Plakias , where the summer never ends

[Rodger]

As it happens, Agios Pavlos features in a comedy/murder mystery I just read, A Ghost of a Chance by Peter Guttridge.  Most of the action takes place in and around Brighton but the scene moves to Crete for the denouement.  Maybe I'll deposit  a copy in the Plakias library on my next trip.

[Daskaloyannis]

Bridge?

I love Hellas, but I do not want it full of gentile old English ladies playing bridge!

I do intend to live in Plakias with my family (all young) we will speak Greek and live like the Cretans....I do not want an Anglified Crete ...just full of English people who eat drink and sleep together (ask Sean Dammer of Symi who fought with the Cretan resistance, and now observes the "new" type of Greek lover on that island......I am of the old guard...Paddy Leigh Fermor, Durrell, Aeschylus...I live for the "megali idea"...hence my name.....farewell friend..

I know Plakias very well lived there for 11 years. Because of my work I moved to Rethymno. I would like to recommend Plakias here for overwintering holidays. There a many sunny days on the south of Crete and untill December you may encounter the beach for swimming and sunning. The place is less crowded of course, but because the locals live there and are not moving back to the cities in the winter, there is also some nightlife with taverns and bars that stay open. Accommodations, with heathing are available, like Anna's and Koules and Zambia. Also Morpheas or many other places that can help you with good rates for longer periods. Than from Januari when spring is making the country like a postcard you

can make beautiful walks in the area. See the farmers, collecting their olives, maybe give them a hand and get some oil for your help. If you have no job obligations, why not change your rainy or cold place for a few months in Spring on Crete and come to Plakias, where the summer never ends.
http://groups.msn.com/CreteHolidays
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3705\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[beachcombers]

Bridge?

I love Hellas, but I do not want it full of gentile old English ladies playing bridge!

I do intend to live in Plakias with my family (all young) we will speak Greek and live like the Cretans....I do not want an Anglified Crete ...just full of English people who eat drink and sleep together (ask Sean Dammer of Symi who fought with the Cretan resistance, and now observes the "new" type of Greek lover on that island......I am of the old guard...Paddy Leigh Fermor, Durrell, Aeschylus...I live for the "megali idea"...hence my name.....farewell friend..


The Megali Idea?

This idea has caused 10000's of casualties in the past century and we do not think that you are referring to this genocide which created deep scarves in the souls of our fellow ordinary people in Greece, Turkey etc.

Greece for the Greek, Crete for the Cretans, Plakias for the Plakians? Our house for our family only? 

Our house is open for foreigners. As long as they behave as a GUEST in our house and respect our opinions, culture, habits, customs, etc. A guest will be no longer a guest as soon as they interfere and want to change our way of life. Of course we will respect if guests have other habits, other opinions etc, but they must not try to force us to behave different in our house against our will. They may even play bridge. But we will not serve tea at 1600 hrs.
 
We fully agree that we have to preserve local cultures, customs, etc. carefully.
As guests we must behave as GUESTS, learning a few words of a foreign language, some knowledge of habits, culture, showing respect etc. is mostly all it takes to receive a hearty welcome and is in our opinion not too much to ask for if you want to be treatened as guest and not as a source of income.

Travelling abroad we do not insist our own national dishes to be made and always go for local dishes, beverages etc. sample them, and consume them in the future if we like them.
 
Parakola

Beachcombers 

I know Plakias very well lived there for 11 years. Because of my work I moved to Rethymno. I would like to recommend Plakias here for overwintering holidays. There a many sunny days on the south of Crete and untill December you may encounter the beach for swimming and sunning. The place is less crowded of course, but because the locals live there and are not moving back to the cities in the winter, there is also some nightlife with taverns and bars that stay open. Accommodations, with heathing are available, like Anna's and Koules and Zambia. Also Morpheas or many other places that can help you with good rates for longer periods. Than from Januari when spring is making the country like a postcard you

can make beautiful walks in the area. See the farmers, collecting their olives, maybe give them a hand and get some oil for your help. If you have no job obligations, why not change your rainy or cold place for a few months in Spring on Crete and come to Plakias, where the summer never ends.
http://groups.msn.com/CreteHolidays
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=3705\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4199\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[albertdiver]

I read in the newspapers that Plakias all together had a good  season 2005 and that there are Hotels having guest until 15th of November. In Hapimag a small group of pensioners will make their overwinter holidays and also Anna's has guest. Surely Plakias will be again the most lively village on the south coast this winter. Let's hope we dont get too much of rain and cold days, just enough for the olives and flowers.

