And the records keep on tumbling.

Good morning readers. And how are we today? Well its a bit overcast here today so good time to update the blog with more of my ramblings.

Lets start with out and about shall we. Took a ride around the resorts this week, Argassi, Laganas, Tsilivi and Alykes/Alykanas and had a look around pools and on beaches. Trying to get down to Vassilikos tomorrow. Well considering they are saying tourism is up you wouldn't think it by the resorts. Out of all the resorts Tsilivi and Kalamaki seem to be the busiest, Argassi, Alykes/Alykanas and Laganas were all very quiet, hardly anyone on the streets and not much more around the pools and on the beaches lets hope that the high season period brings these resorts more custom.

I've never known so many scottish to honour my bar with their presence, easily half my bar is made up by them but then again they know a good drink when they get one, also some have a great taste in music, haven't listened to half the songs they've asked for since i was between the age of 9-12. Ahh my punk years when a 9 year old wore tartan bondage trousers and a Dennis the Menace mohair jumper with an anarchy t-shirt under it, Bristol Zoo didn't know what had hit it on my school trip that year haha.

It seems AI customers do leave their hotels, been getting quite a few in every other night from the Bitzaro Grande and Carretta Beach also had some come up all the way from Louise Zante Hotel in Lagana who stayed all night but compared to how many of them are actually staying at these hotels this is a tiny percentage and they are killing the bottom end of the new strip. I just hope that the powers that be don't allow anymore licences for AI's otherwise this island may as well go back to being farmland and AI hotels only.

Weathers been a bit strange the past week, really high winds, thunder storms, a few clouds, cold at night but no rain thank god. Never known weather like it for this time of season especially at night as its usually boiling by now.

It seems i have a new nickname "Fargo" from a programme call "A town called Eureka" never heard of it myself but i've been told i look like a guy off it who's called Fargo. After doing a bit of googling i was quite surprised at what i found as i was expecting some buck tooth freaky geek but in fact he's just a normal looking guy, i've been called worse, Jon Bon Jovi when i had long hair back in the 90's, Elton John, now thats just plain rude and Graham Norton more than any, thats just crushing haha. To be honest i've been called more explicit things than that but this is a family friendly blog LOL.

Went up to see John and Sue "Izzy's @ Redskins" for my weekly ice cream, i'm sure they're trying to kill me with bringing out new flavours every time i visit, this time mint choc chip made with creme de menthe, mmmmmm i also had a scoop of Malibu ice cream and a scoop of toffee. They have a lovely original bedford ice cream van they plan to use next season and it was vandalised by some coward who either is from another business or customers from another business. Why can't businesses on this island just get on thinking about what they're doing and stop worrying about what other businesses are doing. I see so many waiters, bar staff and businesses owners driving around the resort looking at how busy competition is its crazy. If you drove past a business that was busy and your own business was empty surely this would cheese you off even more. Its just better to concentrate on your own business and forget what others are doing and how busy they are. I'm glad i live in my own little bubble and not bothered what others are doing, just keep my head down and get on with it.

Speaking of businesses, on the 10/6/11 i had my best night ever (this is "and the records keep tumbling" part) not just for June but out of any night over the past 4 years, i was amazed and shocked as never thought i would do that this season and to top that last night i beat it again by quite a bit. I didn't stop from 10.45pm till 2am. Usually i pour myself my first alcoholic drink at 10pm but didn't get chance to get one till 12.15am and didn't finish drinking that drink till 1.45am as i was kept on my toes, you ever tasted a pint of bitter warm, blurgh LOL At some point every night now the bar is full, Not bad for mid June eh!



So for family and friends who read this, if any of you knows of a doctor who's good at body transplants please get in touch as at the end of this seasons if it continues this way i'll need a new one.

So until next week i'll leave you with this thought, Why do the people on the noddy trains look so miserable? After all it was their choice to get on it. Seeee yaaaah!

R.I.P. Les the Legend

This is just a short update. Yesterday i had the sad news from a regular customer of mine that my oldest customer Les the Legend had passed away in March. This was very upsetting to hear as he was only 95 years young and was one hell of a character. Les was a navigator during the war on the B-52 bombers and drank in my bar every night before his meal and then after his meal even though he wasn't supposed to drink at all. Every season he used to fly from New Zealand to the UK where he would meet his good friend Joe and they would both fly to Zakynthos where they would then meet up with another friend Colin, a Jolly Boys Holiday. I always tell my customers stories of Les while he was here and how funny he was and of his love for Matt Monroe. The one story i tell the most is when he was sat in the bar and said to me "Kevin, whats this horrible noise your playing" meaning the music, To which i replied "Why Les, don't you like it?", "Kevin, its awful, its just thud, thud, thud" to which i then say to him "Turn your hearing aids on" as he does so it then becomes clear that the song he was complaining about was in fact Matt Monroe but he forgot to turn his hearing aids on, made me laugh so hard when he replied "ahh, much better". He shall be missed by his family, me and all who knew him and met him in Oceanic. I'll have a glass of rose wine in your honour sir.

