Beach Ag. Paraskevi is a small beach littered with hotel beach umbrellas and sun loungers from the Princess Hotel. We went for a drink at the upmarket hotel "taverna" and were not too impressed. Probably because my ice cold pint was removed from my warm little hands and replaced with a plastic glass... I am not sure about you but I like my beer in a glass, not plastic... And I was not the only one who had his nose put out, the Brit sitting next to me was not impressed and after one plastic mug beer/drink slunk back to his air conditioned hotel room muttering to his wife about the poor service.
I am sure the Princess Hotel does a great job with their rooms and creature comforts and pandering to their guests, however I am not certain I will become one of their guests in the near fututre. Apart from the beer incident, I generally felt unwelcome by the staff. I am not sure what they had been told by management but from my perspective, they did not look very happy and this unhappiness transfered to me.
To qualify to sit at the restaurant tables you must order a meal. They made a concession for us however this was quickly withdrawn when this leapor mentioned he wanted to play a game of cards. Maybe in Greece, cards playing is considered a sport of peasants, but where I come from, many intellectuals participate in a mind twisting game of cards, and I am not talking snap or rummy. We were duly marched off to the "drinking area" like Jews to the gas chambers in Auschwitz. 2 minutes later my beer was removed and replaced with a plastic mug... I probably scored two sips before she was taken away from me forever. To say I was astonished (and slightly amused) is an understatement. Normally I would indulge in creating a scene, perhaps throw the plastic thing and contents at the waiter and bellow out profanities until I had the attention of the whole beach and management back in Cyprus. But such was my disappointment and insult that I decided to serve my "rewengy" cold and on this blog for all and sundry to view until the hotel ceases to exist.
In general this beach was ruined for me by the hotel staff at the Princess Hotel in Skiathos. So if you want a holiday with your beer in a glass, trust me, go somewhere else, do not stay at the Princess Hotel or bother heading that way for a quite drink. There are far better places, more Greek, more friendly, more relaxed, like the taverna at Xanemos where your beer is served for half the price and in a glass. If you prefer the touristy thing, then how about the tavernas you will find at KouKounaries beach... yes, your beer is served in a glass as well.
I don't know about you, but I go on holiday to leave the rules and regulations of the Orwelian state I come from, back at home... I want to relax and for a few days pretend I am not a slave in a generally unpleasant world driven by corporate greed and rules and regulations designed to put more money in the politicians and corporations pockets.
If what I experienced is a result of the bureaucratic nonsense of the EU then Greece would be better off leaving it as fast as possible else live with unhappy bar staff and waiters serving beer in plastic mugs.
Saving Grace?
The two things that saved this beach for me was the woman lying prostate on her back with the largest pair of knockers I had ever seen, casting a shadow over half the beach much to the disappointment of the punters trying to rent out umbrellas and the little kiosk at the entrance to the beach where I purchased a modestly priced ice cream.
