Messages

46

Where to eat...or not! / Re: Where to eat 2012 ?

« on: June 22, 2012, 01:00:59 AM »

We have been going to Plakias 6 years and yes you are right there have been some "experiences" with some of the Restaurants that back onto the Beach. However one place that never fails to deliver is Lysseos near the Forum, next to the Bridge. If you are there next Tuesday evening you will witness myself getting my first helping of Pork Afelia this year ! It's not fancy, the food is simple and it isn't open at Lunchtime, go early as the specials sell very fast.

Does the Lysseos do Fish dishes and good vegetarian as well as Meat?
Only asking as I eat meat but other half only fish and vegetarian, get some great Fish and vegetable dishes on Cypriot menus.
Hoping that we can eat together and not at separate Tavernas 


As an omnivore I have not really taken that much notice. I cannot remember having a fish dish other than tuna salad, but there were definitely veggy dishes available. I remember the tomato soup with great relish, a big bowl and full of vegetables. The tuna salad is enormous and would do as a main course. If you have it as a starter, you need to be a trencherman to then finish a main course.

Mike

47

Where to eat...or not! / Re: Where to eat 2012 ?

« on: June 19, 2012, 05:54:49 PM »

Making my first posting here, I am from Sweden.

Me and my wife will be in Plakias in less than a week, it´s going to be two lovely weeks of relaxing, good food and lots of what we´ve been longing for all winter.

From what I understand, we should be careful if we choose the tavernas on the street closer to the beach, than the ones further up in the village. This will be our 15th trip to Greece, 3rd to Crete, many trips to the islands in the east, the west, Cyclades, you name them. Quiet a good view of what the Greek kitchen has to offer. We prefer starters, real local menue, no pasta, go-inside-to-watch-what´s-cooking-instead-of-international-menue-in-five-languages.


I assume you have looked through the taverna reviews under the Articles button on the menu bar.

I understand what you you prefer, but I have not seen much "look at what's cooking in the kitchen" in Plakias. There are many very good tavernas with good Greek courses on offer, however. The town is not that big, so have a good look around, try a few and note your favourites. Lysseos, with Greek Cypriot cooking is high on my list.

Hope that helps and have a great holiday.

Mike

Anyone updated where the best food in Plakias can be found in June/July?


Greetings from SweHa

48

Plakias / Re: Anyone know which route across Crete the Olympic Transfer from Heraklion takes?

« on: May 28, 2012, 12:20:08 AM »

Hi Chris,

Plus, if you're lucky (!?!), a couple of hours viewing the accomodations between Bali and Rethimnon.

Mike

49

Gossip / Re: Freddie & Emma

« on: May 17, 2012, 07:27:54 PM »

Please give our regards to the happy parents, since we are unable to take a holiday this year. We hope to catch up with them next year.

Congratulations on your gandson!!!

Chris & Mike

50

PlakChat / Re: Greece's financial plight

« on: February 23, 2012, 03:58:01 PM »

John,

Fudged entry criteria applied to other countries also. Greece started with about the weakest economy, so the problems became critical there first, but look at the list now!

The problem for Greece is that the EU "bailout" is to stop a collapse of many banks, or rather the massive government supoort which would be required to stop the collapse of the critical ones (including many French major banks, who were lending into Greece like it was going out of fashion), not to revive the Greek economy. I don't know what will happen, but the present situation cannot be sustained by the populace for too long before there must be major political upheaval, which has been quite common in Greece over the years.

Mike

51

PlakChat / Re: Greece's financial plight

« on: February 22, 2012, 10:39:13 PM »

My two drachma worth, if anyone is intersted.

The Euro was always a political project, aimed at making the European Union exactly that – a federal organisation with a central government. This was unlikely to be accomplished within a generation or two by persuasion of the various populations, so, since a currency cannot succeed without a single fiscal policy, the Euro was introduced with the intention that central government would become the compelling result. 

This may have had a chance of success if the project was developed over 30 to 40 years, but this would not meet the short term political aim. Hence the conniving at fudged entry criteria and the requirement of entry to the Euro as a condition of EU membership for new entrants.

