If you've been wondering what a family trip to Zakynthos looks like with all the features and disadvantages, I'll try to describe you in the next few passage!
The end of May, the beginning of June, is for me a period of exploration of the websites of all possible tourist agencies, reading of commentaries, travelogues, tips on places to consider for holidays, but also those for which I'm pretty sure it will wait some other time. I knew one thing, really want to see the sea as soon as possible. I also listed all the catalogs that I found in the agency where I was in practice (there are quite a few) but everything that would fit into the budget and other conditions was already busy. So the choice again fell on Last Minute Deals. For the past 3 years I spent my family in Leptokari, although I adore Leptokari this year I wanted the destination to change. About the election as we have so far decided Mama and I. It does work somehow by Mom sending the link and adding "What do you think? Look at this ... ", I'm sending a query, transferring her information, and then we decide if that is it. This year, we wanted the Crown to get out of reach, so we were attracted by the price of Zakynthos, and somehow planned, but unplanned, to spend a holiday in Zakynthos at the popular Laganas summer resort.
By then I knew about Zakynthos, hmm almost nothing but the picture of the famous Navajo beach. Before we paid the payment, we read the basic thing, what was most important is that the sea is warm, and that there is a place to go for a walk and what to see.
11.6. We are going to go to Belgrade where as we do so with our relatives one night and tomorrow we continue our journey. Usually this is next night, but this year it was the next day at 11am. Detail that mom has, fortunately, dropped off to Zakynthos for a long journey, but what is there. We rejoice with our uncle, walk in the bus and our adventure started officially. Luck is so pre-season so we've got mom and brother I cut every two seats.
The road through Serbia passes pretty fast, before entering the sun we entered Macedonia. We went to Macedonia and at the border I saw the sign Welcome to Greece. It's already dark, I swear to exclude Leptokarija and I continue reading the book because everyone has already fallen asleep, we are the only driver of the moon that reveals the way I'm awake. The first aerial of the Greek Sun will be the other passengers. How does this usually have to be spontaneous with other travelers. I find out that this gentleman is traveling very often through the road. Namely, the professor is at the University of Patri. Until then I did not know that Patra is a fraternal city with our Banja Luka.
The sound of a whispering mood is still delighted, as we are just passing through the longest floating bridge in the world, the RIO Antirio, which is 2880m long and connects the Peloponnese with the rest of Greece. After some hours of driving we arrive at the harbor. We leave the bus and breathe in the morning freshness of the Ionian Sea.
We decided to stretch our legs, stop at a bench, while mom and brother, as well as many others, go to the toilet. I sit on the bench, sandwich breakfast And while the sun is coming out, I'm kidding my dumbfounder thinking about .... but I do not think at all, I enjoy the moment singly.
Soon the ferry arrives, this miracle looks great to me, maybe because I ride it for the first time.
We are embarking and we are sailing lightly. It's been a while since we've been driving for about an hour, so we have to look at each and every corner. We left the open part at last, just as we came to understand that we would soon agree and that this was ahead of us in Zakintos. After we got through the crowd at the exit, we found ourselves on the floor of the toughest island of the Ionian Sea. From Lagana, we share a further 15 minutes of driving, with an interesting guide story that runs fast. The bus is now running through the streets of Laganas, stopping every few meters so that all passengers get out as close to their villas. What we all realized was that this place was really full of cafes, restaurants, but most of the clubs ... We came last time to stay at Villa Lefka.
Not a very kind host gives us a key to studying. Immediately at the entrance our tired smiling faces lose their smile. We see this where we find it does not correspond to that description from the internet. Instead of a paid 1/3 study, we find ourselves in a 1/2 studio in which auxiliary bedding is somehow embedded. Unsustainable cuisine eventually turned out to be a good thing, because it was more conditional that it would have taken more time, and would not try so many different dishes. While we are still quite disappointed with what we see, our agency representative Ljubis is on our door.