Argassi Noddy Train hit by Greek economy crisis!

The Greek economy today had a devastating effect on the world famous Argassi Noddy Train that runs from Argassi to Zakynthos town. Due to the lack of funding the train has had to cut the length of its route. Mr. Papparazzou the train driver has stated "This is no good, I like driving train". The Train tour guide has said " My tour speech was quite interesting but now it gets a bit repetative, If you look to the right you will see a lampost. Oh and here's something you may be interested in, if you look to the right theres a lampost." The length of the journey has been cut considerably from Argassi to Town it has been shortened to a circuit around a lampost. Hard times indeed LOL

The all new Noddy Train Route!
By the way for people reading this and not read it before i write this blog with a sense of humour so don't worry the Argassi Noddy Train is still going strong.

Well the final touches have been put to bar and its now complete ready for the high season. Still got little tiny bits left inside to do but the main front is finished. Been an amazing start to June what can i say, i'm all cocktailed out haha. Resort is still quiet so i'm told so lets hope it picks up soon for all the businesses sake. Was talking to a barman from one of the AI hotels and he was telling me that as soon as the free drink stops at 11pm the bars empty and no one buys a drink after that. AI's are a horrible tour company idea and so many businesses are now struggling on the main strip its upsetting and all down to tour company greed and blackmailing the hoteliers "Turn AI or we pull out". If tourists boycotted the AI's the tour companies would then have to revert back to normal basis holidays.

Its been a late late week for me with 4.30-5.30am closes since 4/6/11 not complaining as the customers who are staying that late are a great laugh and have the same music likes so we get to play the songs i can't normally play during the busy period. This seasons drinking patterns seem to be before dinner drinkers, lul, after restaurant drinkers, lul, late night drinkers, shattered LOL If the trend continues as it is i may break my record for June as i did with May but i never expect anything, i'm happy for whatever custom i get and for me yes it is good to break records but its not important, the customer enjoying the bar is the most important thing, if you walk in and read outside "chill out bar" but don't like it cause its to quiet then thats not my fault, as people have stated before "it does what it says on the tin".

The Final Cut!

Went shopping today and as i was shopping i thought i'd treat myself and in the freezer i found a Birds Eye Steak Pie MMMMMMM! Now i don't eat much english food over here, in fact i most probably eat less english food than people who come over from the UK for 7-14 days. I mean why eat english food when you can have the wonderful greek food, after all 7-14 days without a sunday roast or egg and chips ain't gonna kill yah! So i decided to buy this family pie but boy did i get a shock on the price €6.78, i tell youi what, this pie better be the best tasting steak pie ever for that price haha.

The worlds most expensive pie!

People keep on asking me how am i No.1 in Kalamaki for restaurants, as stated below my tripadvisor panel someone left a review of my bar on the restaurant section and it snowballed, i told tripadvisor i wasn't a restaurant but they said due to my bar having so many good comments it could stay so there you go. To be honest i am flattered by the rating but i think rating systems on the net you have to just take as a guide not as gospel. I know myself i'm not the best bar on Zakynthos there are much better Greek bars on the island and there are plenty of Traditional Tavernas in town if rated would be No.1 on the island in the restaurant review section so really its all about who gets reviews written about them. There is a little taverna in town i use and the food there is the best i've had (so far) on the island but because it doesn't get reviews written about it it won't get to No.1.

Well its time to cook my pie and watch "The Apprentice", so till next week "Your Fired!" LOL

Modern Technology, what a pain!

Well i've been trying access my blog for days now but needed to varify my blog account via e-mail address, only problem is the e-mail address i opened this blog with was closed down years ago but all sorted now so i can keep on blogging baby!

So lets update you on all thats wonderful on this beautiful island.

Lets start with the resorts, people are saying there are lots of people walking about but thats just it thats all they're doing is walking about as i'd say now only half the resort is of british nationality tourists, we have Slovakian, Serbian, Polish, Chech, Dutch, Swiss, German, Finnish and other nationalities, maybe its time to translate our sign boards in to 20 languages.

Kalamaki has a new traffic control system either side of the block which Drunk Corner is on, its called "a Crossing" shame no one knows what the white lines mean as still no one stops, must have had a emulsion stock pile that needed using.