Why did Greece want to join the Euro? The promise of cheap borrowing rates and the theory that the weaker members would be pulled up to the economic performance of e.g. Germany. The cheaper borrowing lasted for a while, helped by some considerable insanity in the international banking system, but resulted in the government over borrowing. Economically, consumer prices rose towards the Eurozone average, driving up wage rates, without the productivity of the North European countries.

This all resulted in an unsustainable level of government debt and private incomes at excessive levels within the Greek economy suffering “stagflation”, even whilst the Eurozone economy as a whole was in growth. It is difficult to see the imposed solution of the Euro finance ministers leading to any improvement in the position of Greece, so the status quo is unlikely to endure.

52

Where to eat...or not! / Re: Restaurants in Plakias

« on: February 05, 2012, 08:29:39 PM »

Thanks Noopsey thats really helpful and has whetted my appetite for September.

Which taverna sells the best stifado?

Unsure of the greek translation of some of the tavernas - is there any chance these could be added?

Best wishes Nora

Nora,

See below, hope this helps.

ΜΕΔΟΥΣΑ – Medousa

ΛΥΣΑΙΟΣ – Lysseos

ΧΑΡΑΚΑΣ – Harakas

ΚΡΙ-ΚΡΙ - Kri Kri

ΣΗΦΗΣ – Sifi’s

ΚΟΡΑΛΙ-Korali

ΣΟΦΙΑ – Sofia

ΜΟΥΣΕΣ – Mousses

ΓΙΟ-ΜΑ - Gio-Ma

ΚΑΣΤΡΟ – Kastro

ΑΤΛΑΝΤΗΣ – Atlantis

ΟΤΑΣΟΜΑΝΩΛΗΣ - Tasomanolis

ΣΙΡΟΚΟ – Sirocco

ΑΠΑΝΕΜΟ - Apanemo

Mike

53

PlakChat / Re: 2012 Season

« on: December 13, 2011, 01:04:56 AM »

Hi Mike,

Thanks for you comments,
We are moving to the Central Coast, NSW, somewhere around Gosford, about a hour or so North of Sydney, as close to the sea as we can get.
A location similar to the Livicon would suit us fine 

Peter&Dawn

Don't know it. I've done Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

My wife's late uncle used to live in Ocean Grove about an hour out of Melbourne, but he wasn't placed as well as the Livicon!

Mike

54

PlakChat / Re: 2012 Season

« on: December 12, 2011, 11:58:43 AM »

Hi everyone,
Fredy is not working on the beach anymore. (had an email from Emma confirming it) 
He can still be found working in Vrisi restaurant, and of course at the Livicon after he has finished work.

We hope everyone planning to go to Plakias in 2012 will have a great time, unfortunately we will not be there again, as we are emigrating 'down under'.

Plakias holds a very special place in our hearts, and its George we must thank for that.
We will be back, don't know when, but our heart felt thanks to all our friends in Plakias who have made our stays over the years so enjoyable. (To Ali, Dave, Emma, Fredy, Dionysis & Georgia goes our special thanks, and appreciation for their friendship)

To everyone we met at the Forum dinners, please raise a glass (or 2) to absent friends in 2012.

Wishing everyone a great Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous 2012. 

Peter&Dawn

P.S. We will still keep an eye on the forum, so we can still feel part of the community.

Hi Peter & Dawn,

Just a quick line to wish you all the best in Oz. I've visited quite a few times and am very envious.

Where you you settle?

Regards,

Mike

55

Holiday Companies / 2011 price hike

« on: January 31, 2011, 10:54:09 AM »

Olympic website now showing flights operated by Strategic Airlines.
They are an Australian company!
The plot thickens.
Grahame

Strategic does not operate any flights out of UK:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Airlines

http://www.flystrategic.com.au/

If this actually comes to pass then I imagine Stategic will be finding aircraft available for charter, but Olympic have been selling holidays by taking seats on charter flights and I doubt they have the customer numbers to be able to charter aircraft themselves.

I have a great feeling of foreboding.

