Just got back from our 4th visit in Arillas and we all had a good time.
We usually alternate our days by spending one on the beach and one around the pool which usually keeps everyone happy.
However this time we only managed to make 3 trips to the beach which usually involves sunbathing swimming and making sandcastles or rather not making sandcastles.
When the kids started their small construction they were swiftly told off by the sunbed man (who used to be the pedallo man) and told they could only dig right down at the front (were the waves instantly wash away their hard work) what's that all about?
You want to try stop kids making sandcastles, not an easy job!
Pete
Very frustrating Pete , in fact really annoying, and not an "abnorma"l thing to deal with.
Greeks rent a part of the beach, from the local council, for a place not only to keep tidy but also for rental of the sunbeds etc to also make a few bob.
Unless the kiddies were making a sandcastle smack in front of other empty sunbeds, which potentially costs the "renter" money then I, for one am puzzled as to why he complained.
At the end of the day the beach is the beach and, providing, no one is interfereing with anyone elses enjoyment then you go and do your, or your childrens, own thing.
You sure it wasn't you doing the sandcastle? Us adults can get carried away sometimes
( I've done some good uns in the past. )
I hope it didn't put too much of a dampener on your hol.
Cheers
Negg
Hi Negg
No it was nothing to do with me it was all my 3 kids work and as anyone who was on the beach last week will know there was hardly anyone on the sunbeds.
As my kids were singing "are you donut man in disguise" (looks abiit like him don't you think?)
No fun if you can't build your sandcastles.Mine last year was a two tier construction,complete with shells for decoration.
P.S.Don't tell the sun bed man but I will never see the right side of 40 again.
Please tell me the world hasn't gone mad?! restrictrions on sandcastle-building??!! whatever next?
I really identify with that Jo. Smoking bans, now sandcastle bans - we have all gone mad. You can only guess what the men in suits will ban next.
As BG said, jen and me are having panic attacks that smoking is no longer allowed in Corfu airport. Our Greek friends will just laugh and ignore it... That is why we will be living there soon.
all the best
phil
It` ok to smoke as and when, but deary me. Will the men in suits ban s-- next! The mind boggles.
lindypops thank you - that is what I was saying. They would if they could, but us men and women will at least have that left. politics stinks....
a bit too seriously but with lots of affection
phil
they will have cctv cameras on the beach (apart from the webcam) reporting all those building sandcastles!
God only knows what punishment those fabulous sand sculptors (is there such a word?!) from last year would have received...not only a sandcastle but a whole scorpion....
There are sand castles and sandcastles...
As we all know back in Uk if you build a sand castle on the beach the tide comes in and washes it away...
That is not the case in Arillas..although there is a small ebb & flow and unless a storm brews up a sandcastle erected in May could very well still be there in September.....
So lets imagine 1 sandcastle covering an area of 2 sq meter...10 sand castles a day ... 20 sq meters....70 a week and so on by september the beach could have 1500 sandcastles thats 3000 sq meters!!!... ....yikes it would resemble the Normandy landings !!! ....There would be no room for sunbeds..... ;)
(for the mathamatically minded)
1 sq. meter = 1.431 sq. Varas = 10.773 sq. ft. 1 acre = 43560 square feet 1 acre = 4046.8 square meters 1 hectare = 10000 meters 1 hectare = 2.47 acres ...
Recon thats getting on 8 acres..
Soloution build yer sandcastle then flatten it when you leave the beach returning twigs ,pebbles ,shells,plastic cups and all the other accesories that make up a succesful sandcastle to were the originated from....
Phil dont worry My lad and his partner puffed away with content when we were waiting to depart in May
Just home yesterday after a great 2 weeks in Arillas.We hired sunbeds from Del Boy the new Guy who has taken over from Thomas.He takes care of the stretch from Marina Hotel To Kaloudid Appts.We spent 9 days on beach and there were Sandcastles galore .He never said a word and the smile never left his face.Anybody who does,nt buy him a drink at end of Hols.is a meanie
I didnt think Thomas would be there this year... he was going out with Jagorda (blackberry) last year (from the Galini) and they didnt think they would be back. Is the new guys name really Del Boy?
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g262/viviankizzysmum/IMGP0518.jpg)
Think this is the lad your talking about, as you say always got a smile.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_2_08/04/2008_95254
Sorry if this has been posted before but Greece will impose a No Smoking Ban in public places from 2010.
Probably - but don't worry, the Greeks will just ignore it!! lol.
