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By Fred Hart, 12/08/2014 00:43

Φύγαμε από την Θάσο σήμερα το πρωί.

As the end of my ‘Grand Tour of Greece’ approaches, the journey back to Gloucestershire has started.

After breakfast we said our goodbyes at the hotel, got in the car and drove to Thassos Town / Limenas, and took the ferry back across to the mainland.

We’re now in to August and the ferry back was much busier than when we arrived – much busier than the ferry to Kavala on Saturday.

Arriving in Keramoti (Κεραμωτή), it took hours for the cars to empty off the ferry. By the time Dad had got the car off and parked up at the side of the road for us to get in, I had been to the kiosk and back, and finished topping up my Greek sim card!

Philippi / Φίλιπποι

From Keramoti to Thessaloniki is 192km, so it’s quite a drive. We stopped at Philippi (Φίλιπποι) on the way back for some lunch and a walk around the archaeological site. It was interesting, but we couldn’t stop for long, as we needed to get back on the road.

We arrived back in Thessaloniki not long after 17:15. The hotel we’ve got tonight is not too far from the airport – it’s the Ambassador Hotel, near Epanomi. From the hotel (up on a hill) we get some excellent views over the city. Even with the airport being between the hotel and the city, it doesn’t detract from the views. The hotel swimming po0l is great!

After a quick dip in the pool and a drink from the pool bar, I took the bus in to the city centre for some last minute shopping and a photo by the White Tower, which I did not manage to do when I was last in the city a couple of weeks ago.

In hindsight, it may have been better to go straight back to Thess/iki and then we could all have gone out in to the city for the evening (I would have liked to take them to one of the tavernas I enjoyed when I was here on my own last month). As it was, Mum, Dad and Corrie just wanted to stay in the hotel, and I went to the city on my own. In order to get the photo by the White Tower I was desparate to get, I stopped a Greek couple and used my best Greek to ask them to take my photo – just as I had to do before the rest of my family arrived.

White Tower of Thessaloniki / Ο Λευκός Πύργος Θεσσαλονίκης

Ξενοδοχείο Ambassador

For dinner we ate in the hotel restaurant – sitting at a table next to the swimming pool, which made it quite nice. The prices are higher than you’d get in tavernas, but the setting was lovely. Three of us enjoyed Spaghetti Bolonese while Mum enjoyed a rizotto.

And so my Grand Tour of Greece now has come to and end. Tomorrow, we drive to the Airport (5 minutes away), drop the car off at Departures at 09:15, check-in, and our flight back to the UK departs at 11:45.

I expect I shall write one more time on here once I am back in Gloucestershire – but for now… a message to everyone in it who I have met over the last 6 weeks – including the staff in all the hotels I’ve stayed in; the waiters in the tavernas, bars and restaurants; taxi drivers; Dimitris and his family in Leivadia; Antonis in Galissas; the family I met on the train to Kalambaka; to Kosta, Maria, Eleni and everyone else in Potos; and anyone who I’ve stopped in the street to ask for a photo to be taken…

Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για την φιλοξενία σας εδώ στην Ελλάδα.

I’m off to bed.

Good night,

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 10/08/2014 08:15

The sunset from Potos Harbour / Το Ηλιοβασίλεμα από το λιμάνι Ποτού.

After our day trip to Kavala last night we went in to town to watch the sunset from the harbour at the end of Potos beach. I have not watched the sunset since my first week in Greece, when I had brilliant views of the sunsets over Athens. The rest of my family, up until now, had yet to see one at all this holiday.

One observation: I am noticing the nights drawing in now. In Athens, the Sun dipped behind the mountain at precisely 21:01. At that point, I would get ready to go out to dinner. Here in Potos, a month and a half later, the Sun dips behind the mountain at 20:17. That’s nearly 45 minutes earlier.

I will get a big shock when I get back to the UK. Each year I find it is when we return home that I really notice the nights getting longer – and that’s after our normal two week holiday. This year I’m returning after 6 weeks out of the country!

In the evening we walked along to Pefkari (Πευκάρι) where we met up with Kosta from our hotel in the Pizza Top restaurant – opposite the Hotel Thassos – and shared two large pizzas together. We’ve never eaten there before – but if/when we come back to Thassos we certainly will do, as the pizzas were excellent.

It was nearly midnight by the time we left and took the 30 minute walk back in to the main village and to our hotel.

I’m off to the bakery now. Last full day on Thassos today.

Bye for now.