Weather is warming up in the daytime but seems to be dropping again at night, it did this last year in the last week of May it got a little chilly.

Well the bar is going really well, as i said had my record night ever in May since opening on the 22nd but then went and beat that on the 24th and beat it again on the 25th but the past 3 nights have been very quiet indeed but after having the bar for 5 years now i know how my seasons go and this week is always my quietest of the season and starts to pick up again after all the families have gone back but in saying that still taking more than i did last year at this time and hit my monthly target on the 22nd so not complaining one bit just get a bit bored doing nothing as my regulars know i can't do nothing and sit still, well early evening i sit still as i'm reading my book but even then i got to keep getting up, strange how i can't relax in a relaxed bar LOL.

Started to get the bar ready for the summer months, all the sofas are out, taken the one wall down but still weather is unpredictable, had a thunder storm and 10 mins of rain yesterday afternoon and as soon as the rain stopped it was blazzing hot again, so my sofas have been in and out all week, good exercise and training if i ever become a removal man.

My good friends John and Sue are going great guns up in Alykanas, for where its located i can't see any of the other businesses doing as well as them in the centre of the resort. They are getting a bit of stick from one or two Alykanas faithful tourists, maybe they don't like ice cream but if you want some of the best tasting ice cream i've ever tried (and i've tried alot, fat git) and meet 2 very genuine "what you see is what you get" type people then get down to Redskins. In all my years of working abroad and not just on Zakynthos John and Sue are the real deal, not false in any way. Malibu ice cream ROCKS!

Helen arrives back in 2 weeks for her second visit which she really does deserve the break, she's having such a difficult time at home coming to terms with her mum's condition that even her mum said to go and enjoy a break and also house seems to be taking forever. Now when she came out in May i asked for 2 books, Keith Richards and Peter Kay's autobiographies, when she arrived i was given Micheal Mckintyre's autobiography and Peter Kay was left at home so i'm not asking for any books this time just in case i end up with Thora Herds autobigraphy, bet thats a right rollercoaster, all tea & scones and she was late for sunday mass on Songs of Praise once LOL.

So there we go, thats it for now but just so glad to be able to access blog again. Time to get ready for work.

Woohoo! A record night for May.

Well it was a great night last night with a full bar inside and out, not one empty seat i hit my best ever night in May since i opened Oceanic in 2007. I could not believe it. I've been busy since i opened on the 4th of May but would never have thought i'd break my record night for May with the resort being so quiet, for all my customers who read this who were in here on the 22/5/2011 i'd like to thank you all for such a great night. Also had alot of laughs especially when a bottle of tonic decided to explode all over me glad you all thought it was funny LOL. Cheers folks!

Sorry for such a late update folks, i promise i won't do it again LOL

Well its been 2 weeks and 2 days since my last update so i apologies but been a bit busy doing the old tourist bit going out and about with Helen while she was here.

So lets kick off with the opening of bar. Got it all open on the 4th of May. Kalamaki seems to be very quiet around the resort for tourists, quieter than i've ever seen for May but still the island is saying tourism is up, i can't see it. Been to all the major resorts Argassi, Alykes/Alykanas, Tsilivi and Laganas and from looking at the resorts you would think it was the first week in May not the third week. As for me, i'm doing well, little up on this time last year. We're not talking in the hundreds but its an improvement on the last 4 seasons so can't grumble.

Already here in Kalamaki the locals are blaming the AI's for the streets being so quiet, now that may be part of the problem but i don't believe its the major factor as i've been told by a reliable source that the AI hotels aren't that busy either. Prices here, well some businesses have put prices up slightly say by 50c on drinks in bars and 50c-1€ on food in restaurants, me i've kept my prices the same since 2007 and will be the same this season also, as long as i can pay my bills and have some food in my cupboard thats enough for me, its a lifestyle choice not money orientated.

The islands way of doing things have taken a step back, last season if someone said to you "Mr. Pinnell your papers will be ready in 7 days" they were ready in 7 days, this season don't get me started. First of all my music licence, Paid for it on 29th April was told "Mr. Pinnell it will be ready in 7 days" i gave them 10 days it was ready in 20 days. My new sign they told me "Mr. Pinnell it will be ready in 4 days" i gave them 7 days it was ready in 10 days. Can you see a pattern forming here LOL But in the end it is all sorted now and everything is running smoothly.

