San Stefanos Online ~ North West Corfu
Welcome to San Stefanos (NW Corfu) => San Stefanos news and views => Topic started by: AndrewK on November 22, 2018, 01:03:34 PM
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When I first visited this site shortly after my first holiday in San Stefanos many years ago, it seemed to be thriving and full of vibrant opinions.
But of late it has become hardly used for days at a time which really is a great shame.
So the time has come to breathe some new life into the place.
I am not normally a regular on these types of sites but am going to make this one the exception to the rule through the winter months and into the spring and summer!
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I agree Andrew. One of the first things I do each day,after checking my emails, is have a look at the San Stefanos webcam and say to my husband "it's a nice day in Agios Stefanos today" or "looks a bit stormy there".
But it's disappointing that there's nothing interesting to read and apart from the few people who keep the Word Association going the Forum looks like it's dying.
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Not being a Facebook or other social media user I too miss the forum news and views. We are going over for a week at the end of May and again for 21 of us at the start of the school holidays in July. Although I booked EasyJet flights on the first morning they were released the cost per seat was a bit eye watering but that's what you get with having to book a peak times. I am, however, talking now with my son and other family members about getting into the village and having the fish and meat lunch at Waves that Angelos serves so well and Manthos in the evening. All washed down with some Mythos and Retsina whichever takes our fancy. It takes the mind off Brexit and the bitter East wind we are experiencing today!
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I agree it's a shame it goes SO quiet after the season.
I don't do FB or twitter so I miss out totally too.I have a game in the Yammas but it's all quiet.
Roll on May.
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I even think its quiet on here during the season not alone after it. I don't do social media so its this forum or nothing
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p.s. the word association thread is a nonsense
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Yep, Facebook has blown the forum out of the water,so sad. :'( :'(
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I can't agree more i don't use facebook only use the forum to get updates on whats happening enjoyed reading hippopots daily updates which they no longer do.
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Yeah, the Hippopots people started fairly regular updates last spring/summer but then stopped - a bit surprising, as it was probably good PR for their business.
Anyway last summer the likes of Ozzy Oils and the old Two Stars site (which had been the nattily named Captain Octopus for one season) were both empty.
Also just standing there was the old Mythica (opposite Yiannis restaurant) and that has not been used for a good six or seven years now.
Perhaps someone has some inside knowledge what might be happening with any of the above.
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I was told that the old 2 Star/Captain Octopus was going to be open next year but no details.
I do hope so it looks so sad there the empty space.Mind there was nothing there when I first went anyway it was before any of it was there.
Jackie in Hippopots is great for getting the ball rolling pre-season.
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Yes I agree with you all. When we go in July, I always do a little blog each day, for whats happening etc, as I know Jackie is a busy lady. It would be nice if others could do this too, during their holidays next year, I love reading other people's views on the village, weather etc. I don't do facebook either and I think thats where a lot of activity is. Maybe we could add to this post and hear some of your experiences from this year's holiday :)
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sadly we didn't manage to get there this year, our first non-visit since we started going in 2004. Missed it to be fair. Especially the food.
Decided to go eslewhere due to weddings etc and visited Gale in Portugal and Benalmadena. Now the latter couldn't be more opposite to San Stef....won't be going back.
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Are you hoping to go back next year Tredegar? :)
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I'd like to think so but I'm retiring next year and my wife and I are thinking a "once in a lifetime" holiday thing. No idea where though.
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I, too, am sad at how quiet it is here compared to five or six years ago. I don't usually post much anywhere when in the village; I spend my life in front of computers and I'm glad to get away and do some writing with old-fashioned pen and paper. These days I rarely go onto Facebook apart from viewing obligatory pictures of granddaughters - I end up wasting hours in futile arguments about Brexit, of which I am not a fan!