I just love the way they ignore anything that is considered 'bureaucratic nonsense' and simply apply 'common sense'.
'Wish we had more of it here.
only our nickname for him.He liked to say Lovely Jubbly which he picked up from a customer in Sidari when he was working in a Restuarant last year.
That's crazy stopping kids of all ages building sandcastles on the beach I can't see how it would stop anyone from renting a sun bed. I hope Greece is not going to get like Britain with its mad rules!
Phil as for the smoking ban in Corfu Airport when I was there in May I didn't notice anyone sticking by it in the departure lounge anyway but outside they had more ashtrays there. In England some " the smoking police" are using the ban as cash machines our town centre has a total smoking ban apparently even the part that is totally open air and one bloke had light up just outside the "border" and got an £80 fine. Crazy! I was told a corker at work yesterday while on the phone to a customer, who has members of staff working in Durham prison, helping inmates to find work following their release. Now the prison officers have to take their shoes off at night so they don't wake the prisoners up while they sleep!! I thought prison was supposed to be a punishment.
Anyway
Happy sandcastle building, happy holidays and happy smoking
Love
Mary
Perhaps the Greek Health and Safety Monkeys are catching up with our lot? Before long you'll need an architect, planning permission and CITB qualifications before you can start building your des res on the prime beachfront locations generally reserved for such activities!!
Can't imagine it really though, he must have been having a laugh at the poor kids expense surely?
Graham I laughed my head off before deciding to reply. Your cynicism must match mine. Sandcastle tax based on the height of the construction, The s**g tax based on the length of the p***s etc. Is Gordon Brown Suicidal? Don't get justphil on politics....
see you in Arillas - I doubt jen and me will live in UK for much longer
Phil
This sounds to me like an over-zealous sunbed man. He buys the right to operate his sunbed and umbrella business but this comes with the responsibility to clean up rubbish at the end of the day.
He does not own the sand and I doubt if he has any right at all to stop your children building sand-castles anywhere on the beach unless of course there is a public notice that they can only be built on the tide-swept areas.
They sometimes tell you you can't sit on the sand in their patch (if you don't want a sunbed) and should move on. But the next one might do the same. A local hotel owner suggested I should tell them I was going to ask the Tourist Police for their opinion.
If your kids are stopped building sand castles I suggest you do the same.
Dennis
LOL Phil, I'll be ok on the S**g tax then! 17 more years until I retire and counting, I know it's bad to wish your life away but when that 17 years is up I'm hoping to live in Corfu too! I'm going to have to keep my sandcastles to a single storey though because I can't afford the taxes!
See you there
Graham
Graham,
Judging by your photo on your avatar you must be retiring very early indeed. :-)
Eileenx
I am guessing that the sunbed man objected to the position of the sandcastle because it would have hindered the return of his sunbeds to where he keeps them at the end of the day,
ie, instead of dragging them in a straight line, he would have had to duck and dodge sandcastles so I believe it was purely a rule he made up himself to suit himself.
Phil, speaking as an ex ex-pat, there are stupid laws in Greece also .................
as an old friend of ours used to delight in telling us,
"nothing in Greece is free, only the air"
When we went for our residence permit we had to sign a declaration that we would not ask the greek government for any handouts at all and they photocopied out bank book.
You have to get a permit for this, a permit for that and it goes on ..............
Yes, DH and I love Corfu but the rules and reg's are just as crazy as UK
Just as a footnote they have to pay a yearly fee for the licence to operate the sunbeds.
They have to buy the equipment themselves and also pay tax on the takings(well sometimes :)
They also spend time trying to keep the beach clean and free from litter.... lets give them, a break!!!
Del Boy - the sunbed man on the Kaloudis to the Marina - is actually called Dimitris and is fab, always smiling and always up for a game of football! During our time out there he and his friends were even building sandcastles themselves!!!
Can't wait to see what everyone's up to when I go back on Friday!
I got told off last year for building sandcastles, it didn't stop me though and I did try to build it near to the sea. I know that this is sad but I can't bring myself to knock down my construction. I was going to say spectacular erection but thought it may cause offence.
No offence Mick-G. We should all be grown up here and you will hear worse said in many contexts. Arillas is about enjoying life. Read our holiday report. The people are the point and some of my close Greek friends swear in English better than I do. I don't care.
Phil
I don't know what it is but everytime I am approaching a huge sandcastle I always have a massive urge to jump on it!! Not that I ever do. Could you imagine their little (or big!:-)) faces?!