Been up to see my friends John and Sue in Old Alykanas at "Redskins" what a lovely little place with a great view out across the sea, wish i had a location like that for my bar that would just make it perfect. Had some lovely home made ice cream Vanilla, Banana, Ouzo and Sloppy Toffee. Well it wasn't meant to be sloppy but it hadn't set yet but i still wanted it and boy was it good. If you get out and about make sure you look them up. If you go in and say "Kevin sent us" you get a free spoon to eat your ice cream.

So as i said in the beginning Helen been here for a week and its been great as both of us needed a break, me from the bar and Helen from the UK as she's having a very tough time at the moment back home and really deserved the break, feel a bit guilty being out here while Helen has all the stress of her work, the house to sort out as its still not finished being built to move in to, me being out here doesn't help and her mum had to go in for an examination and the results weren't good so she really is under it at moment but the break did her good and hopefully she'll be coming out every month at some point but her mum has to be her first priority and my thoughts are with them both.

Anyway we took ourselves over to Koukla to a lovely hotel we visited last year "Gloria Maris" pool is so nice and well set up but the bar staff may need some basic words taught to them. I went to bar and this is how the conversation went:-

Me - "Yassou, one Coke Light, one Fanta Lemon"

Bar person - "What?"

Me - "one coke light, one fanta lemon"

Bar person - "I don't understand"

Me -"one coke light, one fanta lemon" (slower and louder, as you do, lol)

Bar person - "A chocolate?"

Me - "No not chocolate, COKE LIGHT!"

Bar person - "Chocolate, yes"

Me - "CHOCOLATE NO!, COKE LIGHT, YES!"

Bar Person - "What you want again?"

Me - "Coke light and fanta lemon"

Bar person - "Ahh! in fridge"

Drinks ordered, DONE! haha

We went for our usual Traditional Taverna Tuesday but on a Wednesday, once again can't beat it, no menu, just 6 dishes to choose from, food all cooked that morning and fresh, the best way to eat. Did a lot of riding around on th bike just basically getting away from it all just for a few hours just to de-stress and enjoyed every minute.

I forgot to tell you about my Greek motorbike didn't i, well what a nightmare. It only has an electric start so i charged the battery up fully, wouldn't kick over. I changed the spark plugs, wouldn't kick over. I checked the fuses, one was broke. Changed it, wouldn't kick over. I could see the problem, the 10amp fuse was blowing all the time so i thought its either a electrical fault or needs a bigger fuse. So i pushed my bike from Kalamaki to Zakynthos town, my mechanic fixed it. Got 8km from town, fuse blew, it was a 10amp fuse. Pushed it back to town my mechanic said i have to take it to a specialist electric workshop 6km out of town. So off i pushed it. Now you would think with all the bikes over here that a motorbike garage would have a trailer to collect bikes but oh no thats to simple, muggings here has to push a 250cc twin cruiser around the bloody island LOL. Gets to the workshop and the guy pulls and prods all the wires but can't find anything, so i suggest a 20amp fuse he replies "no, no, 10amp fine" he changes fuse, i take off, 400m down the road fuse blows, i push it back. He checks all wiring again, pulls off perfectly good sound connections and replaces with twisting wires together then insulating tape together and again a 10amp fuse, while he's doing this i see a 20amp fuse in the dirt so i pick it up. I say to the guy "what if it blows again" to which the answer was handing me a pocket full of 10amp fuses. I pull off, 400m down the road, fuse blows. Out comes the 20amp fuse i found in the dirt, replaces the broke fuse, bikes been great ever since, how simple was that haha.

We have a new game in the bar this year its called "SPLAT!". Ok, so, i have a clear weather tent that winds down at the front of my bar, now its not new i've had it for 4 years and used it every May and Oct but this year i gave it a good polish so its crystal clear. In the 4 years i've used it no one has ever walked in to it but this week 3 people have. So now its become a spectator sport, whenever someone is walking out the bar seems to fall to a hush waiting to see if someone walks in to it. The first ever "Splat!" participant was Ian but in his defense he did have 3 jugs of wine while being in bar. Its not just the "Splat!" that happens, being as the tent is pulled tight it also has a trampoline effect and people bounce back off it, so the criteria on marking is:- First Contact, Surprise Factor and distance of stumble back. Ian gladly posed for a reconstruction photo of the first ever "Splat!".

Ian with his gold medal winning Splat LOL

Well the Original Oceanic cocktails are easily out selling the normal run of the mill ones by 10 to 1 with the Banoffee Pie cocktail being the favourite, mind you it is almost like a meal in itself.

The bar is still a bit rough around the edges but slowly i'm trying to sort it all out but decided for this weekend i'm going to have a lazy one and start fresh from Monday, so i promise a weekly update from now on.