Next year? Who knows? The pound/euro rate has made things substantially more expensive for the last year or two. It's a pretty safe bet that if the UK leaves the EU with no deal the pound will devalue even more. We live in very uncertain times. Obviously, holidays should not really be high on our priority list compared to the economic, social and general well-being of our country - but of course we all harbour thoughts of warm nights and the scent of jasmine and oregano. We'll see.
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We've got our 2 lots of flights booked and are already planning where to eat each night! If the pound drops and we have to pull our horns in a bit it will just mean a couple more evenings eating a gyros rather than a 3 course meal. We are firmly of the opinion that you only live once so make the most of good health whilst you have it as there will inevitably come a time when we aren't able to travel and then we'll need all the memories we can get!
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I'd like to think so but I'm retiring next year and my wife and I are thinking a "once in a lifetime" holiday thing. No idea where though.
Wow that's something to look forward to! :)
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We've got our 2 lots of flights booked and are already planning where to eat each night! If the pound drops and we have to pull our horns in a bit it will just mean a couple more evenings eating a gyros rather than a 3 course meal. We are firmly of the opinion that you only live once so make the most of good health whilst you have it as there will inevitably come a time when we aren't able to travel and then we'll need all the memories we can get!
And we think exactly that, having both been unwell in the past few years and had to miss a couple of winter holidays, we will go, whilst we are both well enough to travel and enjoy it and see all our holiday friends :)
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Yes Jackie has a big op coming up early January and looking forward to sitting in the Athens Bar in June is certainly one of the things keeping her spirits up!
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Yes Jackie has a big op coming up early January and looking forward to sitting in the Athens Bar in June is certainly one of the things keeping her spirits up!
Aah, good luck with that Jackie, the thought of your holiday will keep you going. Hope you have a quick recovery :)
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We have already booked for May next year we booked it whilst in San Steph in May.
I did miss me second visit this year and hope to get two in in 2019 although one of my granddaughters will be 18 at the end of September just when we like to go.
In our 70s we find the height of summer too much for us.
I am pleased that there is still some activity on here I do like to keep the flame alive all year.
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It doesn't take much to breathe life into this forum so well done folks. It'll be nice to have a look each day expecting to see something new rather than no activity
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I've always been more of an observer rather than a contributor.
However, it was this site that convinced me that I had made the right choice when I booked San Stefanos on a whim 4 years ago. The restaurant and general reviews painted a great picture. So,I'm making an early resolution to become more active.
I'm not a great Facebook lover, but the advantage it has is the ability to post photos and videos (although the meal and beer pics bore me)
I love Karen's idea of a daily holiday blog and I'll do mine when we return next August.
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We have booked again after what will have an 8 year gap. Staying at Nondas in July for 10 days. Must admit we’re really looking forward to seeing what’s changed in the village and, of course, slipping back into that relaxing rhythm.
First place looked at before we booked was this forum to see what was happening. It’s still good.
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Good to see some activity on here.
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We have already booked for May next year we booked it whilst in San Steph in May.
I did miss me second visit this year and hope to get two in in 2019 although one of my granddaughters will be 18 at the end of September just when we like to go.
In our 70s we find the height of summer too much for us.
I am pleased that there is still some activity on here I do like to keep the flame alive all year.
Yes we are finding July rather hot now, so may have to look at changing that. Do you think May or September would be the best time to go, in your opinion? :)
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It doesn't take much to breathe life into this forum so well done folks. It'll be nice to have a look each day expecting to see something new rather than no activity
Quite right, help us get through the winter months! 8)
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I've always been more of an observer rather than a contributor.
However, it was this site that convinced me that I had made the right choice when I booked San Stefanos on a whim 4 years ago. The restaurant and general reviews painted a great picture. So,I'm making an early resolution to become more active.
I'm not a great Facebook lover, but the advantage it has is the ability to post photos and videos (although the meal and beer pics bore me)
I love Karen's idea of a daily holiday blog and I'll do mine when we return next August.
