30-04-17 Vārkiza

Sunday 30th April 2017

New places to visit and beaches to swim at for us two during this three day long weekend known in Greece as ‘Protomayā’ – or the ‘First day of May’. And today’s journey takes us to the very pretty and super cool seaside town of Vārkiza. Within thirty minutes the blue bus has deposited us in sunny, cosmopolitan Vārkiza where the seaside is on one side and a fishing harbour sits on the other and in between are endless tavernas, playground, cobbled pathways designed for strolling along the many waterways.

On the bus to Vārkiza

For the first half of our day in Vārkiza we spent it in town and attempting to make little mates in the playground and at a tiny cove. But it just wasn’t working for us; Kingsley wasn’t receiving the same stand up welcome he did yesterday in Glyfăda and I certainly wasn’t gelling with the mums (none be of whom sounded Greek; more Balkans).

I rarely allow myself to ‘feel sorry’ for Kingsley but today it happened. At this tiny cove a shitty 6 year old and his even shittier grandfather (who should know better) just wouldn’t play with Kingsley. The kid was wearing head to toe clothing shoes and socks jumper and all at the beach and would not allow Kingsley to touch his two buckets. After the kid eventually agreed to Kingsley’s presence he still refused to allow Kingsley to touch his things. The grandfather not once told the kid to play together. In fact the kid complained of being wet by a splash of water and demanded a change of clothes. Grandfather agreed thst its a travesty to be splashed a tiny bit, and at the same time another preschooler came along, plonked herself next to these two boys and attempted to touch a shovel.

I’ve never heard so much complaining from a 7 year old. The grandfather told the little girl to stop touching the toys and for Kingsley to stop emptying the buckets then swooped all the toys and the 7 year old moving themselves to another part of the cove to be antisocial all by themselves.

At that point I knew we were in the wrong part of Vārkiza – a world renowned playground of the Eurotrash fun set. I asked someone whether ‘that beach over there, filled with people swimming and playing on the shore, is a private club or open to the public.’ She reckoned it is open to the public. That was enough: Kingsley and I were making tracks. I fact it was Kingsley who made tracks first, leaving the deadbeats in this cove, heading toward the hundreds of thatched roof umbrellas, beach chairs and bronzed bodies.

We were off to play with fun people!

Well well well doesn’t one measly kilometer make the world of difference! We arrive into Vārkiza Resort and immediately make friends. And truly gorgeous, classy friends! Kids, mums, dads are super friendly, chatty, well mannered, pleasant and fun.

The most marked impression made is by the kids here: instantly encouraging Kingsley to play together and actively handing over their toys to him. I’d not seen such well bred kids before. Immediately we both decide to stay till as long as we can handle the heat. Kingsley literally throws himself into the clear water; he is exuberant! I’m in my (already too tight) pink bikini and wading in as well.

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