My Heart Belongs to Kalkan

[The Engineer]

After the shock of finding that our apartment was booked last week we decided to go somewhere else for a change. We booked for Parga in mainland Greece (Several people reccomended it as being similar to Kalkan) and some well travelled EK members had been there.

Well this is my Holiday Report.

Flew with BMI from Gatwick on time no problem there and a very good flight with professional cabin crew and plenty of leg room, arrived on time.

Arrived to the resort at 10.30pm to our self catering "Apartment" a one room studio with minimum catering facilities (two electric rings & a kettle) and of course a wet room just big enough to swing a cat (or maybe a small kitten) to be fair all these areas are spotlessly clean. I forgot how basic Greek holiday apartments are, Air conditioning,2 rings and kettle not working. Go to find complex owner, try to explain she speaks no English but understands somehow and says "problems, tomorrow  move.

Walk to the nearest Taverna for sustenance no EFFES or Angora settle for Ltr House wine will use to clean loo later. To be fair the Moussaka was ok and the salad was a salad. Fairly cheap I have to say.
Went to mini market on way back SHOCKED at the price of a starter pack of Groceries (Tea Coffee milk, cornflakes etc No cleaning items 50 euros) same shop in Kalkan around £20
And next Morning moved to another shoe box, air con now works as does 1 electric ring and the kettle although the wires have to be wiggled to achieve this. We have a large soup ladle and huge collander but only one t spoon, one cup and a Christmas pattern mug that's chipped and no frying pan. I get the feeling they do not want you to self cater I will not go into toilet arrangements I'm sure you are all aware. We decide we are not going to compare everything to Kalkan!!!
In to Parga to explore, V pretty bay with Tavernas all around and not dis similar to Kalkan there is an island in the centre that has several small typically Greek churches built on it "Very Mama Mia" the whole place is very clean and there is a small town beach with wall to wall sun beds and umbrellas. To the back of the bay there are lots of little shops and more tavernas. We enjoy a good lunch of excellent Kalamaris & a couple of beers 12 euros.
In the evening we venture down to the harbour again & see it all lit up including the churches on the island, V pretty and quite busy compared to Kalkan. We found a nice Taverna and sat people watching. Wine is V cheap and down here quite palatable about 5.50 euros per ltr. Having spoken to some regulars they say the quality of food has gone up a notch this year and I have to say all the meals we had were of a good standard for Greece and my partner being vegetarian agreed although not up to the standard of Kalkan and I never risked a steak. Most evening meals came to 25euros for free bread and olives 2 main courses a bottle of wine and free coffee and ouzo or brandy.
Next morning woke up to find the bread and croissants bought the night before covered in ants. We do take our apartment in Kalkan for granted for all its space and facilities. We have found all the other English people around us V friendly especially the regulars to Parga. Naterally we handed out many cards for our apartment in Kalkan (never miss a sales opportunity) with the view of if you like this?
Wednesday we do a boat trip to the Island of Paxos 20 euros each it is V pretty and a little like Meiss we would have preferred staying here as it's much quieter. On the way back to the "studio" we meet some  people that we have met in Kalkan we naturally talk about kalkan. We met another couple from kalkan one evening during the week and did the same thing.
Went to a Greek with live music and plate throwing and found it very similar to Klakan except for the plate throwing. We went to Voltos beach just round the headland from the harbour by water taxi. Quite a good size coarse sandy beach that is 50% dog ends. There are wall to wall sun beds and shades and if your'e not carefull you touch toes with the next guys. Unfortunately the people next to us played with their Ipod most of the day as did other people on the beach. Patara it is not.
On the last day the rep came round to hand us the going home details and did not know who we were or how long we had been there I thought this a Nice touch.

All in all not a bad holiday the weather was hot 40 degs most days and the people were friendly,the accommodation was clean but sparse, the food & wine in the Tavernas was reasonably cheap and the resort was quite pretty.
On the down side the supermarket prices were V high and the Greek self catering facilities were very basic.
I think the main problem it that It was not Kalkan and we should not take it for granted what we get in kalkan compared to other resorts.. We said at the start of the holiday that we would not compare Parga with Kalkan but of course we did everyday and you will notice how many times I mention Kalkan in this post.
I can't wait to get back to Kalkan on 12th of October because for sure

My Heart belongs to Kalkan!!!!




Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=4338.0

[alisonh]

Great informative report - never visited Greece myself, but always fancied it.  Only trouble is, we discovered Kalkan 2 years ago, fell in love with the whole package, have been 5 times since then and are already planning the next visit!  My daughter asked me today if we were ever going to go anywhere else and I suppose someday we will but, like yourselves, I won't be able to stop myself from comparing everything with the delights of Kalkan.

I'm sure (I think!?!) that there are many other beautiful holiday destinations that I have yet to discover, but, for now, my heart also belongs to Kalkan.

[PACHSU]

Spent two weeks in Parga in 2007 - absolutely loved it.

[anne41]

Hi 'The Engineer'

Loved your report - cause we usually go to Greece - have done since about 1980 something? - can relate to a lot of your basic amenities!!!!!! but do love most parts we have visited (most of the islands and some mainland) This is our first visit to Kalkan - can't wait!!!
My expectations of Kalkn -  after being on this site are -It won't be as cheap as I thought
but everything else seems to sound too marvelous for words!!!! - that is apart from the 'wild life' - not too keen on cats and have to wash my hands every time I see a dog LOL!!!!
Hope our villa lives up to expectations - can't wait

[antler]

Just love this dialogue. We fell in love with the Greek Islands alamost 30 years ago - Kos - and we used to walk through the sand to the distant taverna and watch the flying fish under the moon. Around 6 restaurants to choose from.

Now, MacDonalds dominates the shoreline and there are 100 restaurants. We can't go back. It's too painfull.

And then this year we came across Kalkan....Is it the next "Kos"?

It's like we are doing it all again, only a Millenium later.

I feel that after 18 days in Kalkan this August we have just scratched the surface and I know we will go back. Next year. It's like unfinished business - wrong to go anywhere else.

So I rang Adem at Adams Restaurant tonight to thank him for all the lovely meals and to wonder how he was. We had a great chat and talked about his business tonight, the friends he had just dropped back to Kalkan after an evening under the stars......I could have been there.

Kalkan is lovely and very special and I hope, between us, we can allow it to stay that way.


Antler

[anne41]

Good to hear that atler - know what you mean about Greece - so wrong to say that I have never been to turkey before went to North Cyprus a few years ago - it was great - looked into buying a property there - but too complicated?

What are we British like ? always looking for the perfect haven- away from all the doom and gloom and the "Scottish weather - which I am sure is worse than yours!!!!!!!! - got to be - no competition!!!!!!!!

Still after looking through all posts - cant wait to see what Kalkan has to offer