Welcome on board! Looking forward to all the holiday reviews next year! :)
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We have booked again after what will have an 8 year gap. Staying at Nondas in July for 10 days. Must admit we’re really looking forward to seeing what’s changed in the village and, of course, slipping back into that relaxing rhythm.
First place looked at before we booked was this forum to see what was happening. It’s still good.
Great news! There aren't really too many changes, loftyscot, the only thing that never changes is the warm welcome from the lovely local folk! :)
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Good to see some activity on here.
It's great isn't, just like old times!! ;D
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Yes we are finding July rather hot now, so may have to look at changing that. Do you think May or September would be the best time to go, in your opinion? :)
Couldn't agree more Karen, we're finding July and August too hot now as well. Previously been in May and June and though the evenings were a bit chilly in May you still only need a light jumper or cardy we're not talking a coat here. I must admit I enjoyed both trips more than peak times when it can be high 20's during the night and thats far too hot. I need my sleep.
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Fedra again for us in June, way too hot in July August for us oldies. Always get a big hug and sloppy kiss from Princess Harri,and a man hug from her" boy" Dimitri.
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It is good to stay 'live' as it were because we never forget the village during the winter in the UK.
We talk about it here almost every day looking forward and back and I have many viber messages from our taxi driver with photos of their family in Pavliana who we visit for a family/village feast every time we are over.
They always ask us to stay nearer to them but we can't bear to go anywhere else but San Steph.
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Couldn't agree more Karen, we're finding July and August too hot now as well. Previously been in May and June and though the evenings were a bit chilly in May you still only need a light jumper or cardy we're not talking a coat here. I must admit I enjoyed both trips more than peak times when it can be high 20's during the night and thats far too hot. I need my sleep.
The first time we went, we went in May, daytime was just right, but yes the evenings could be chilly. For the last couple of years there have been a couple of days where we haven't moved far from the apartment, because of the heat.
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We go June and end of August/beginning September as July and early August are too hot for us - not so much the daytimes but the evenings.
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I miss going in October.Everywhere is closed so early now that October is almost wiped out but we used to be there until the end of the month.
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I miss going in October.Everywhere is closed so early now that October is almost wiped out but we used to be there until the end of the month.
Why are places shutting so early in October when there's clearly still a market? This happened this year as well. Is it a flight thing?
:-\Seems a strange thing to do.
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I don't know but we've seen the season get shorter and shorter over the past 5 or 6 years.
Flights back here to Cardiff are on the last Friday of October so that isn't the problem.
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Why are places shutting so early in October when there's clearly still a market? This happened this year as well. Is it a flight thing?
We left on October 5th and by that time the owners were desperate to close. They were pretty well exhausted after working 7 days a week since May. Jet2 stop flights before TUI, but after the end of the first week in October the UK airports are more and more constricted in choice. And really, when we left the place was well en-route to becoming a ghost town. Tavernas close day by day. By (say) October 12th only a handful of places are open, so the population gets more and more concentrated in the available venues.
TUI have been known to book two people into some apartments into late October. This is NOT popular. Staff have to be kept on and the outgoings are probably less than the income. So to keep the season going longer would mean (a) flights and (b) lots of people making it worthwhile.
In October, lovely Maria told me all she wanted to do was move to her flat in Corfu Town, lie in bed, watch TV and eat chocolates. Says it all, I think.
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Couldn't agree more Jim, they work so hard during the season and before and after.
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Yes they do get tired of course it is hard work in the heat,but losing almost a month's business ,makes life hard on them too.
Thomas Bay Hotel was open until the third week in October I believe but visitors do still want to be able to go to other places other than the hotel for refreshment entertainment.
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Yes, Maggie, but Thomas Bay in October usually has TUI cruise people. They have meals at TB included. Keeping a taverna staffed with chef and waiters on the random chance that a few TB people might want a decent meal doesn't really sound like very good economics - you would probably lose money!
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Yes that's what Yannis in 2 Star says it's not worth staying open and he's right.
