Messages

106

Where to go / Stoupa in September 2012

« on: January 17, 2012, 02:55:38 PM »

We will be giving Plakias a miss this year afrer 5 years of going May and September.

Instead, we are going to try the mainland and the resort of Stoupa in early September.

Has anyone on this site ever been or had any experience of that resort ?

I know that there is a website for Stoupa (similar but not as good as the Plakias one) but I would value any information Plakias regulars might have on Stoupa.

107

PlakChat / Sirocco Restaurant

« on: August 20, 2011, 11:45:20 AM »

Siroco is currently open, and I had a lovely meal there.
Noopsy

Thanks for that.

Will we now eat there on our first night in Plakias, the 13th September.

108

PlakChat / Mythos

« on: August 13, 2011, 03:14:52 PM »

Shopping at Booths in Ilkley this week and found Mythos on sale at 10 pounds for 6 bottles.

Could not resist the offer !!

Now Saturday afternoon and the first sip of Mythos since May......

Ahhhhh.

But only 4 and a bit weeks to go before the first real drink at Sifi's.

On another subject, we are pleased to hear that Sirocco's has re-opened, even without George's son as front of house.
It was closed in May when we were last there but speeking to George and Maria, they did plan to open early June.

It looks loke they have got going again.

It will be interesting to see what has changed

We think that it was the best place to eat in Plakias, so let's hope that it still is.

109

Holiday Companies / Have I got a bargain?

« on: June 28, 2011, 03:43:54 PM »

We have booked our Jet 2 flight for September 13th to Plakias from Manchester and are looking forward to our visit .
Lets hope that it is a bit warmer than May of this year !!!

But we are holding off booking a hire car or accommadation until we see what the situation in Greece turns in to.

We are unsure about what currency to take with us: pounds ?
                                                                            Euros ?
                                                                            US Dollars ?
                                                                            Drachma (heaven forbid !!)
   
Lets just hope that the situation does not result in industrial action which could affect air travel, fuel supply etc.

And we definitely will not re book for 2012 until much later than is usual for us.
Maybe even into next year ?

110

Plakias / Holiday Report May 2011

« on: June 14, 2011, 09:55:15 AM »

George:

Your thoughts echo ours almost exactly.

We will not let the sunbed problem on a 100 yard stretch of a 2 mile long beach change our view of Plakias and we will continue to go back there twice a year for as long as we are able to do so.

Sure, the place is changing but nothing stays the same for ever.

When it changes so much that we no longer enjoy going, then we will have to find somewhere else to go.

But that time is not yet .

111

Plakias / Strategic Airlines

« on: June 07, 2011, 02:17:25 PM »

Mike:

In mid May, the larger of the building developments close to the 'far end' was nearing completion but was not yet occupied.
But it looked close to being occupied ( if they have sold them all !!!)

The effect it will have on the area is therfore still not fully evident.

In my view the other smaller new builds have not greatly detracted from the area.
They seem to fit in fairly well.

BUT:
I did not know the area in the time before any of this building took place, having only first visited Plakias in 2005.

To my mind the biggest changes this year in May were demographic.

The number of visiters was well down on previous years.

The mix of nationalities has changed with many more Eastern European visiters and fewer British visiters.
The general feeling from local people is that we Brits have stopped coming to Plakias in any sort of numbers in May and now only visit in September.

I don't say that this mix is a change for the better of for the worse but it is marked.

Also, a very late Spring in Plakias did not help.
The weather was colder than expected, particularly in the evening and night times.

We intend to go 2 weeks later in May next year and to use Jet 2 from Manchester.
Probably a bit more expensive but better flight times.

112

Plakias / Holiday Report May 2011

« on: May 25, 2011, 07:47:40 PM »

We are also just returned fron 2 weeks in Plakias and these are our thought on the holiday:

We flew from Manchester with Monarch on Tuesday 10th May to Chania and had no problems with the flight or the airline.

Hire car from the usual firm was ready and waiting for us to pick up.
Chania to Plakias took about 1 hour 40 mins at a steady pace.

We spent 2 weeks staying with George at Creta Mare ( our 5th stay with him)
As usual, the place was just what we wanted and the view from our room over the beach and sea, towards the Dragons Head, was outstanding.
We were really well looked after by George and Joanna.

The first week the resort was as quiet as we have ever seen it, to the point of being almost deserted at times.
Bars and tavernas almost empty most evenings.
Also, very few English people were in the resort for the first week but a few more arrived for the second week (but far less than previous years).

The mix of nations in Plakias was very marked.
Spanish, Italian, French, Norwegian,Latvian, Czech,SriLanka,German and of course the English.
But the English were far from the majority there.

The weather was poor for the first 2 days but improved after that, but at night it was cool/cold.
It is the first time in Plakias that we have had blankets on the bed at night, and that lasted until the last 2 days of our stay.

Sea was cold but swimable.

