All over now!

[debra]

Well, here we are.............back and the holiday/wedding hype is all over.  Had a good time and a lovely wedding but have to say not as relaxed as usual due to so many of us being there and that leading to making sure everyone ok etc.  It was REALLY hot.  Apparently in Arillas last Wednesday temperature reached 51 in the sun.  Phew.

Eating out -

We enjoyed our meals at : Nafsika (amazing sea bass/mousakka etc)
                                       Olympia (PERFECT)
                                       Delfino Blu
                                       Manthos
                                       Mistral (yummy lunches)
                                       Fantasea
                                       2 Stars (such lovely people and so so warm)
                                       Jasmine Pool bar (Try it - such great cooking and such a wonderful owner, Spiros - George/Barras son)
                                       Fedra Mare - Hari's ALWAYS perfect breakfasts
                                       Zorbas
                                       Waves - did an amazing job with 45 of us!
                                       Tasty Corner - amazing kebabs
                                       Gravia - fresh salads


A group of 30 of us had a disastrous meal at Yiannis - waited 3 and half hours for it!!  I think they should have said they couldn't cope with the group.

An interesting night with Rat Pack singer at 3W Internet - entertaining but missed Darren May who is just brilliant - hope he succeeds in his fight for good health.  Saw Keith Mitchell and Groucho. 

The wedding was simply stunning at Delfino Blu - I was photographing people as they arrived and their mouths opened at the setting and location.  The wedding was postponed until 8pm because of the heat and the pergola was set out on the beach and the sun set perfectly behind it.  Kostas the owner certainly knows what he is doing business wise,  the hotel just keeps on improving.  The friendliness and warmth of the staff is a massive asset.  The mango bar is such a wonderful place to be whilst on the beach - where else would the bed man (Alex) buy you a drink?

What would I say stood out above all else this holiday? The people - they are just wonderful......always remembering you and going the extra mile. The beach was my biggest shock - I couldn't get over the shrinking beach.  Kostas (Delfino) said they had had catastrophic rain in February but on May 16th it 'was like a tsunami and the sand disappeared' .  They have had to build up an area outside Mango in order to get any sun beds in!  It has changed beyond recognition at the nudist end.  I hope it doesn't end up like Arillas but must say it is looking that way.  We stayed at Christina's apartments which were really, really good - the views are amazing, we woke to a panoramic view of the shrinking beach and the village.  My son and new daughter in law and daughter and son in law (from Australia0 stayed in fedra Mare which was, as usual, perfect with wonderful hosts Dimitris and Charitini.  My brother, Mum and family styed in Jasmine Pool bar apartments, basic but spotless and an amazing pool bar ran by lovely Spiros and family.   Others stayed at Sugar and Almond (fab), Kapetanious (great) Athina (good) Perros (great) and of course the lucky folk at the Delfino.


Well that's me done until next time - hope all of you with holidays to come love it as much as I do.

ps  I shook hands with Jimbo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jules]

Thanks for all that Debra. Glad everything went to plan.

[Jimbo]

I shook hands with Jimbo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haven't washed it since then!

[tonyco1]

Nice write up Debra - and you met Sir Jimbo!! Wow.......

[Mythosman]

So,according to the opening post on this thread,the far end of the beach has changed beyond recognition,does this mean that the naturist bather has moved further towards the main beach,or have they all snuggled together on the shrinking beach.....just asking like...

[Gavlah1973]

Hi Debra....

Just out of interest.... did you book in at  Yiannis and tell them that all of you were arriving or did you just turn up?
Also did you just split your whole bill or did you ask for it all to be arranged into smaller groups?

[Rover]

Well Mythosman, they have not moved, and nothing seems to have shrunk.

[rilo57]

We visited yiannis for the first time this year,must have been the same evening,a long table set down the side of the restaurant.was there before any guests arrived.we had some great food there.very good and friendly service.alas we went back 3 more times

[debra]

To be fair to Yiannis we asked as we arrived if they could manage us.  They said yes but think because it was a grill and no advance warning that it was a very tough one for them.  The food was fine when it came it just took a long time.  They were warm and welcoming, so wouldn't want to judge on this.  We booked in advance at Waves and he said better not to order grill items as would be impossible - so in view of that - Yiannis did manage it.

[debra]

We had one whole bill