We are something of an oddity but when we stay in Thomas Bay and we have many many times we eat out at least 4 times a week .We went there when it first opened as a hotel because we liked the staff and we like having breakfast and a meal available if we want it,and 24 hour reception.
Heather was a Thompson rep then.
Before the cruise and stay and adults only at the hotel it was quite a different atmosphere and cruise and stay has stopped now but I think it is a bit too late,the people who go seem to not leave the hotel for much.
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It's a difficult one!!!, 2 years ago when I was working up at Vicky's we had a full house 56 persons until end of October along with other owners in resort with both ours and independent guests along with other tour ops in resort but not like high season. However as a resort in high season with so many choices I think there are maybe 27 tavernas, bars etc open - how to serve a small amount of persons. In fairness many stayed open to support us and others at least to mid October but our guests were unhappy as they didn't have everything open and we (or our then tour operator) ended up having to transfer several, well almost half the guests to Sidari which is in fairness open almost all year round as they have a big expat community living there so many more outlets stay open and more choice. Our guests really didn't want to leave the resort but as a resort we didn't meet their expectations. Those that stayed really enjoyed the walks, weather was beautiful and really more authentic side of Corfu, Greece......... It's a catch 22.
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I can fully understand that Lesley. We would probably enjoy the quietness ourselves, as long as we could still get a good meal and somewhere to have a drink at night. :)
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Yes it is a catch 22 quite clearly.
Tui are losing the stranglehold they used to have so there is a bigger choice of flights and it is far easier to book direct with hotels and apartments.
Maybe that will help.
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It seems choice is being eroded with Thomas Cook walking away leaving a virtual three-way tie between Tui, Jet2 or booking independently.
Jet2 (for better or worse?) appears to be building up a large portfolio of apartments in the village, and the owners of the properties must be happy with the situation as they have seemingly signed up for another summer, at least.
Personally, I would not fancy October too much but that is just my choice and it obviously suits others.
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It seems choice is being eroded with Thomas Cook walking away leaving a virtual three-way tie between Tui, Jet2 or booking independently.
Jet2 (for better or worse?) appears to be building up a large portfolio of apartments in the village, and the owners of the properties must be happy with the situation as they have seemingly signed up for another summer, at least.
Personally, I would not fancy October too much but that is just my choice and it obviously suits others.
My wife and I have had an October break the last couple of years, Portugal and Spain both were still lively, but I wouldn't like to go somewhere where its in shut-down mode. If there was a sprinkling of taverna's, say half-dozen or so and a few bars, that would do me.
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I don't mind it quiet at all-just not totally dead but as you say a little choice.
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OOps something happened there.Thanks to TUI, who are no longer flying from Leeds/Bradford to Corfu. I can no longer visit friends that I have made there after visiting for last 12 years. I'm used to travelling Friday-Friday where we stay. Too old to change now. :'(
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They are using Easyjet as their carrier.
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Tui like Fridays as their cruises start on Fridays.
Our taxi driver sent me some pics on Viber this week,he was in San Steph and it made me feel quite sad seeing it look deserted.
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TUI packages from Leeds/Bradford are there for Fridays. This year they chartered planes from Sunwings but looks like next year they are using Easyjet. The flight times are pretty good, from my quick look today.
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Tui from Cardiff has always used the familiar Thompson aircraft but this Monday flight is new so we shall see.
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In 2014 EasyjetHolidays partnered with TUI for charter flights, and it seems TUI claim to be paying £10 per passenger more than the low-cost carriers in airport charges, so they are pulling out of lots of airports in the UK:
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/20187/tui-considers-move-to-third-party-flights (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/20187/tui-considers-move-to-third-party-flights)
Thomson/TUI have had two 737s at Doncaster in recent years, but whether that will stay the same remains to be seen. Easyjet don't fly from Doncaster (or didn't) but they use it a lot for training on landings because it's quieter than LBA and has a very long runway from the days when it was a V-bomber base as RAF Finningley. My guess is that Doncaster needs TUI's business, and will probably make a good deal to keep them there.