[Cecile]

 

I read in the newspapers that Plakias all together had a good  season 2005 and that there are Hotels having guest until 15th of November. In Hapimag a small group of pensioners will make their overwinter holidays and also Anna's has guest. Surely Plakias will be again the most lively village on the south coast this winter. Let's hope we dont get too much of rain and cold days, just enough for the olives and flowers.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4825\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

How good to hear happy news from Plakias!  To think of this wonderful place being `alive` all year is certainly rather exciting.  I am still trying to sell my house and still trying to learn some Greek - once the former is accomplished Plakias will be my destination.   Best wishes to you all.  Cecile
   

[Rodger]

still trying to learn some Greek

aren't we all?

I decided after coming back from Crete this summer, that after over 20 years of visiting the Hellenes I really should be a bit more proficient in their language - shamefully, I tend to make less of an effort lately since a lot more Greeks speak English than they did in the 1980s.

I'm far from alone in this, in fact I've met very few travellers who can manage much more than "mia birra, parakalo" and such.  At least I've more or less got the alphabet covered, so I know which bus to get on ...

So I invested in the Routledge Colloquial Greek book and ordered the accompanying CDs.  One of these days I'll get the CDs out of the case and give them a spin.  Real soon now.

[sheryl]

i've had the same thoughts and started greek evening classes this year - and as the saying goes its all greek to me.  the reading and writing is coming along, but what the words mean and trying to get your tongue round some of the words is harder.  if it was a word for word translation it might be easier - but i've got til next july to practise.
i've got the pc to swap between english and greek letters so thats quite helpfull

[albertdiver]

Once you live in Plakias, you can follow the Greek lesson at the womans club. At least that was available in the last years.

[Mike G]

i've had the same thoughts and started greek evening classes this year - and as the saying goes its all greek to me.  the reading and writing is coming along, but what the words mean and trying to get your tongue round some of the words is harder.

Hello Sheryl,

Would this be Greek with a Scottish Borders accent by any chance?

Mike

[Greecemad]

I'm another one that has started Greek evening classes this year. A few years ago I bought the BBC's 'Greek Language & People' with the cassettes but never really got very far with it.

After 5 weeks I think I can now read Greek words even if I don't know what they mean, which I something I've never mastered before. We can also have conversations in pairs saying Kalispera, Ti Kanis;...., Pou Menis;.... etc.

I think if Sheryl is from Scotland, she will have a head start - English people have difficulty pronouncing words like Chania.

Greecemad

[sheryl]

hi mike
yes you would be right - have you read my profile or do you know me??and if we've met i'll apologise now  

greece mad i'm not that sure if its easier for me or not. being stuck half way between edinburgh and newcastle gives me the gordie slang with a scottish accent-noone understands me at the best of times
i do find the letter ghamma Γ/γ hard to say properly - our teacher is greek and she make it sound a mixture of R, Y and G.  i always think i'm gonna end up spitting on the person in front of me LOL
ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ
αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπστυφχψω ---------now i'm showing off

[Mike G]

hi mike
yes you would be right - have you read my profile or do you know me??

ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ
αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπστυφχψω ---------now i'm showing off
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4839\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello Sheryl,

I'm sure we haven't met (unless our paths crossed in Plakias) but I read your profile.

By the way, how do you type Greek characters?

Mike

[sheryl]

hi mike
go into your control panel and select regions and languages. go into the language settings and there will be loads already installed on your pc.  pick greek and it will ask to restart the computer- when its restarted there will be EN on your task bar. click it and it will let you swap between english uk, english usa, or greek.  not all programme recognise it i.e. if i want to use it in an email i have to type it in microsoft word first then copy and paste it into an email

[Greecemad]

hi mike
go into your control panel and select regions and languages. go into the language settings and there will be loads already installed on your pc.  pick greek and it will ask to restart the computer- when its restarted there will be EN on your task bar. click it and it will let you swap between english uk, english usa, or greek.  not all programme recognise it i.e. if i want to use it in an email i have to type it in microsoft word first then copy and paste it into an email
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4845\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

That is correct if you have Windows 2000 or XP. If you have Windows Me or earlier versions it's different. I can't remeber the details, but I'll work it out again if you need me to.

Greecemad

[George]

Or you can try the Character map.

ie Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Character Map.

That's with XP!

george g...