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Plakias / Re: Changes over the past few years
« on: June 13, 2023, 12:37:48 PM »
The whole front is being pedestrianised in the evening apparently - the sea front pavement is being widened in preparation.
The new (ish) pavement has had short lengths of plastic pipe sticking up out of it, all the way to Souda. I'd assumed that these were conduits for lights and this is also planned, though given they've been there a couple of years at least, who knows! I'm an amateur astronomer, and one of the appeals of south Crete is (was) the pristine, dark skies. I could still see the Milky Way from the Souda road, above the harbour, last week but less clearly than in previous years.
Plakias was always a resort, since my first visit in the early 90s, but still felt different to other Greek/Cretan resorts, in that some Cretan character had been retained. In about 2020, I noticed that most tavernas stopped using Greek greetings and farewells, instead using English. This seemed quite clear-cut, to me at least, as if a decision had been made to do so. Perhaps with the arrival of the new hotel by Paligremnos?
I don't feel like I'm 'getting away from it all' by going there, as I did 25 years ago. This has its uses, since I'm semi-retired now, can stay longer and do some work there if needed.
In general, I feel that the recent changes seem to cater for a different kind of visitor than in the past, one who is going less to see Crete and more looking for a generic sunny resort. I know that change is inevitable, but I miss the 'old Plakias'.
The new (ish) pavement has had short lengths of plastic pipe sticking up out of it, all the way to Souda. I'd assumed that these were conduits for lights and this is also planned, though given they've been there a couple of years at least, who knows! I'm an amateur astronomer, and one of the appeals of south Crete is (was) the pristine, dark skies. I could still see the Milky Way from the Souda road, above the harbour, last week but less clearly than in previous years.
Plakias was always a resort, since my first visit in the early 90s, but still felt different to other Greek/Cretan resorts, in that some Cretan character had been retained. In about 2020, I noticed that most tavernas stopped using Greek greetings and farewells, instead using English. This seemed quite clear-cut, to me at least, as if a decision had been made to do so. Perhaps with the arrival of the new hotel by Paligremnos?
I don't feel like I'm 'getting away from it all' by going there, as I did 25 years ago. This has its uses, since I'm semi-retired now, can stay longer and do some work there if needed.
In general, I feel that the recent changes seem to cater for a different kind of visitor than in the past, one who is going less to see Crete and more looking for a generic sunny resort. I know that change is inevitable, but I miss the 'old Plakias'.