Wonderful Holiday (part two)

Welcome to part two of my photo and word fest about our awesome and amazing and wonderful and epic holiday to Thassos. I hope you enjoy and if you missed the first part just go to the previous entry in this blog. Cheers

Walking to my swim as the sun rises

Stone piles on the beach

Looking out to sea

A swell to greet me

I woke later on Sunday and the sun was already up above the cliffs by the time I made my way round to the little bay for my swim. Someone or group of people had been there the night before and made a hole load of stone sculptures all over the beach and into the little cave at the back - it was awesome and I spent quite some time climbing around looking at them before I went into the water. The swim was again a lovely way to wake up.

Angela and Rosie head up the hill

Playing in the park

Rosie looking out to sea

Watching a classic

Out for our dinner again

Sat in the waves with Rosie

We had a relaxed day planned with no driving or big trip and had heard a rumour of a park just up the hill from our accommodation. It was a lovely walk through pine forests along a quiet road until we reached the top and went through the grounds of a Greek Orthodox church. It was Santa Maria day so there was an outside service going on and just below the church we found the park. Rosie was very pleased and had a lot of fun climbing and swinging and sliding and rocking. After the time spent there we walked a different way back down the hill, pausing at a stunning viewpoint first so Angela could help a family get a group photograph and then so Rosie could watch boats leaving the harbour. After that it was down to the apartment again and I read while Rosie watched some Tom & Jerry on the tablet before naptime. After naptime we went to the beach and Angela read and relaxed on a lounger while I went for a lovely long walk with Rosie, sitting in the waves, burying my feet and generally just having a chilled out time. After this we went out for our dinner to a place on the sea front - we were again attacked by swarms of wasps who this time didn't care about the burning coffee. The only way we could get them to leave us alone was for Angela to put her muscle shells onto another table. It was incredble watching them all swarm around her plate! After this we went back home and had another early night. Holidays are great!

Pre dawn this morning as I was up earlier

Another fancy sculpt

Here is my effort

Such a beautiful peaceful view

Our beach for the morning

Playing with the ball

Rosie exploring

I was up earlier on Monday and was over to my bay before the sun rose. A few more people must have been in again the night before as there were more stone sculptures so this morning I decided to make my own offering and balanced up some stones. It was fun but mine wasn't as impressive as the others but still I feel I left the place slightly improved which is a nice feeling. It was a lovely quiet peaceful morning and I really enjoyed my swim as well. Monday we headed over to Skala Marion to the beach there. This is the place we went to two years ago for Rosie's first ever visit to Thassos. It was a short drive from our current location and we were able to park right on the front (actually where we had parked Betty while we were staying there) and get a spot on the beach really easily. It was lovely being back, with so much more life in the water here than in the more polluted and fished areas around Limenaria. Rosie had a brilliant time in the water as well as we had picked up a ring that she played with for a bit, then got put on my head, and she went with Angela to buy a ball which we had loads of fun playing with. It was particularly awesome to get all three of us in the water together playing and having fun. Lunch was at the little cafe next to where we'd stayed before and was very tasty indeed and then we were back and home for our after naps. All of us. 

Fresh produce from a neighbour

At the cocktail and mocktail bar

Rosie with her mocktail

The waiter from next door comes to say hi!

After our nap we were up and having cups of tea and relaxing on the terrace in front of our accommodation when a lady walked past with two big bags, one full of blackberries and the other grapes. She stopped and gave a handful of each to Rosie to have with her snack. How generous! We then headed out for one of the other activities that Rosie had been most looking forward to - Mocktails! There was a bar that did cocktails and mocktails, next to a place we'd eaten earlier in the week, and so we settled ourselves down for some nice drinks and relax. Unfortunately (for me) they didn't have any milkshakes however the mocktails were lovely and Rosie really enjoyed hers and I did mine, while Angela had a real cocktail and also found it to be very good indeed. Rosie had been making friends all week and one of the waiters from next door recognised her and came over to say hi, which was lovely. After that we decided to go and have lazy food so went to a pizza place. I had calzone which was very nice and Rosie tried some. It was good to have comfort food as well as trying different things. All in all it was a lovely day indeed.

The virtual hut that had been made on the beach

A really peaceful quiet sea this morning

Another small stone pile

Colourful stones

Sat with Rosie on the swinging bench

Getting to the beach

Quiet and glorious

Rosie reading on the beach

Helpful Rosie shakes off the mat

Very happy with her burger

This curry tasted even better than it looks

Wasps and smoke

Another dawn and I was up before the sunrise again. There were more new things on the beach at the cove as a virtual hut had been created, including a fake fire with a tripod and a little bucket holding some stones hanging over it. What a lovely thing. I was inspired to add another little rock pile, this time after my swim with stones I'd found while swimming. I felt so lucky every time I was able to enjoy this quiet and peaceful place. When I got back it was breakfast and a cuppa time and we I got to sit with Rosie on the swinging wooden bench in our yard. I have this picture printed and on the wall in my office already. I love it! We headed back round the coast the couple of minutes to the next bay again, where we had been on Saturday, and again were first to arrive though people did come soon after. Once again we all got into the water a lot, I did quite a long snorkel along the beach which was lovely but Angela and Rosie were able to go in lots. Rosie had brought her books and read for a bit in the shade as it was very strong sunshine indeed. While Angela had a final swim we packed up for heading home for lunch and nap time and Rosie helped by shaking off the beach mat. That evening we returned to the Thassos Symposium for another meal and it was just as good as the first visit - I really cannot recommend this place highly enough. The staff are so friendly, helpful and welcoming and the food was astounding.

The darkness of pre-dawn

Three of the four bags of litter I collected

They even left plastic chairs!

A cat asleep on a chair in the sun

Fish taking flies

Lots of life in this part of the harbour

Way too soon and it was the last morning of the holiday. I got up very early to go swimming but had my first unpleasant surprise of the holiday; the night before someone had been there and unlike every other night they had not created they had destroyed. I spent about ten minutes picking up four plastic bags full of litter (they had left the bags along with plastic plates, cups, beer bottles and various other litter gah what animals!) before I could even think about swimming. They had also knocked down a few of the stone towers and set a real fire in the virtual fireplace (flinging the tripod to one side and destroying other things as well). Everywhere you go you find arseholes it seems. Anyway, it was a lovely swim, though slightly tainted by that, and I was pleased to be able to leave and carry those bags away and return the place to a tidy and litter free environment. We spent the morning packing the car and clearing up and then while Angela had a shower I took Rosie for a final walk by the harbour. We watched the fish swimming around for ages, it was lovely and a fitting way to end the holiday.

Back and queuing for the ferry

Me and Rosie sat on the ferry

In the car going home

Rosie back on her swing at home

The journey home was just as easy as our journey out. The only challenge was having to reverse onto the ferry as it only had one working ramp! That was tough with an exciteable and not very communicative greek waving wildly in contradictory patterns how he wanted me to turn the wheel. Anyway we got on and crossed the water (this time Angela and Rosie saw the jelly fish by the harbour entrance) and were off and scooting back towards home in no time. It was a smooth crossing into Bulgaria and up the road and after much squeaking and barking from Thelma and Louise, and a lovely catchup with our awesome house sitters, we settled in hom. Of course it was good to be home but after a wonderful holiday like that it was also somewhat sad to not be able to stay there a few more days.

So there you are. The holiday. Thank you so much for reading! I'll be back when the workmen return which could be in a week or two.