His monologue reads: "Good day, are you a family of Kos? All is well? See you, "I did not say," Good day, "and he has disappeared. In every evil there is some good and so here, unlike our neighbors we had water from the first day. And this Ljubiša, in fact, is an excellent example of how one worker in tourism should not behave. We decided not to let anything go wrong, so we did not even think about the situation in the room, so we spent the least time there. Even though we traveled 24h, we moved and headed to the beach, which is fortunate to only 100m. We walk lightly with hot sand, looking for a coffee shop and free deck chairs.
We decided to lay the first day on the Sea Site bar lounges. Given that the three of us are the only English speaking I expect my communication with all potential workers is moving right now. This time I was lucky, I went to order, but she said, "You can do it on our own." I do not even have to mention that we've spent all days right there. But I certainly have to mention that the beautiful Danijela helped us a lot, gave us all the information we did not get from our representative, but more than that. There was always a warm smile and a conversation that later became friendly. We just did not wait to get in the water. Step by step I enter into the amazing warm Ionian Sea. The sand dunes that the waves formed at the bottom come as some foot massages. Beach as the bottom is sandy and very suitable for all generations. The shallow sea is very long and the only flaw is that you are quite tired as you reach the depth where you can swim. But swirling in the shallows is also good.
After returning from the beach and showering, there was time for the first evening walk in Laganas. The holidays are even more appealing to me, because only then every night we all walk together, somehow it is the period of the year when we actually get close. After some 5 minutes walk we reach the main street. This street can be compared as little as possible. It is only in the evening that she can see how many different, call, catering facilities are there.
As night goes into the night, the number of teenagers in the streets, mostly British, increases. I think in the streets a lot, because a large number of them lie and are laughing, which is from excessive alcohol, because of "laughing gas" and all other substances. While others argue or simply wet on the sidewalk. I think that for my 10 days, my mother was glad that this was not my and brother's way of doing, and we spent each night together. In the sea of all these buildings there are several really nice family restaurants that we have visited the following days.
What surprised me once again is that it's the biggest row in front of McDonald's because it's the last place I'm in, but nearby are much more convenient places with much better food. The only thing that is very costly in Laganas for our conditions is ice cream, about 200 grams about 5 euros ... that luxury we have afforded once, and later it would be honored on the beach with a much tastier stew.
Since we were quite tired we did not walk like other nights. We came back to the room and we did not fall asleep to the unpleasant sound of mosquitoes. We understand that these mosquitoes literally eat, close all possible openings, kill those who stayed in the room. The first thing we bought tomorrow was a variety of resources against these attacks.
The following days we spend enjoying the beach and socializing with other guests of our villa, as well as other guests, because this bar turned our Danijela into the "Serbian bar". I hear someone screaming to see the turtle. Namely, this bay is famous for the Caretta Caretta turtles that are protected species and lay eggs on the enclosed part of the beach which is otherwise over 6km long. I thought it was almost impossible to meet a turtle in the water, especially as the boy said. It was this great Caretta Caretta that made me clear when it was only a couple of hours later, just a few feet away from me.
It's really huge, I dived it so I could see it better. Her armor is decorated with some weird outbursts, and her big eyes look right at me. I followed her a bit, and soon there was a bunch of people who wanted her to see it, but she went further. Later, the encounter with the tortoises somehow became commonplace, and again each time they would reverie. It is very funny to watch people with a couple of small ships pushing to somehow see it while the poor man escapes, and the ship is ganja. It is much cheaper and safer to wait for you to simply meet the swim. Next evening we decide to explore the streets a little bit more, but we also collect excursion information. Workers in all local agencies are very frustrating and try to attract customers, and are very happy to answer any question. One of them was just the family ahead of us with an explanation. It was different than the rest, he talked to them in Serbian. At his: "Can I help you?" I replied, "If you can, you can speak Serbian too," and we get to know Igor with a smile. This kind guy has helped us quite a bit and is one of the people I've been in contact with after the holidays.
The next day we went to a nice car, mom and I went to Zante, the biggest town on the island. During the ride from the speaker, an interesting story of the island and the city is heard. The first thing we did when we arrived was buying a pillow, because the ones in our fairy got pretty stiff. And then we visited the church of St. Dionysios, the patron saint of the island. A church built in Venetian style with a bell tower of the bell tower of St. Mark's Church in Venice. Looking at the interior, I wondered what would have recognized the art history professor here, and what I recognized was beauty and some special feeling when I approached the silver sarcophagus in which the St Dionysios were found.