Just checked my stats for last week and had 1648 hits to the blog also readers as far as Australia, Canada, America and Thailand, Wow! its not alot compared to the big websites but for a little ole blog about a nothing special bar thats pretty good going.

It seems my bar is getting a lot of attention from another business owner (not greek) they took pictures of my bar just after it had its graffiti make over and took more pictures today of its refurb, maybe they're deciding which look to copy LOL Ideas cost nothing, it just depends if you can think of any haha.

Until next Saturday, take to the skies and get your asses over here yeehaa!

I'm here, I'm alive and I'm open!

Sorry for being a day late with my update but been so, so, so, busy.

So lets begin. Left Swansea at 6am Thursday morning to travel to Gatwick for 2.30pm flight to Zakynthos. Plane was 3/4 full but very few tourists, mainly locals and workers. A few groups of workers heading off to Laganas who were very loud and drunk but the Trolly Dolly let slip that they work on commission of what they sell from the trolly when one of the drunks asked for a free drink as they had bought so much, so even though the were clearly drunk 90 mins in to the flight and causing problems to the other passengers the hostesses continued to supply them with drinks and the oldest must have been 25 and couldn't control the drunken groups. Anyway got to the island safely.

As i left the airport the road which takes you to and from the airport you would think had just come straight from Afghanistan, its a mess as still is to this day, such a shame as thats what the tourists first see when they arrive. Got to my apt at 8pm, quick walk around to see whats what say hi to my friends and bed time sleepy head.

6am Friday Straight to bar to collect my electric bill and to see the damage. Lots of paint, badly drawn images that weren't exactly Salvador Dali but hey its only paint, its not like they cut my mums head off HAHA!. The locals have been very supportive and all come to visit me and said how sorry they were and if they could help just ask. They all said the same thing "Whoever was involved in this is a bad person and needs to be shot" a bit harsh i thought shooting someone for creating art LOL. My landlord was very upset and told me i didn't have to pay Mays rent and my rent would stay the same this season like last season due to me having to correct the damage. He's such a nice guy and now this vandalism has lost him money not me as its his building, i just rent it. but because he is a nice guy i said i would pay half rent for May as its not fair for him to lose money. We also know that the normal tins of paint that were thrown over the weather tents and floor at side of bar were done 2 days after i left the island at the end of the season and the spray paint late Feb early March but the witness wasn't sure on date but knew it was around then. They sprayed on every surface including the Oceanic Sign. As i said police report is in by the landlord, witness has been spoken to and after watching Columbo for years the culprit always returns to the scene of the crime, "Slowly, Slowly, Catchy Monkey" LOL.

How do you like the art exhibition! HaHa!

So the rest of Friday was spent rushing around paying electric, accountant, community tax and music licence and just basically getting all my papers sorted. Exhausting.

Saturday up at 6am and in to bar to make a list of everything i need to create "Oceanic MKII" after a day of running here there and everywhere and back to the same shop about 10 times as i forgot things i got to work on bar at about 5pm but light was fading fast so finished around 9pm. I'm getting to old for these long physical days LOL.

Sunday up at 6am and just work work work all the way through till about 9pm again, for 3 days solid i worked these hours until the bar at least was half ready to open on Wednesday night, so Ladies and Gentlemen i give you the all new Oceanic!

I am now fit to drop, i am physically and mentally drained, i ache, i'm constantly tired, i can't think straight, and i need a long cold pint of Vodka and sprite HaHa! but in the end i think it was worth all the effort. Yes, i know the sign is still brown but the signs went in today to be changed to blue same as bar andwill be ready next week.

Ok so its not totally finished and rough around the edges but all the rest can be done bit by bit, day by day. Already had a good 2 nights open hitting target both nights so i can't ask for anything more.

Every night now through the whole of the season before i open i'll be blasting out "Underdog" by Kasabian as thats what i am, the underdog to the person who wants to destroy me & my bar, there is one chorus that rings out so true for my situation and it goes a little something like this:-

"It don't matter, i won't do what you say, you've got the money and the power i won't go your way, and i can't take for the people they don't matter at all, I'll be waiting in the shadows 'til the day that you fall"

Oh yes i'll be stood their smiling when that day comes, Thanks Tom and the boys for a song to spur me on and give me that fight.

Haven't been for my ride around all the resorts yet as just been way to busy and not stopped, haven't had time to scratch my little ass but i almost have time to scratch it now.

I'm sure theres lots more i have to tell you but my brains fried so will add anything i forgot to my next update, anyway time for a soak in the tub before opening at 7pm.

Till next week, take care of yourselfs, and each other.