store there. It is also recommended to pay the few Drachmes[eh...Euros] more for the full insurance as otherwise you might have to pay for a flat tyre or other damages you cause. Riding on Crete is one of the greatest pleasures to have on two wheels - but be aware of the olive oil on some streets`surface...

You won´t get bored in Plakias!

292

Where to stay / Shinaria Beach destruction Part II

« on: January 09, 2003, 03:01:18 PM »

Did anyone visit Shinaria Beach recently? In 1999 we were told that the abondoned hotel was for sale and planned to be reopened. Did they really do so? I hope they didn´t! Is the Diving school still active there? They really made a mess of this place!

Greetings from shinaria to shinaria

shinaria

293

Where to stay / Place to stay for 4

« on: January 09, 2003, 02:53:26 PM »

Kalimera everybody! Hope you all feel comfort with the new year...
We do! esp. as we will go to Crete this year again being abscent for the last three summers. We hope to be able to get an accommodation at the sophia or the secret nest again.
As our second son David was born in June last year we might have to look for something else, `cause most of the rooms they have to let were a little bit small for all of us.
Would anyone of you be willing and able to recommend a place to stay in Plakias for a family with 2 little childs? Maybe a house or an appartement with 2 connected rooms, balcony, etc.

Thank you all
 
shinaria
[elke, allan joshua, david and alfred ]