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 10/08/2014 01:04

Kavala – Καβάλα

It’s already after midnight here in Greece, so, on that basis…

Yesterday (Saturday), Mum, Corrie and I did a day trip to the city of Kavala / Καβάλα, on the mainland. After Thessaloniki, Kavala is the second largest city in the Makedonia region.

Although this is our fourth time on Thassos, we have never visited Kavala – and as we’ve always flown in to Kavala Airport (apart from this year), we felt we should pay the city a visit.

Ferries between Kavala and Thassos are not as regular as the ones between Keramoti and Thassos, but they are more regular at this time of year making a day trip possible. They leave from Skala Prinou / Σκάλα Πρίνου, and take approx. 1hr 15mins.

Arriving in Kavala by Sea gives you some great views of the city: of the castle and the old town up at the top, of the beaches in the city, of the new town along the sea front.

Summer Bazaar of Kavala – Καλοκαιρινό Παζάρι Καβάλας

On leaving the passenger terminal at the port, we walked along the sea front to the Summer Bazaar – the market – which consisted mainly of clothes, shoes, socks, and other small items.

The most interesting part was the fruit and veg section, with local produce including potatoes, eggs, nectarines, peaches etc. Prices vary according to who you buy from, so shop around.

We slowly walked arount the market, before making our way back to the sea front and then wandering up to the castle up above the port, in the old town. Entry to the castle is not more than a couple of Euros per person, and there’s a café there serving a range of drinks and snacks: Ttheir milkshakes are particularly nice.

From the castle you get wonderful views over the port and over the rest of the city of Kavala – and that means plenty of photo opportunities.

Walking our way back down towards the port, we passed a tourist shop in the narrow streets of the old town from where I was able to buy some Kavala postcards. I like collecting Greek postcards when I come away to Greece, and as I’ve been all over the country this year the pile of postcards I have has grown in recent weeks. They will all be going in to a photo album when I get back to the UK.

As well as postcards we got some very nice paintings from the tourist shop; the shopkeeper paints them herself – there are paintings of Kavala, of Thessaloniki, and of other areas in Greece too: We left with quite a few, as the prices were very reasonable.

Skala Prinou – Σκάλα Πρίνου

We took the 16:15 ferry back to Thasssos, and, hot after a day walking around the city, fell straight in to the sea. It felt a bit bizarre swimming right next to the ferry we’d been on a few minutes before. I can’t imagine doing the same at Dover, Southampton or Portsmouth!

Today (Sunday) is our last full day on Thassos. We leave to return to Thessaloniki tomorrow Monday and fly back to the UK on Tuesday. It will be strange to go back home after 6 weeks away!

It’s now after 1am. I’m off to bed.

Good night / Καληνύχτα.

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 07/08/2014 20:47

Thymonia – Θυμωνιά

The main beaches on Thassos – the likes of Aliki (Αλυκή) and Psili Ammos (Ψυλή Άμμος) are packed with people and sunbeds at this time of year.

So we gave gone “off the beaten track” a little bit in search of quieter beaches.

Thymonia (Θυμονιά), located on the South coast of the island, is one of those places. It’s only a short distance from the main road, with plenty of parking, but the lack of beach bars and tavernas makes it less attractive for families: and more attractive to us.

We stopped in Thymonia for a swim for a bit this evening. It’s a good beach – it does lose the Sun quite early though, as it dips behind the mountain shortly after 7.

Other beaches we’d like to try include Astris, and there’s one not too far from the ‘pool in the rocks’ at Giola.

Off out to dinner now though.

Bye for now.

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 06/08/2014 08:18

Paradise Beach – Παραλία Παράδεισος

We went to the East coast of Thassos yesterday, to Paradise Beach (Παραλία Παράδεισος). One of the most popular beaches on the island, it is reached by a dirt track going down the mountainside from the main road. We parked up at the top and walked down.

At this stage in August – now in the 2 weeks leading up to August 15 (one of the biggest religious holidays on the Greek Orthodox calendar), Thassos is at its busiest and the big beaches: Aliki, Psili Ammos, Paradise etc. are all packed with people. Paradise Beach has sunbeds all along it, and there was no space on the main beach.

Head to the far end – up to the rocks, and you can find space there: We first sat up on the  rocks themselves, then spotted a “mini beach” which we could have to ourselves, just the other side of the rocks.

Despite the storm we had the other day, which has left the water at beaches elsewhere on the island rather murky even four days after, the water at Paradise Beach was really rather clear, with not buch debris floating around. It’s shallow for quite a way out too, which is a good thing, as I don’t like not being able to stand up in the sea. I’m a strong swimmer…I just don’t like not being able to stand up or see the bottom! The sea water here is lovely and warm too. We almost forgot about the screaming crowds of people just the other side of the rocks.