We walked through the streets of Zakynthos with a special make-up. After strolling and sightseeing of other sights of the city, which we have quite a bit, we went to the carnival on the coast and indulged in the enjoyment of cakes and ice cream. Soon the driver moved back. Immediately after our return we headed to the beach. While we were waiting for a drink, we saw the horse and the carriage in the shallow. Initially I was very strange, but then I realized that it was the way a young woman decided to arrive at her wedding. It's as if it's not specific enough to marry at the beach. It is not the only one, we have observed several weddings from the sea on the following days. There is something more special here, the Cameo island, which is reached by the bridges from one end of the beach, for several thousand euros you can rent for a couple of hours to get married there.
First and foremost, if you ever find yourself in Zakynthos, this trip is something you should not miss. From the boat you actually get a picture of the real size and beauty of the island. The first station is a small wild beach, exceptionally beautiful to swim because unlike the bay there is the entrance to the water much more steep, and the water is colder. The following is what is synonymous with the whole of Greece - the Navajo beach. Or in our language Ship Wreck. The guide told us that there are more stories about how the ship is over, but it is true that the wreck of a ship on this beach ended there after the weather when the ship was destined to smuggle the cigar.
It was almost impossible and almost impossible to get the wreck away from that place, and in the meantime it became so much a attraction to allocate funds today to protect it. This beach can only be reached by boat, and there is a danger that it will disappear over time. The shades of turquoise blue are really impossible to describe with the words, as well as the feeling while standing on almost white sand, you look at the sea, and above you tens of meters vertical in the sky, boast enchanting rocks. Short bathing time on this beach has collapsed, I have come to take a couple of stones and sand grains to keep a word from a neighbor to get part of this beach. The boat is flying slowly, I use the time to shoot a few more photos, but I also remember this sight in my head. We continue to drive to the third station, Keri Cave.
The next days were all the same, except one night when we headed to Sarakina's restaurant. The restaurant located in the olive grove 2km from Laganas itself, transport to it is free of charge. That night is one of the nicest in my life. We enjoyed the tastes of good wines, seasonings and ribs prepared in the traditional way. . Of course it would not have been a Greco-Night to not play Poetry, and I left dinner and willingly agreed to call the dancer. All evening, the two gentlemen played and sang, although I did not understand them, I enjoyed every word they sang.
It is also the last night, which is always reserved for souvenir shopping. I always remember the souvenirs, but it was difficult to keep up here, because it was not known what action was richer. What about those standard souvenirs, which are domestic products, tortoises in all possible sizes, materials and colors .... We also walked to Igor's agency to greet and move other smart people. We exchanged contacts and somehow promised to see it sometime.
We ended up packing in the morning and we were just glad to finally leave that terrible tight room.
We left things in the adjoining room and went out to greet the beach and the Ionian Sea for this year. I got rid of the water, but as I always say, it must not be difficult. We grew up with our dear Danijel, although while we were saying the wish for a happy retirement, that is to say, the lucky way for us, had a smile on our face, we were sorry for all of us. We had the time to reach the best Olympic Flame restaurant where we mostly ate. Even the waiter realized that we were obviously the last day here, and after we paid our giro, with a sympathetic accent, he said, "Bring a brother, a happy trip." We returned to the villa by the things, put them in the bus and they walked lightly.
This time the situation was even better, we were 13 in the bus on the floor. Take the road back to the port in Zante, so there's a long way to go to the other end of the way. Although somehow we all knew, most of the time we talked, joked and collected all the impressions with our dearly positive John and her son. So, though long, our way has passed quite fast.
I would like to come back to Zakintos once again to see what I have not arrived this time, but I would also like to visit so many other places, so I hope the destination for the next summer will change.
If u finde some mistakes in writing i'm sorry..cuz i writed the blog on Croatian and used google translate to translate all on english :"D