The beaches looked strange.
Very few people on them, even at the far end.
No sun beds or umbrellas at all the fist week and very few out by the time we left on the 24th.
Not a sun bed to be had at all at the very far end.
Just 15 beds and umbrellas outside the beach bar.
Most odd.

But the late spring and wet winter made the wild flower show really worth seeing.
It was the best that we have ever seen it.

The price of food, accommodation, drinks etc semed very much as before.
We ate at Harakas, Lyssos,Kri Kri, Sifis and Medusas and all very very good with Medusas being marginaly the best.

But fuel for the car is more expensive.
We paid 1.76 euro a litre for it.

The biggest shock to us was that our favoprite taverna, Sirocos, was closed and not due to open until sometime next week.

The owner George has had heart problems and his son, Bachcus, has left to join the monastary.
But they say that they plan to reopen soon.
George is back at work and says that he is now fine.
But without his son as front of house, well.......

We are back in Plakias on 13th September and wait to see what the place is like then.

We will probably return to Plakias in May and September in 2012 but the May visit will be 2 weeks later next time.
We will hope then for warmer weather and a few more people in resort.

113

PlakChat / Plakias - Heraklion airport

« on: March 09, 2011, 10:25:00 PM »

(sorry about the first posting.Finger trouble)


We travel from Heraklion to Plakias at about 4pm.


Time to Rethmilon is about 1 hour 10 mins.
Then about 35 mins to Plakias.

BUT:
we assume that everyone else on the road has the right of way and keep well out of their way and do not try to break the land speed record !!. ( in a Toyota Yaris ?)

We did not find the time from Chania to be much shorter...or was that just us ?

We will have to try both this year, Chania in May and Heraklion in September.

But one thing is for sure:
We will never do either journey again in the dark!!!!!!

Roll on May 10th.

114

PlakChat / Plakias - Heraklion airport

« on: March 09, 2011, 10:15:14 PM »

Taxi Driver 1hr30
Tourist 2hr

I have to confess that 2 years ago late one evening I found myself overtaking a taxi driver en route from airport to Plakias. It was a very fast journey - can't remember my journey time exactly but it was rather short.

John

115

Where to stay / Irida studios

« on: October 26, 2010, 06:09:20 PM »

Barny:

Looking at the picture of the bottle of Mythos and Mythos glass:

Did you see the offer in the supermarket for 5 bottles of Mythos and a Mythos glass for 5 euro's ?

Bought 2 packs and managed to get the glasses home unbroken.
I left the bottles there (empty).

But now having to drink Becks out of them !!

116

Plakias / Timeos Stavros

« on: September 13, 2010, 01:26:20 PM »

You will need to walk about 220 yards up the track which passes behind the Plakias Bay Hotel (the path which leads  toward Danomi) to find the start of the path you need.
From then on, the path climbs at a stead rate and is clear until about half way up.
It then becomes a little indistinct but if you remember that you need to keep gaining height, you will find the correct way.
The views of Plakias and it's bay are great and well worth the effort of the climb.

117

Plakias / Timeos Stavros

« on: September 11, 2010, 08:07:55 PM »

John R[/quote]
Interesting John. Am I right in thinking you walked from Plakias Bay hotel along the face of the cliff, until the path reached the cave entrance, and then just carried on around the headland, as you have described, to Kalypso?

Seems like a decent new walk in the Plakias area which is welcome.

The path at the bottom of the cliff to the caves is a dead end, with no way round the headland.
It is also starting to become eroded in places and a bit unsafe.

The path you need runs above the cliff face and climbs steadily up to the right.

It eventually comes out at the road which leads down to Kalypso.

But if, instead of going down the road to Kalypso, you turn left and climb up that road to the top of the hill, you will come to a track on your left which leads to some new (abandoned) houses.
Take this rough track and climb up to the radio masts.
There is then a track, on you left, back down, which joins  up with the track running above the cliff, giving a very good, short walk.

118

PlakChat / missing it

« on: August 15, 2010, 02:51:56 PM »

OK

no more talk of this year.

(but in 29 days tinme ( God willing) we will be sitting in Siffi's, drinking our first Mythos)

Due out there from Leeeds Bradford 12 noon on 14th Seprtember with Jet 2.

And have just  booked the flights for next year, May to Chania and September to Heraklion.

Prices very much as this years.

119

Plakias / Will I find many changes ?

« on: May 30, 2010, 07:23:21 PM »

The set menu boards at the tavernas across from Ostraco's were not showing fixed price meals when we were there last week but that may have change since then .
It was one of the few things which seemed to have changed.

120

Where to stay / Pelagrinos new build ?

« on: May 29, 2010, 03:03:24 PM »

(If you could post them it would really be appreciated.)

Daughters input to picture posting problem at or near zero.

So can anyone tell me how to get jpeg pictures from  my decktop onto this posting ?

And remember please, that you are talking to someone who has never owned a mobile phone or sent a text message and has yet to master the controls of the dishwasher and washing machine so keep it more than simple.