Who lives in a house like this, lets go Through The Keyhole!

 

Well another week has passed us by and all is still going swimmingly. Bit exhausted already as its been manic in the bar but have now joined the gym to build up my fitness levels. That's if I can pull myself away from my sofa on the patio LOL.

 

I was talking with some customers the other night and i was chatting about when I opened in 2007 that there wasn't one empty building from the top end of the new road right around and down to Crystal Beach Hotel. So I thought I would take a trip down memory lane and see what businesses that used to be in the resort only 7 years ago when I first opened but are now laid empty. So we'll start from the new road and work our way around.

 

When I first opened in 2007 Melon bar was also just opening with Cyrus and Paddy as the owners they had it for 2 years, then Tony and Illeas took it over and last year it was run by Illeas cousin, closed 2012.

 

Therapia also opened in 2007 and before that it was called Absolute. Therapia lasted 2 years, closed 2009.

Panorama Restaurant had a stunning view out to sea and the Zakynthos legend Lambros used to be a waiter here, Closed 2009.

This was a children's playground next to Panorama Restaurant, never saw anyone using it and also closed in 2009.

Explorer internet café is below the playground, this was a nice little place but for some reason it didn't take off, Closed 2010.

Tesoro tourist shop used to have great range of board shorts in here where I used to buy mine from, it was a very clean uncluttered shop but now lays empty. Closed 2012.

The supermarket across the road from Explorer Internet café. They seemed to have a good selection of stock but was never busy. Closed 2010.

This building used to be Sugar Reef bar, this was a very popular bar at one stage but tourism dropped off, one day it was open, the next all shut up. Closed 2009.

Now the reason for showing this unit is because this is where Traffic rental used to be but it has now moved across the road to the area that used to be Ruby's Indian Restaurant when I opened, then it changed to Temple Restaurant which closed 2009.

If I remember correctly this used to be part of the Chinese restaurant The Hong Kong which sadly burnt down in 2008. It then opened as a little tourist shop which closed in 2009.

Safari bar was owned by an English family, lovely looking place and a nice size. Did the full entertainment thing. Closed 2009.

This used to Mustang Bar in 2007 and closed in 2009, then opened as Tabiyas in 2010 which closed in 2012.

Merlis supermarket, closed in 2010, re-opened in 2012 but now closed again.

This used to be a supermarket in 2007 but has laid empty since it closed in 2009.

Vakhos Restaurant was very popular and always busy but again one day it was open the next closed, closed 2009, it re-opened as Syrtaki restaurant in 2012 but only stayed open for 6 weeks.

This used to be called The Savoy and was once owned by the Zakynthos legend Lambros, many of his customers are now mine but I will never replace him.

And finally The Lighthouse Restaurant. Run by Derek and Veronica, their breakfast and English grub couldn't be matched by anyone in the resort. Closed 2010.

17 businesses that were open when I started in 2007 are now closed but its not all doom and gloom as we also have new businesses opening every season, also along that area I covered there are still 23 businesses open and that's only along a small stretch of road that's without the new roads businesses and the resort still looks better than most of the cities and towns in the UK and with so much scope for new businesses here the resort could be due for a surge in new openings each season. Every resort abroad will have its peaks and troughs and Kalamaki is no different and I do believe that the next peak is just around the corner.

And talking of change but not for the better I think there is now a fun park here. Ok its great for families with kids but kids were going on holiday years and years before fun parks started popping up abroad and parents still seemed to have great holidays back then without the waterparks, fun parks, internet and game consoles. The reason why I started going to Greece was because of its laid back un-commercial feel but this just screams of Benidorm or Canaries and Balearics. People used to always come to Greece for the simplicity of the country and its islands and for me I think its being spoilt. Definitely not in keeping with such a small resort as Kalamaki. It should be just amusements like the Go-Karts and Crazy golf, simple entertainment.

The monster is growing!

Lets go Through the Keyhole. So I have shown you the outside of our new home and after giving it a clean today I took some pictures for you to have a look around our house. Its not a huge house but for the 250€ (£219) a month i'm paying its a lot of space. So to go with the large patio and national park garden here is the interior.

A spacious fully fitted kitchen for me to beat Gordon Ramsey at his own game.

The master bedroom or as us normal people say big bedroom.

The guest suite or as us normal people say the spare room.

The living room with log burner which is open plan to the kitchen.

And finally the view for whoever does the washing up, oh yeah, that's me LOL.

Did I tell you about how much running around it takes just to get a music licence? Bloody hell, wish I had a pedometer on me must have been at least a marathon LOL. From accountant, to tax office, to accountant, to tax office, to water board, to tax office, to accountant, to tax office, to municiple office of Kalmaki that is actually situated 4km outside of Kalamaki. It took 3 hours just for one paper. I can't imagine how long it would take now to get a new business open with all the paperwork. If you got a spare 12 months you may be able to do it LOL.

May has been a surprise to me as most of my custom is new, i'd say 70%, not many repeat offenders this May. well not as many as usual. I just hope they are all fit and well and ok and have just chose not to go on holiday this year or gone somewhere else and hope to see them in the future.

Well its just been all work, work, work this week and had no time for sight seeing so will hopefully have more for you to read next week, so until then, keep clicking those mice and looking for that Zakynthos bargain.

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!