Aquarius

In the evening we went for a pizza at the Aquarius Pizzaria/Fish Taverna, on the corner of the crossroads in Potos. Corrie had spaghetti bolognese, I had a 4-Cheese Pizza, while Mum and Dad shared a large cheese/ham/mushroom/parmezan pizza.

We’ve had pizza from there before, and it is great to sit and watch them making the pizzas. Shame we sat last night where we couldn’t see the kitchen! You can do takeaway from there, which we’ve done before: takeaway pizza from the restaurant with chips from the pool bar at the hotel. Great!

This morning, I think the plan is to go for a swim in the pool before breakfast, then enjoy a hot chocolate from the bar. It’s going to be hot and very humid today, particularly in the afternoon, so I think the plan is to find a beach somewhere and make sure we are in the water as much as possible.

I think now I should maybe go and wake everyone up.

Bye for now,

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 05/08/2014 08:56

Skala Marion – Σκάλα Μαριών

It’s Tuesday today… I have been in Greece now for 5 weeks, the rest of my family for 6 nights. 1 week from now we’ll all be flying back to the UK from Thessaloniki. It’ll be strange being back in the UK after so long.

Mum drove abroad for the first time yesterday. Dad normally does all the driving in Greece! We went yesterday to the beach at Skala Marion (Σκάλα Μαριών), a small fishing village the other side of Limenaria.

Skala Marion has a nice big beach, but it is without the tourists of the other beaches on the island. It is mainly Greeks who use the beach there, and it’s therefore quieter in the afternoon during the siesta time. As Nikos at the Makedonia Hotel said the other day, the siesta in Greece is like a national religion.

The sea has been calmer the last couple of days but there’s still lots of debris floating about, left over from the storm we had on Friday night. It’s still swimable though, you just can’t see your feet when you’re standing knee-deep in the sea.

One change from last time: There are now sunbeds on Skala Marion’s beach; but it’s still much quieter than the beach at Potos; the sunbeds when we were there were half empty. As seems to be common in much of Greece now, sunbeds are free if you order a drink from the café. We took three of the sunbeds, and ordered our drinks.

For our remaining days on Thassos, we’re planning to do a day trip to Kavala one day. Kavala is the capital of the county we’re in at the moment, over on the mainland. Back on the island, there is an Olive Oil Museum which we’d like to visit… and to keep Dad and Corrie happy there will be plenty of beaches we’ll go to as well.

Not quite sure where we’ll go today, but I’m getting hungry, so I think my first stop is the village bakery. Fresh bread and maybe bougatsa (cream filled pie) for breakfast: delicious!

Bye for now,

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 02/08/2014 07:48

We had quite a thunderstorm here in Potos-Ποτός last night. I had said during the day on the beach “looks like they’ve had some stormy weather on the mainland” – the sea conditions made it obvious. Late in the evening that stormy weather reached Thassos.

We first saw the lightning when we were standing in the harbour; it was off in the distance, over Limenaria-Λιμεναριά. By the time Dad and I got home it had started to rain, and while we were sitting out on the balcony the rain got heavier.

We got a very spectacular lightning show from the balcony, with forked lightning in all directions. We timed our return to the apartment well – Mum and Corrie were still out shopping, and got really rather wet.

We watched as the river (all dried up during the summer months and used as a car park) became a river once more. All the drivers got nervous and moved their cars – some earlier than others! It turned out to be a very sensible thing to do, as before too long the water flowing rather fast and a parked car could (probably) have been easily washed away.

At the peak of the storm – around midnight – there was so much lightning it was like having a police car with its lights on right outside the bedroom window. We had on average a flash of lightning every 3 seconds. When the forked lightning was visible from our apartment it really was very impressive, and lit up the whole sky. The thunder got very loud at times too.

It’s not the first thunderstorm I’ve had in Greece during this trip, but it’s the first one at night, with lightning, and Dad and I enjoyed sitting out to watch it on the balcony  – that made it much more fun – until Mum pointed out we were sitting on the top floor of the apartment block with metal railings and metal chairs.

It’s still overcast this morning, but according to the weather forecast the cloud is set to clear up within the next couple of hours, then it’ll be a sunny day.

By the way: Today is my 33rd day in Greece. I have 10 days left before I fly back to the UK.

This is only the start of the holiday for Mum, Dad and Corrie – but it’s the end of my holiday! 🙁

I’m off to the bakery in a bit, to get our breakfast/lunch supplies – fresh bread for breakfast, bread rolls for lunch.

