Tuesday 1 May 2018

Been around the island and i, i, i, i can't find German Barracks

Its almost time to open folks but before i do, how you all doing out there? You all well and looking forward to whatever holidays you've got booked? 
I'm almost ready to open and thought it looked pretty straight forward this season but as i was getting things ready extra costs cropped up with things not working or breaking and extras needed which i didn't account for, DOH! These things happen.  But needs must and had to replace or fix so that's what I've done, after all if these things weren't done i couldn't open and we couldn't have that could we, bills to pay etc etc.

Before i head in to 6 months of running around like an loon i have done my usual island tour. Unfortunately i forgot to take Kevin but i left him in charge of security at the bar.

107 km covered in 3 hours 45 Min's, that was just the main coastal road without Keri and Vasilikos. You may think "That's a long time for such a short journey" Well i did stop for a coffee, stopped to take pics and stopped just to chill out and give my numb bum a rest after being on the bike for quite a while..

Let the tour begin. We travel from South east and around.

So here we see Alykes/Alykanas and the salt flats from the highest peak with a view south as we travel north.


Here are some caves. A cave is a cave after all and Zakynthos has many.


As you can see the little tavernas along the way to Skinari are all starting to clean up ready for the onslaught of holidaymaker tours.


Coffee Time! St. Nicholas Port has to be one of my favourite places to stop off. I wouldn't even mind a holiday here, not really in to resort holidays. All i need is a small beach, a taverna, a little shop and a bar, oh and a room to shower, change and sleep in, what more do you need.


St Nicholas Port from above as you make your way to Skinari and the windmills.


This is the original windmill at Skinari, the traditional picture postcard we all know of Greece.


Here is the modern windmill built in 2005 and i was the first to stay in it on May 5th 2005, great place to stay for that ideal experience, quiet, tranquil, relaxing and just amazing. May stay again in the future but for a holiday not just for a night.


This was me trying to be professional with the camera. Don't think its that difficult to be a photographer if I'm being honest, hmmmm maybe my next career move.


Here we have a view down the valley as you leave Skinari. The island you see is one i have put an offer in for but my 1€ offer was turned down, can't understand why.


Now this is a puzzler. Is it:-
1/ A flying saucer landing pad
2/ One man and his dog - Zakynthos filming location (Whats happened to that programme?)
3/ A Farmers Gladiator arena
4/ A Crufts Goat arena (Biscuit would win)


This cove i have visited before and its a beautiful place but the problem is the sun doesn't stay there for long, there is nowhere for people to park and if there was a convoy of cars it would be pretty scary having to reverse back up as there is nowhere really to turn around apart from on the rocky cove itself.


A few people have questioned if i actually visit these places and that i rip the pictures from the Internet. No i don't and here is my bike to prove it.


What? your still sceptical? OK so here is me chilling in deep reflective thought, that takes me just 3 seconds, my thoughts aren't that deep.


I went on a hunt for the German Barracks again. I have hunted high and low at the location they are meant to be but this time the sign has been taken away. There is not one bit of evidence to show where they were, not even a foundation line of building stones.
Coming back from where the barracks were meant to be i found a small patch of poppies. These were the flowers associated with WW1. They were the first flowers to grow in the freshly dug earth of soldiers burial sight in Flanders fields. Made me shiver seeing it after what i had been looking for.


Fires at some point have spread through the North West of the island. Huge amounts of land have been stripped bare, quite spooky to see.


You can see here a view that reaches from Tsilivi to Laganas. When your at the East side of the island you wouldn't think there was that much land in the middle as all you can see are the hills on the West coast.


Another view from same view point.


A Monastery where at one point i was thinking of joining but i could only drink wine there, YUK! No thanks.


And we finish off at my old stomping ground Bochali where i waited 20 Min's just for a bottle of beer.


But it was worth the wait, free crisps, YAY!


So its all downhill from here, work, work, work to put biscuits on the table for Biscuit.
What will the season bring? Who knows but not going to stress it, life's to short so we have to enjoy it while we're here not worry, what's the point in doing that.

I shall post a very short update with pictures once I've completed the bar and ready to open which is Thursday. The season's here folks. Yamas!

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!

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