The plan for today was very simple. Try and do as little as possible, don’t think about returning to the UK and to work, and enjoy the sunshine. We didn’t rush out because we had some packing to do (so we could make the most of the hours left to us tomorrow) and wanted to pace ourselves for what might be a long day. On our walk down to the beach (about twenty minutes in total) we saw another lizard scurry across the road – maybe he was going to see his flat mate.
The temperature was in the mid-thirties but the sea breeze made it bearable and we had a couple of dips in the sea to cool off. Tigaki beach is categorically the best beach I have been to so far in my Greek travels (Rhodes, Zante, Skiathos, Halkidiki, Kefalonia and neighbouring islands) because of the shallowness of the sea for such a great distance out from the shore, the depth of the beach meaning that the sun-beds are well spaced and the length – about a three mile stretch all the way over to Marmari. The sand is better than shingle or volcanic sand (as in Cyprus or Santorini) and the amenities are also good – lots of supermarkets, cafes, tavernas and toilets within short walking distance.
We had lunch again at Tigaki Beach Taverna which was situated directly behind where we were sunbathing. I had a more passable Caesar salad than the one I had at Dana a few days ago. It was bit of a slog but I also managed to finish Dubliners.
We stayed on the beach until about half past six in the evening. On the way back to the hotel we stopped for milkshakes at the bakery on the main strip and I swapped the book for Jo Nesbo’s Blood on Snow only to quickly find that it was the untranslated original Norwegian version. My how I laughed. I’m not willing to pay hard cash for such a short book that has had such mixed reviews and Dubliners seemed like a fair trade to me. Anyway I doubled up on the Bernard Cornwell books this time, so I have Sharpe’s Gold to read in my suitcase.
By the time we went out in the evening it was about 8.30pm and the sun was setting over Tigaki.
We went back to Asperos Milos for dinner because Siggy wanted chicken al a crème and I wanted chicken souvlaki but I changed my mind and ordered a twenty euro mixed fish platter which was pretty disappointing. It was not helped by three people opposite us and directly under a fan blowing in our direction chain smoking for pretty much the duration of the meal. It’s this kind of thing I find more offensive than refugees begging outside the restaurant. There weren’t any by the way I ‘m just making a point about a really stupid Daily Mail article you may have read back in 2015.
After that we dragged our sorry asses down to More|meni bar for the best white Russian in town for Siggy and a passable sex on the beach for me. This was the beginning of the long session of farewells, and photos of us being all tanned, that really digs the knife in on your last night. Then we went to Mythos Apartments bar to say cheery-bye to Kostas and a few of the ‘faces’ we have made passing acquaintance with in the last two weeks. Then we went on to Memories to say thanks for the memories to Mike, his wife with the difficult name and their crazy car-chasing dog. They were the most hard goodbyes but we agreed to return in 2018 (for the World Cup).
As Siggy and I walked back under the stars, flinching every time an insect buzzed past and trying not to appear too drunk, for once I really didn’t want to go home so soon. I could have happily stayed on another week. Usually to be honest I’m a bit bored after two weeks and beginning to miss my creature comforts, my TV, my games console etc. but not this time. Greece had once again wrapped it’s grubby arms around me in a warm embrace that I didn’t want to slip out of.
couchmagpie 