Jet2 probably get a good deal from LBA as it's their main hub.
In the increasingly likely event of a no-deal Brexit things will get interesting. They'll have to make a very quick arrangement for flights, including maintenance and training requirements, for landing in the EU. Ireland is completely enclosed in UK-controlled air-space, so until agreements are in place flights from Dublin would have to climb in spirals until they reached about 30,000 feet, at which point they can fly across UK airspace as part of the international over-fly laws. Ditto on arrival at Dublin! That's a lot of extra fuel burn. The reverse will apply to flights originating in the UK to anywhere in the world, which are currently covered by international agreements with the EU. That's an awful lot of expensive bureaucracy.
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The EU have said that there are plans in place to deal with a no deal Brexit which will be introduced immediately after 29th covering things like flights and British citizens in the EU (very important) and things like the movement of plants (less so unless you're nursery owner I suspect). But they also threaten to withdraw those plans if it suits them to do so - there's neighbourly
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We keep hearing there are olans for a no deal Brexit and much work has been done,let’s hope so but better still hope it won’t come to that.
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All sides seem to be saying that flights will be managed, at least for a reasonable period. It's not in anybody's interest to cause cause global travel chaos. That might be one tiny corner of sanity in this peculiar Xmas where we seem to have a lot of pantomime villains and a shortage of fairy godmothers!
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Let's hope so Jimbo.
At the end of the day nobody actually wants any sort of disaster nor can anyone afford it to be so.
Common sense and sanity must prevail.
I am wondering just how much we will need to take with us to spend though if the £ drops much further.
we normally save to take enough to be able to say.'Who cares how much it is we ant it' just for that couple or three weeks twice a year.
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Merry Christmas everyone.
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Merry Christmas everyone.
Merry Christmas from south Wales. Let's hope for a prosperous and healthy New Year
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And to you all from a bright moonlit Hull.
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Merry Christmas from Corfu to everyone - here today the sun is out, the sky is blue but it is a bit nippy. Wishing you all a happy & healthy holiday time xxx
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Merry Christmas to you Lesley. Been frosty and bright in Hertfordshire first thing this morning but now it has clouded over.
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Thank you Lesley and it sounds lovely.
I can close my eyes and be there.
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We have booked again after what will have an 8 year gap. Staying at Nondas in July for 10 days. Must admit we’re really looking forward to seeing what’s changed in the village and, of course, slipping back into that relaxing rhythm.
First place looked at before we booked was this forum to see what was happening. It’s still good.
Yesssssssss Lofty.... Great to hear you're still going strong you old dog
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Belated Happy New Year to all.Hear San Stef.is revelling in SNOW. After our rather 'British' weather we encountered in June last year,(can't believe I'm saying that) We will be swapping holidays with them.!
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Yes we had a video from Spiros our taxi driver showing the snow and hail coming down.
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Anyone know yet what is going to be in the old 2 Star later Captain Octopus spot?
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I believe Spiros from the Mythos Apartments is opening a restaurant there, called Mythos.
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Ah thank you.That will be nice it's so sad seeing the empty space especially as we now stay at The Little Prince because they have a lift.
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Hi everyone!
Just popped on here after a long while, and never realised how many use this and not facebook, which I must admit I thought had really kind of taken over!
So, with that in mind, I am ressurecting the Whats Happenin thread, although it has proved hard to keep up with in the Summer, so please feel free to contribute whilst on your holidays, to keep it running!!!
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Ah thanks for that! I do try and do my little bit whilst I'm there, but obviously don't know all that is going on. Hopefully others will add their experiences and views, when they are in San Stefanos! Regards Karen
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You do a great job when here Karen!
Hopefully others will also share their experiences when on holiday, to help keep everyone up to date
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Thank you and I do hope so!
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Hi Jackie lovely to see you.