The Skiathos Bulletin Board

Val & Kev · Boomerang Club - Member Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 230

Our third trip to Skiathos for the New Year and the best yet. The weather really was superb 20-22 degrees most of the time and beautiful sunshine. Zak swam in the pool and we all managed a few paddles in the sea. The quality of the light was amazing. We never needed our jackets and we took some lovely photos which we will try to post.
The down side was that we could only manage 6 nights on the island because we had to go via Volos and so had hotel stays at each end there. We made this a part of the holiday though and were much more relaxed this year as we knew what we were doing! Our opinion of Volos has improved vastly, probably because we stayed there on both Saturday nights. It was absolutely buzzing. With all the Greek families completing there Volta's and eating and drinking outside on the harbour front. We found a couple of lovely tavernas and loved the cafe culture. We stayed at the Hotel Kipseli which was right on the waterfront and quite trendy in Greek terms. It had a roof top bar overlooking the harbour and it was clearly the place to be on a Saturday night.
We left Manchester on a freezing boxing day morning and flew to Athens via Amsterdam. Good flights but only 20 minute transfer time to run though Schipol which was quite a run! Bus from the airport to Liossion Street bus station then 4 hours on a very high spec and luxurious coach to Volos. Sunday morning we caught the 9.00am Skaithos Express to Skiathos. We sat outside on the back of the boat for most of the way. The sky was unbelievably blue. I cried as we turned past the Bourtzi, it was such a relief to be back after a horrendous winter so far in the UK. Nikos Pappas met us with our jeep and extremely kindly would not take any payment from us! What a lovely chap! All the supermarkets are shut on a Sunday out of season with the exception of the old couple who have the small one on the road that runs from the High school to the Acropolis. We stocked up there. It was amazing the amount of Christmas decorations they had in stock. Certainly enough to keep Skiathos glistening for the next 10 years. Someone must have sold him a 'job' lot!
Our lovely house managers had made the house sparking for us and left us wood in case we wanted a real fire in the evening. Our lovely Greek neighbours who have a house and smallholding on the next plot welcomed us with open arms and then immediately insisted on feeding us. Effie is a wonderful cook and as always this was a lovely experience. Their children were both on holiday from university in Thessaloniki, so they joined us. They are a wonderfully close family and the young peoples' grasp of English and world politics is stunning. We chatted for hours. It is good to find that although my Greek speaking skills are not great I am beginning to pick up more and more of what they say. We left with a large bag of oranges picked form their trees. Can't really get more local produce than that!
We chilled that evening and even although we did not need it we had an open fire . just because we could!
The day after we met some of our English friends and had a tspirio lunch on the old port. It was bright sunshine again and lovely to catch up the children played on the front and on the children's playground.
Tuesday was even hotter so after a giros in town we went on the beach for the afternoon. For the first time No Name was shut so we went to the new one near the Alpha Bank. I think the really friendly chap that runs it is a nephew of Michaelis ( Oasis) They had actually shut off the entrance to Kolios beach, but there were still plenty of others available!
We managed a trip to see the lovely ladies at the dog sanctuary and walked a very friendly white dog that looked a bit like a bichon frise, called Janet. There were a lot of cats there too and about 6 of them were all sitting on the tip of the jeeps.
On New years eve we went to a house party with some English friends and some Greeks and a Macedonian lady. It was really good fun including dancing to Zorbas ( lead by the Greeks) and olde lang sine ( very loudly and not very tunefully, led by the Brits) Wonderful DJ, who kept the whole evening ticking over very nicely. We saw the fire works at midnight.
New years day was another lovely meal with our Greek friends up at the house but we also provide a roast chicken Sunday dinner including Yorkshire puddings which they seemed to like. The sweet was to die for, I cannot remember the name but the top was creamy and lemoney and the base like choux pastry.
The blue light of the boats and Christmas trees round town were so pretty in the evening and on New years eve the local band were playing all around the town. I think it's a bit like carol singing and they get money at each stop.
Too soon it was Saturday and we had to leave on the 14.15 ferry back to Volos. So we packed the house up and then met with a few friends, old and new at the Old Port for a last drink. They waved us off on the ferry and I again shed a tear or two. To watch the town drifting away from us , basking in glorious sunshine was just so painful.
A long but uneventful journey in revers and then we arrived at Manchester Airport to -6 degrees. The car was completed frozen over and it took us 20 minutes to clear it. Home for midnight , then back to work at 7 .30!
A big thank you to those who made this trip extra special and we will be back again in 12 weeks. Xronia Polla to every one on the board!

elle · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:24 pm Post subject:

Val and Kev, what a relief your winter week on Skiathos must have been, after the experience of last year! (for me, it was ONE sunny day out of 14!!) I am so jealous... what a lovely time you had, glorious weather and all. Thanks so much for bringing a bit of the magic to us!

xo
Elle
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discopants · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 361 Location: County Durham

That's a great report. Well Done.
Gary
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KAZ · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:35 pm Post subject:

Val and Kev, just reading your wonderful report has warmed me up immensley as I look out my window at the snow falling, although it looks beautiful it just causes havoc!!
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Foxy · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:44 pm Post subject:

Great read.

I always enjoy the "out of season" reports, much more than the general holiday ones. Probably because it's something we all yearn to do ourselves but can never get round to it.

amtgold · Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 61 Location: Derbyshire,England

Thankyou for the wonderful report it brought tears to my eyes reading it.Roll on the 4th of June!!!!

sanddancer · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:44 pm Post subject:

great report
like foxy said the out of season ones are the ones we would like to do
maybe one day eh! Wink

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Ian.W. · Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 378 Location: Leeds

Is there a significance of the blue Christmas lights in Skiathos, or Greece in general ?

I've seen the photos of the blue Christmas trees, and the boats lit up in blue.
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Val & Kev · Boomerang Club - Member Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 230

Yes Elle, a very different experience to last year. But as you know even in bad weather the island still works its magic!
We know how lucky and blessed we are to be able to do these trips.
Ian, the lights on Skiathos are all always blue but I'm not sure if there is any significance. In Volos and Athens they are multi coloured. In fact the way the Greeks decorate their houses on the mainland is lovely. Nearly every house has shooting stars or flashing snow flakes. They really do go to town on it, much more than in the UK.

adrianxw · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:57 am Post subject:

I had started a thought about this, but just remembered something, the Greek flag is blue and white, and doesn't the origin of the flag have a local connection...
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Foxy · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 4:07 pm Post subject:

All the lights round here seem to be blue this year.

No complaints from me.

Ian.W. · Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 378 Location: Leeds

SkiathIan · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 1:02 pm Post subject:

Val & Kev

Nice to meet you before you left, Val I remember seeing you still waving as the boat left Wink

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Val & Kev · Boomerang Club - Member Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 230

You too Ian.
It was very emotional to leave, it always is, but it gets harder and harder. We would very much like to be in your position, enjoy!
Vx