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Topics - Frank And Julie

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PlakChat / The 2020 season
« on: May 21, 2020, 07:39:09 AM »
So, an announcement by the Greek Government has just said that international tourist will be let back in from July 1st.

More of the restrictions are being lifted on the 1st June with Taverners being allowed to open but with new rules

Places here are still mainly shut with the exception of the Corner souvlaki bar (thank god I love his food) the other souvlaki bar run by Adonis grocery stores and Pharmacy’s.

Speaking to a few Taverner owners they are planning to open early to mid-June, there are a few day tourist about but these are Greeks from Rethymno and surrounding villages.

I here there might be some sort of seating restrictions in Taverners so there will be fewer tables and you will have to be taken to a table based on the restrictions rather than find your own seat.

The big hotels here being, Hapimag, Alianthos Gardens and Beach are not opening this season because of the staff, I have not heard anything about the new development at Paligremnos so am not sure if they ill open or not.

A big problem they have is staff, they are not sure how many people will come and are not expecting to get even slightly busy until August so do they employ any staff ? , they can not afford there wages if they are not busy and once they start employing them they have to make winter payments as well, so I think most are not planning too and will just rely on family members, also some of the staff are not from Greece so can not get here anyway.

The mood here is general caution bordering on concern, they need to make a living but are concerned that the influx of international travellers will bring the virus to our shores. So, don’t be surprised if you don’t get the normal hugs and kisses from your locals that you would normally get, its not that they don’t want you here its just they are a bit scared.

The last week has been very hot with virtually no wind making the sea more like a giant lake, its been great for the locals to be able to enjoy the sea the beaches and go fishing and local boat tours as normally they would be busy working so everything has the up-side.

Other news is the new super market net to Blu is nearly finished and it is very big and apart from a few smaller constructions here and there that’s it, so you will find Plakias pretty much as you left it last time you were here.



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Plakias / Winter is here
« on: December 13, 2019, 05:58:42 AM »
So winter is here, the temperature has finally dipped below 20 e for more than a day, a thunderstorm last night which is about the 3rd this year so far but the rain has only lasted for a few hours each time so not too bad.
It plans to be a busy winter here, with many changes planned, some good some bad, they are very busy this year clearing out the rivers around an in Plakias with at least 3 large excavators digging them deeper wider and clearing all the vegetation on the banks out, I guess they don't want to be caught out like last year.
There has been a lot of controversy about a planned hotel with "hobbit" style rooms half in half out of the ground just above the large cliff face at Paligremnos, from what I have read i think the forestry commission have blocked it but you can never be too sure here, sometimes it just comes down to money, ie who it’s given to !
The new hotel being built up just before Paligremnos is well under way now personally I don't think this is a bad development for the town, its reported to have between 400 and 600 rooms i hear, but that seems high to me for the size so I think those numbers have been confused with beds, anyway it’s an all-inclusive luxury hotel buy the Aquila group, Olympic have taken some rooms so maybe some of you will be staying there net year !, as its all-inclusive it’s unlikely that more than a 50-100 people will come into town on a night to eat i guess so I don’t think it will have a big effect on the numbers of people in the town on a night and the beach is big enough and cope easily with the extra beds, it will bring in more money to the town with shopping, bars, trips etc so I think this is a good thing.
There are a few more large development going to be built this year too, a new hotel at the back of Plakias on the steep concrete road to Selia with 56 rooms, and on the same road 14 villas, and a further two ore development but only with 8 rooms between them and these are likely not to be finished for the next season anyway.
Work is underway to tarmac the road from Souda to Rodakino along the cliff face buy the dragon so this will make the beach at Rodakino more accessible which is good as this is a great beach to go if there is a strong north wind.
In the town the Notus Bar over the supermarket next to Sifis has gone and is getting turned into apartments and the super market is also gone again being made into apartments, the owners of this supermarket have now just started to build a new supermarket next door to the Blu Café on the beach road, hopefully this does not turn into a typical tourist type supermarket full of inflatables and tat.
There is a new town plan showing that the main front road from the bridge around to sweet creations will be pedestrianised, with new seating ect so the traffic will have to go around at the side of the Forum and out along the back of Plakias, this again I think is not a bad thing as the cars running past the taverners around Ostracos at the moment do cause a hazard in busy tourist times, but no work has started yet so who knows if this will be implemented next year or not.
A couple of months ago, there was an official notice in the papers that the main road from Koxare up to Armeni was to be closed from the 1st November for 6 months for repairs and other work meaning a long detour for traffic to Rethymno  which was going to be a right pain, but so far nothing has happened ! … only in Greece.
The olive harvest is well on the way with good crop size generally but the quality is not so high this year, but over supply has meant that prices are as low as 1 euro a litre so some farmers are not bothering to take the olives as the cost of the labour to remove them is more than the money they will get for selling the oil.
If any more big developments happen I will let you know, have a good winter everyone .

