Another interesting Crete site

[beachcombers]

For those who like to travel and try to discover the unexpected.
In our view very entertaining and worthwhile to explore this site.



http://oase.uci.kun.nl/~mwsk49/greece/crete.htm


The writer must have been in Plakias when a yearly meeting of the forum members was taking place!        

Enjoy

Beachcombers

[Mike G]

http://oase.uci.kun.nl/~mwsk49/greece/crete.htm

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4990\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Here are some quotes from this link. Needless to say I disagree with all the sentiments (apart from "the stunning location") and wonder if the writer has ever been to Plakias.

"Known in Greek as Plakias, this is one place to visit if you are interested in some post-modern surrealism. A tourist ghetto like Hersonisos has no redeeming attributes beyond the mass tourism, and is a good example of a efficient tourist industry making money from nothing. Plakias, in contrast, is a good example of what is worst about holiday tourism. An absolutely stunning location,  which is  wasted on the sorts of holidaymakers who do not have the least interest in Greece. The food is unimaginative and overpriced, and caters to people who don't want funny-tasting foreign food when they're on vacation."

"As most vacationers do not want to walk more than 5 minutes to a beach mat and parasol, they pack themselves close to Plakias town."

"One serious warning: the mosquitoes can be of plague proportions."

It takes all sorts I guess.

Mike

[LoukaFran]

Sounds like he camped out in the ditch !

[Rodger]

It is quite a bizarre write-up.  He calls Plakias "Bavaria on Sea" and says that if you shut your eyes passing the Hapimag village at Damnoni, you could be outside a Munich beer garden.  Much as I loathe that development I wouldn't go that far - mind you, it's well over 20 years since I experienced a Munich beer garded.

[harribobs]

   to be blunt, the guy is an idiot  ( and i'm being nice)

i suspect he never got out of his car

i'm tempted to pull his review apart piece by piece, but i'd be preaching to the converted

i know this is selfish but.....maybe we should look on the bright side....lots of bad reviews on the internet means less new tourists, (and we know Plakias has a huge amount of returning visitors) so hopefully that will delay the disappearance of the plakias we know and love


maybe we should all email him, telling him what a good review it is      

[beachcombers]

For those who like to travel and try to discover the unexpected.
In our view very entertaining and worthwhile to explore this site.

http://oase.uci.kun.nl/~mwsk49/greece/crete.htm

The writer must have been in Plakias when a yearly meeting of the forum members was taking place!       

Enjoy

Beachcombers
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi All,

I feel a bit guilty luring you directly into the Crete sub-site of Prof. Watzko (BSc, MSc, PhD in Psychology) without any word of warning. The correct perspective should be observed: it is a travellers opinion and not a vacationer’s one.  The objective of his reviews can only fully understood if you have red his introduction and other reviews from a traveller’s perspective.

Going deeper into that: do we really fancy e.g.: the “train” ; “soft sofa’s” in a.o. the Livikon; the swift made “taverna’s” along side the beach/port etc. Yes, they are: convenient, comfortable, and most taverna’s are serving good Cretan style meals against a reasonable price. (NB We made wrong choice and were overcharged blatantly once as well during one of our  first days in Plakias.)  
However I believe the “train” ; “soft sofa’s” in a.o. the Livikon; the swift made “taverna’s” etc. surely do not fit into the “stunning location” of Plakias.

What I know of Mr. Watzko is that he is an individual hiking, exploring , off-season traveller, travelling by ferries rather than by plane, camel rather than Landrover, uses local public transport wherever possible, and trying to understand the cultures of other life’s, and very sceptical towards mass tourism developments and avoiding tourists-mobs and  -resorts as much as he can.

The site of Mr Watzko is in my opinion still an excellent site, but one should start at the very beginning and not directly be drawn in the sub-site of Crete, my sincere apologises to those who felt hurt in their feelings.  

[a href=\"http://oase.uci.kun.nl/~mwsk49/]http://oase.uci.kun.nl/~mwsk49/[/url]

You only have to accept the fact that Mr. Watzko has a different opinion and definitely not requested to share his point of view.

(This is a forum i.e.: we can listen to and  have to respect other opinions, and even allowed to give our own. And I like debates   )

 Beachcombers

[toma2]

i know this is selfish but.....maybe we should look on the bright side....lots of bad reviews on the internet means less new tourists, (and we know Plakias has a huge amount of returning visitors) so hopefully that will delay the disappearance of the plakias we know and love

AMEN  





I wonder how Mr. Watzko would have described Playa del Ingles on Grand Canaria.

Being more a traveller than a vacationeer myself, I would naturally prefer the world to be undiscovered and just lay there (virgin-like) waiting for me.  

Culture is not a stable thing, but it will be a sad day when everywhere you go looks like LA or Nice. So how much development can I accept before it becomes unbearable?  No idea, but Plakias is on the safe side for quite a few years still.

[LoukaFran]

Harribobs,

Indeed it seems wicked and selfish but there is no sense in promoting Plakias only to have it built full with a sort of Center Parcs.

Munich Beer Garden ?  The last year/two years I have the impression that Russian tourists and tourists from Slovakia, Poland.... were increasing.

I am not speaking of the people (I hope) like us, but about the nouveaux riche occupying a sunbed in front of your nose with a toy-boy, kissing etc.. fully decorated with gold earings, watches, .... the little (stupid) white dog that has been dragged along and then burping and spitting.

[John R]

However I believe the “train” ; “soft sofa’s” in a.o. the Livikon;

The train - well yes perhaps ...........

I agree with the overall sentiments in this thread but as an avid long term fan of Plakias I cannot accept the villification of the soft sofas in the Livicon. They may be showing a little ageing etc but that will be solely due to over occupation by myself and the majority of the crowd who go when we do.  Perhaps some people who object to the soft sofas might prefer to go to Matala and use the caves as the hippies used to do many years ago. Yes I also want Plakias to stay as it is - but remember Livicon was the first "modern" building in Plakias (I think) and as such from many peoples point of view is "original" and not part of any objectional modernising trends which most of us dread for Plakias.

There may indeed be many "Livicon" type of establisments in some other resorts which we all abhor but that does not make me want to go to those resorts.

John - a Long time Livicon fan.

[sheryl]

dont think it matters if your sitting on the road or on the livicon chairs - the fact that your in one of the most safest/friendly places is the important bit for me.......but i'm right behind john - i like the livicon chairs.  but the train is a bit, plakias meets disneyland and looks totally out of place

[harribobs]

but the train is a bit, plakias meets disneyland and looks totally out of place
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Should we be belittleing the National Railroad of Crete
 

[beachcombers]

but the train is a bit, plakias meets disneyland and looks totally out of place
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=5014\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Should we be belittleing the National Railroad of Crete
 
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And we accept all of it as it is, as we simply love the place.
Bear in mind: no place or person is perfect!
And free to give our opinion and are glad to see responders to this subject.

Beachcombers
We like debates

[beachcombers]

I wonder how Mr. Watzko would have described Playa del Ingles on Grand Canaria.

Be sure he will never go there as there is no off season!!

Beachcombers