Messages

1

Plakias / Re: October ?

« on: July 28, 2020, 01:37:57 PM »

Further to my last comment I have just seen this :

As of TOMORROW Wednesday, 29 July, masks will be mandatory in more indoors spaces in Greece.

Full details here https://realgreekexperiences.com/greece-is-reopening-for-to…

For both employees and customers:
- All grocery stores (bakeries, butchers etc), including supermarkets where it was already mandatory
- All other retail stores
- Offices and businesses where there is contact with customers (e.g. banks, public services)
- Doctors' practices, other medical services
- Hair salons, beauty parlours
- Elevators
Reminder that masks remain mandatory in all public transportation (metro, buses, ferries etc) and taxis.

In addition, masks will be mandatory for all EMPLOYEES in cafes, restaurants, tavernas and other places where food and drink is served.

The fine for not wearing a mask is 150 euro.

Museums have not explicitly been mentioned, but I am sure there will be further clarifications in the next day or two.

2

Plakias / Re: October ?

« on: July 28, 2020, 01:30:15 PM »

Am I right in thinking that a face covering would have to be worn when you enter the airport, The bar, restaurant and four hours on the flight and taxi transfer? I see people on the telly wearing one on the beach?
I'm normally booked to go next week, hours on the beach, Antonis place, staying at Stella but I am thinking the same as Daniel. what if.....

                     Barny.

No one is wearing masks on the beach! the only restriction is you have to wear a mask in the supermarket.
Regarding coming or not, I guess each person has to make their own decision, Plakias feels very virus free at the moment and all serving staff are wearing masks in all the taverners and bars, the taverners has removed tables to give everyone more space minimum is 1.7m between chairs on different tables.
They have different cleaning regimes in the apartments and hotels all designed to keep you and them safe.
As most of you know I live here and speaking to relatives and friends back in Blighty I feel a lot safer here, even with the tourists.
Planes who knows they say they are safe so I guess they are !
The Greeks have been very proactive in all of this to keep everyone as safe as possible so I have no reason to believe they will not continue to do so.
If you can come this is the year great – they need you more than any other year !

3

Plakias / Re: October ?

« on: July 28, 2020, 01:12:35 PM »

We are due to fly to Plakias the middle of next month and are now reasonably confident that it will go ahead. Wondered if anyone who is already out there can advise on payment in tavernas, bars, supermarkets and tourist shops. Is it more common this year for card payments or is cash still king as in previous years?

Cash is always King with the Greeks even more so this year !

4

Plakias / Re: Still hoping to make it this year!

« on: July 10, 2020, 07:01:01 AM »

HI,  What do the locals think about the Brits coming this year?
Also, what are the rules about face masks?

The locals are counting on you coming! its still very quiet here and the local taverna's and bars will welcome you as always, face masks are being worn by all servers and kitchen staff as this is now law, but you can come and go without anything, I would keep one in your hand luggage as in confined areas like supermarkets the locals would appreciate you using one, obviously they are a bit nervous of the situation but more worried that they will have nothing to live on for the winter.

5

Plakias / Re: October ?

« on: June 20, 2020, 12:38:55 PM »

Things are slowly moving ahead here, Ostraco opened its upstairs bar on Friday night and was quite busy, a few tourist about but not many, everyone is expecting the numbers to increase early July but some taverners are keeping closed at the moment to see what happens, a very popular bar in Rethymno was fined 10,000 euros and shut down until further notice in the week by the police for not adhering to the distancing rules, which are very hard if not impossible to enforce, no more than 6 at a table or group and each group must be 2m apart.
Not many Taverners open yet as mentioned before , the are just waiting if the people come then they will all open at once I think, the Greek government has stated that any area that has a sharp increase of Covid cases will be put on lockdown, so how long we stay open is anybody’s guess.
The rules on sunbeds on the beach are that each lounger has to have a disposable cover and once the guest has used it, it must be disinfected and left for 20 minutes before another guest can use it, so most of the owners are saying that its to much hassle to do/enforce so they wont bother putting out beds, maybe they will change their mind and just increase the cost to cover the expenses and extra labour needed, again to few tourist to make it worth their while at the moment.
No demand for the boat trip at the moment, but we are getting ready for local tours and fishing trips for early July so if people want them, we will be ready. (I work on the fishing trip boat)

6

PlakChat / Re: The 2020 season

« on: May 28, 2020, 08:31:31 AM »

Just an update to my main post, I have now heard that Hapimag, Alianthos Gardens and Beach are now opening this season, so this is good news for the local business here, at the moment Sirocco, Apanemo and Thrubi have opened and the Cosy Back Yard, Ostraco, and Yalos bars are also now open, all we need now is some tourists !!