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Plakias / Update
« on: March 17, 2019, 10:52:57 PM »
Things are slowly getting ready for the new season here, still a lot of damage by the flooding with many roads badly damaged, it has not rained here a lot for a couple of weeks but there is still a lot of water coming down the mountains and running at the side of roads showing how much water there is still seeping through the ground.

The road by Preveli bridge was badly damaged as further up the river could not take the extra flow so it formed a new river running parallel to the main one going around rather than under the bridge taking the road with it, work has stared on the repair of this so should be finished for the new season.

The beach itself was also badly damaged as the river now runs straight into the sea and not curving at the beach this new outfall was so wide it washed away a good 1/3rd of the beach so I am guessing they will have to get a machine in there somehow to try and remodel the beach, the palm trees seem largely unaffected.

The road at the entrance of the Kourtaliotiko Gorge was completely destroyed and will take at least another 6 weeks to repair so all traffic is having to use the smaller Kotsifou Gorge.
There was a significant landslide caused by the rain just outside the new harbour, this blocked the road completely, it was quickly cleared but still is a big mess with piles of soil both sided of the road.

The ATM next to the fish spar was literally blown up a few weeks ago by a failed robbery attempt causing a lot of damage to the ATM and the front and side of the Fish Spa, I guess again this will be replaced by the new season but is just boarded up at the moment.
The new development at Palegrimnos has been put back a year so no change.

A bit of building work going on but no major new developments just the odd house here and there.
I’m sure it will be all put back together before the main season starts.

Charlie is getting older now and slowing down a bit (our dog) our niece is now living with us and we have also her Pug called Bella so you might see them both playing in the sea.

Life is good here we have many good friends and enjoy every day !

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Plakias / The Maltese Falcon
« on: November 15, 2018, 08:39:15 AM »
The superYacht the Maltese Falcon was moored up just outside the new harbour  the other day, its is one of the biggest and most expensive yachts ever built 88m long with 2400m2 of sail  area and 3 number  66m masts, all rigged and controlled electronically , the statistics are amazing if you google it but that's what you get for over 100 million !

Me and a few local friends when out on my boat to get a closer look, and its a long story but they asked if we could take someone back to the port which we did, and in thanks they gave us a tour of the boat and invited us on board for a meal, a once in a lifetime experience.

Plakias might be quite now but it never stops to amaze me the things that happen.

All the tourist have gone now and it's nice a quite plans have been made to build the second phase of the Plakias suites at the far end construction is due to start any day they are just sorting out the last bit of paperwork reportedly.

Have a great winter everyone.

I will post updates now and then .


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Plakias / Shark
« on: August 14, 2018, 06:19:27 AM »
A 5ft blue shark was swimming around the bay and the old harbour yesterday some great pics and videos on facebook the life guard was shouting to everybody to get out of the water its was following a guy on a lilo. Very unusual for this size and type to be so close locals said its the first some of them have ever seen.

 

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Plakias / Dirty Laundry!
« on: May 04, 2018, 07:02:01 AM »
Dirty Laundry!
For people that did not know there is a woman Desuela in Plakias that will wash and fold your holiday clothes, so that you can bring less especially if you are coming for two weeks or more or just get the washing done before you go so its less hassle when you get home, she is very good very friendly , and speaks good English and is cheap, most things are done for the next day her phone number is  30 697 5831107, just call her the day before you want anything done any she will arrange to collect the washing from you.



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PlakChat / Rain and Sleet
« on: December 24, 2017, 07:09:45 AM »
Its not always sunny here, its been raining solid for about 30hrs with sleet and hails stones sometimes being blown down from the higher ground, the sun`s just come out though and its supposed to dry up for Christmas and bee about 18 deg.

Have a good Christmas every one !

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