Bye for now,

FH.

Update 13:51:
The storm has done quite a lot of damage!

It seems one driver didn’t manage to move his car. His car was found by the beach a few hours ago.

Several cafés have lost all their sunbeds, they were washed out to sea.

The police closed the main coastal road at one point during the night too.

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By Fred Hart, 01/08/2014 09:46

The daytime yesterday was a swimming pool and beach day; the first few days of our family holidays we are usually very lazy. Naturally, I am tuned to Greek time more than they are, and I am up hours before the other Harts, and am tired in the evening when they are still wide awake.

In the evening yesterday we went along to Kalyvia (Καλύβια), a small village on the island, inland from Limenaria (Λιμενάρια), for the local Φωτιές του Αυγούστου (Fires of August) festival, organised by the local council.

It was a table for 13: We went with Kosta (the barman from our hotel) and a Greek/Russian family who live in Germany – and we were then later joined by another two couples, one from Slovakia, and one from somewhere, but I’m not sure where. I haven’t really spoken German since I left college in 2011.

My Greek is definitely better than my German, and it doesn’t help that I’ve forgotten the German verb endings, but know the Greek verb endings perfectly well. Unfortunately I don’t think «Mein Vater δεν sprechει Γερμανικά» is quite the way to communicate in two languages… It is gramatically correct to me, but you sort of need to know both languages well for this form of communication to work. Note to self: When asked a question in German, the answer is Ja, not Ναι.

The tavernas were very busy – the road was closed off and all the tables were out in the middle of the road. For the early part of the evening we sat and had our drinks at the taverna, while in the small square there was traditional music from all over Greece and traditional Thassos dancing, by local school children. Λουκουμάδες (donuts in syrup) were being given away on the street and we all had some.

Φωτιές του Αυγούστου, Καλύβια Θάσου.

Later in the evening, the hay bales in the middle of the road were lit and everyone jumped over the fires. We returned to our table, where we then had rather a lot of food – souvlaki, gyro meat, chicken, bread, tzatziki, feta cheese, beef burger etc – and we all tucked in to our evening meal – the whole thing accompanied by live bouzouki music from the taverna.

By the time we got in the taxi to head back to Potos, it was well after midnight, and Dad had maybe had one too many ouzos. Or four too many.

Today: Beach and pool again during the day I think.

Bye for now,

FH.

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By Fred Hart, 31/07/2014 08:19

It is 8 years since we last managed to get here; but I am pleased to say that as I write this morning I am sitting on the balcony in exactly the same apartment we had during our first stay in this particular hotel/our second stay on Thassos. Thassos (Θάσος) is the most Northerly of all the Greek islands, and it lies just under 230km from Thessaloniki.

I met Mum, Dad and Corrie in the arrivals hall at Thessaloniki Airport, and once our car rental was sorted the journey from Thessaloniki to Thassos was really quite simple: Take the Thessaloniki Ring Road until the Egnatia Odos (Εγνατία Οδός), then follow that motorway until you get to the sign labelled KERAMOTI – THASSOS – ΚΕΡΑΜΩΤΗ – ΘΑΣΟΣ. There are 2 toll booths along the route: It’s €2,40 each time for a car.

From the motorway junction, the road goes down to Kavala Airport and on to the ferry at Keramoti – it’s about 10 miles. The crossing to Thassos takes about 45 minutes, with ferries leaving almost constantly throughout the day. It’s €3 per person and €16 for a car. They’re drive on-drive off ferries: you don’t need to reverse on as you do for some ferries. From Thassos Town it was just a case of taking the coastal road down to Potos (Ποτός); a journey which took us about 45 minutes.

It is brilliant that even after 8 years, the hotel staff still reconise us. Potos has changed slightly since the last time we were here: the number of English tourists has dropped dramatically, and in their place lots of tourists from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Serbia. No one bring UKIP here! The result is that a lot of the tavernas/restaurants don’t have their signs in English now – they use Romanian, Bulgarian, Turkish or Serbian.

In a way, I am almost disappointed that I’m in a touristy area – everywhere else I’ve been, I’ve effectively manage to avoid tourists completely: I’ve managed to find places catering for Greeks and Greek tourists. The village seems very small (much smaller than I remember): but I think that’s just because I’ve been used to life in Athens and Thessaloniki.

I’m off to the bakery to go and get some breakfast, then I think I need a swim, as I haven’t had a swim since I was on Syros a week ago.

Bye for now,

FH.