Mike

56

Holiday Companies / 2011 price hike

« on: January 20, 2011, 10:01:50 AM »

Mike,
Vat is charged on the profit margins not the total price for flights/accommodation outside of the UK, so any increase in VAT makes a very small difference to the cost.
http://www.iwantsun.co.uk/beach-holidays/2...-rise-says-abta
I googled it and above is one of the serach results.
I'm not so much concerned about the Flight Operator but like you the time slots. Having booked for a flight leaving at 0900 I don't want to end up on a "Night Flight" which are horrendous!
Grahame
[/quote]

Grahame,

I agree that whatever VAT is chargeable on, the rise cannot amount to £30 on an Olympic holiday.

Like you, I booked a morning flight (from Gatwick) and the Olympic site is still quoting the Monarch flight times, but showing Travel Services as the carrier and a £27 surcharge for a morning flight  

I'm trying to draw up a contingency plan in case Olympic don't survive through to September.

From its website, it looks like Travel Services is owned by Icelandair!

Mike

57

Holiday Companies / 2011 price hike

« on: January 19, 2011, 04:50:37 PM »

VAT is not payable on package holidays, so the price adjustment would be Olympic putting the price up!
I checked the website today and there is no "price adjustment" on my booking but I did notice that the flights have been changed from Monarch to Travel Service Airlines , a Czech airline. I rang Olympic and they said that they would not be using Monarch but that they have not finalized arrangements with Travel Service Airlines and it may well change again!!! They hoped to keep the same time slots but couldn't guarantee this and of course they have the "right" to change your flight times by 12 hours and pay no compensation.

I think you will find that package holidays are subject to VAT. When insurance premium tax was 5%, it was suddenly increased to 17.5% for holiday insurance, due to some operators offering extremely cheap holidays with "compulsory", very expensive holiday insurance. The recent VAT increase would not account for £30 on Olympic prices however!

The Olympic search for replacement airlines is interesting, but where would the necessary landing slots come from at the large airports, particularly Gatwick. I am very interested, since I am due out of Gatwick to Heraklion in September.

Mike

58

Plakias / 2011 season

« on: September 24, 2010, 10:08:38 AM »

We got back from Kos last weekend and the shock to the system - getting up in the dark, commuting through miserable rain etc. - had us looking at the Olympic site last night and we couldn't resist booking two weeks at K&C from 13 September 2011. Long time to wait though!

59

PlakChat / Oo look what I found !!!

« on: August 24, 2010, 12:56:58 PM »

My late husband and I were CAMRA members too,used to go to all the localish beer festivals to try them all out. I still drink real ale in England, can't beat it.  

You are a woman of great taste Jann!
I must admit that I'm not that much of an officiado these days, and quite happy with a pint or two of Boddingtons, but Lager  :'(     !! You can keep it!! YUK!!!
We're quite lucky down here, we have King and Barnes(haven't seen them for a while), Harveys and several micro brewerys in Brighton and the surrounding areas.
There was another Mike on the site who lived down here, he was into it too!
george...

Would you be referring to me, George?

King and Barnes got sold back in 2000 and the Horsham brewery was closed down. You still see Sussex Bitter about, but it is brewed in Dorset by Badger!

As you say we still have Harveys of Lewes, but it gets confusing when you see their Sussex Best Bitter. It must be best since it is half a per cent stronger than Sussex Bitter from Dorset.  

Mike

60

Plakias / Fire in Rodakino, Preveli & Triopetra

« on: August 24, 2010, 09:42:18 AM »

Paradise is lost.
No daily cruises to preveli anymore.

A man died in Rodakino. I heard about another fire west of plakias. Can anyone confirm this?


So sad!
shinaria

Hopefully regeneration will be reasonably swift:

"The botanical name of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera L., is presumably derived from a Phoenician name "phoenix", which means date palm, and "dactylifera" derived from a Greek word "daktulos" meaning a finger, illustrating the fruit's form (Linné, 1734).
Another source refers this botanical name to the legendary Egyptian bird, "Phoenix", which lived to be 500 years old, and cast itself into a fire from which it rose with renewed growth (Pliny, 1489; Van Zyl, 1983). This resemblance to the date palm, which can also re-grow after fire damage, makes the bird and the date palm share this name, while "dactylifera" originates from the Hebrew word "dachel" which describes the fruit's shape (Popenoe, 1938)."

Taken from:

http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4360e/y4360e05.htm

Another scource talks of 3 to 4 years for fronds to reach maturity.