7

Where to stay / Re: Off season?

« on: May 24, 2020, 05:38:48 PM »

I think this year a lot of places would open up if there was a big enough demand, anyone wanting to come out of season let me know I can ask around and find places to stay and taxi and car hire also would not be a problem.

8

PlakChat / Re: The 2020 season

« on: May 22, 2020, 10:26:44 PM »

Sorry to out trump you, but it was high 30s here last week !

9

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.

10

PlakChat / Re: Covid 19

« on: March 22, 2020, 07:09:21 AM »

No Cases have been reported in Plakias, one case in Rethymno, and a few in Heraklion, on the whole people are taking this very serious here and the Greek Government has been quick and decisive in shutting things down, schools have been closed for about 2 weeks and all cafe bars and taverners have been closed for a week only takeaways, the only shops allowed to open are Banks, Supermarkets and Pharmacies.
They have now stopped all boat travel and have restricted travel from mainland to the Islands for only residents of that island, the mood is good with local hoteliers and Taverner owners just waiting to see what will happen, if there will be a season or not.
Building work is generally continuing but the large Paligremnos development has stopped work.
No groups of more than 10 people are allowed anywhere and the Churches have suspended all services, it looks like even Easter will be effectively cancelled.
Work is generally continuing on the upkeep and annual re-decoration of the Hotels and Taverners, in a we will be ready as normal frame of mind.
Stay safe everyone and hopefully things ill return to some normality in the not too distant future.

11

Plakias / Re: Crete and light-pollution

« on: February 12, 2020, 11:29:50 AM »

The best dark sky for star gazing is from a boat outside of Plakias, even going out ½ mile makes a big difference, virtually no light pollution, the only problem is you can’t use a telescope for obvious reasons, but I go out a lot at night fishing and some days I don’t know if to look down for the fish or up to the stars, the milky way and many constellations are nearly always on show, I can arrange boat trips for this if this is something anyone is interested in.

12

Plakias / Re: Kali Chronia everyone!

« on: January 02, 2020, 06:07:26 AM »

We have lived here just over three years now and have not regretted a second of it, go for it !

13

Plakias / Re: Winter is here

« on: January 02, 2020, 06:05:01 AM »

Reading the posts about change in the area makes me feel that some people have missed the fact that a big if not the biggest thing I love about living here is the people.
Yes, new buildings have gone up and the town has developed and will continue to do so, but the character, friendliness and community spirit of the people is amazing.
I think this is also important when returning back to a vacation hotel / rooms as many of you do year after year the genuine pleased to see you welcome you undoubtedly receive, you might think that this is money orientated but I an assure you this is not the main reason, they are just genuinely glad to see you as you would any friend that you have not seen for a while.
I don’t believe that the place will ever get over developed as its location will stop this in a natural selection type of way as there are only so many people that are prepared to travel a 2hr transfer.

14

Plakias / Re: Winter is here

« on: December 14, 2019, 09:10:21 AM »

To be honest I have not seem the town plan myself and I only had a brief discussion about it with a friend of mine who is the local councillor, next time I meet up with him for a coffee or Raki or two I will ask him more questions, as far as I know its the back road from the Forum then turn left before the Library turn off, over the bridge round the back of Apollo and out at the road at the side of Sweet Creations, this is my own guess and they only need to make the road better at the back of Apollo as at the moment its just a track.
I will post more when i find out or when they start work or should I say if the start work !
Proper storm here to day waves crashing over the new port defences, I am glad I took my boat out of the water !

15

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 .