Post by pete sant on Jun 23, 2010 20:46:45 GMT 2
I've got to start this review by first saying - take no notice of the stories about Roda being much more expensive than last year, whoever wrote them must have been to a different Roda than the one I've just stayed in, none of the restaurants have put their prices up and some have even reduced prices or are putting on special offers with one even letting children eat for free ,
as for the bars, some have put the price of a Mythos up by 20 cents - less than it went up at home during the last 12 months - some again have even reduced the price.
Because of the better exchange rate we spent less than we did last year and the only self catering we did was to use 2 mugs, 2 spoons and 2 glasses.
The roads, although not perfect are better than last year with tarmac in place where they had been dug up for the drain work, the new footpath is a great improvement and many of the bars & shops look better off for their new frontages.
Although quieter than last year it still felt like coming home from the minute we got there, we were made to feel more than welcome everywhere we went and a stroll around the triangle seemed to take longer & longer each time we did it as not only friends, both Greek & English, stopped to talk but I've never bumped into more forum members than i did this year, first off we met Bob & Bobbie outside our apartments on the first morning,then i looked up to see a familiar face looking at me & realized it was Lynda101 & her mum, it was great to finally see her after years of talking on the forum.
Threerashers was there with wife Dianne , Mark , Ronnie and grandson Leyton who has shot up since the last time i saw him 2 years ago - he still belts out mean Bon Jovi on the karaoke !
Next day i was lying on my sunbed down at the beach when i looked across to the next one only to see Turbogirl with hubby, her son and new daughter in law were with them on their honeymoon.
Into our second week and the arrival of Jacks with Colin and her mum & dad, we had many good laughs with them - photos to follow.
At the f.g.t. at The Dolphin it was nice to meet Roda first timer Tartanannie and her 2 children Cameron & Charlotte who were staying at The Elizabeth and enjoyed Roda so much that they are coming back, Bill was there again just before we left and it looked like he was out to take some more photos, so keep an eye out for them in a couple of weeks.
Finally on our last night Kathrippon introduced herself & it was nice to put yet another face to a familiar name.
Although as i said the village was a bit quiet, we stayed at Pipitsa's which were fully booked for the whole 2 weeks, the apartment was even better than last year with lots of brand new equipment, Pipitsa was as usual the perfect host with nothing being too much trouble for her to please her guests.
Maggies continues to provide the biggest & best breakfast in town but we only managed to have it there twice due to us winning the quiz (2 free breakfasts) in Crusoes an incredible 6 times with 3 second places and one third - not that we went in there much, young Spiro is now talking, both Greek & English - sometimes at the same time and is cuter than ever & boy is he quick when he decides to run off, I've got some photos that I'll put on later, Sara is blooming with the birth of their second child due at the end of August with Alex playing the part of the proud father to perfection.
At Nico's family restaurant young Andreas is fast becoming a very able waiter and Yianni is turning into a very smart young man, he will be in the u.k. in July playing cricket for the national team along with Liam.
Estrella gets even better with the wonderful garlic bread coming on an even bigger plate !
At Big Ben's Yiannis did his party trick for us - lifting 2 tables & a chair with his teeth - how on earth he does it i don't know !
Sandy's arms is looking good Sandy herself is a lovely person - pop in & say hello when you are over there.
We ate at the Dolphin for the first time would you believe and were treated like we had been going there for years - Floyd's eldest Anastasia is shooting up and his youngest Nicola had her first dip in the sea when we first got there & looked like she was born to it by the time we left.
On Sunday night before we came home a gang of us met up at Crusoes for a drink or two and it was brilliant to see Nikki, Mike, Ayisha, Tyler and the adorable Millissa of Parsonsgang fame on their return to Roda after missing out last year, we were joined by Jackie, Colin, Jackie's mum & dad, Lynda & mum, Pedro 747 (Yvonne & Pete) and Kathrippon at the end.Oops, almost forgot, Steve came for one drink & ended up having several !!
All in all a great holiday and can't wait to go back in 10 weeks time.
Pete & Debbie.