Friday 12 September 2014

The seven ages of holidaymakers

WE are getting near the end of the holiday season here on Skopelos. The last charter flights to the nearest airport on our neighbouring rock of Skiathos will be, I think, some time early in October.

As the season progresses so the nature of the holidaymakers who come to Skopelos changes. Assuming the season starts in May the progression of holidaymakers goes something like this: mature couples, outdoor types, families with pre-school age children, families with school age children, Greeks, young couples and single-sex groups of young adults, older people.

That's sort of seven groups if not ages. By my reckoning we are in the last stages, so there are quite a few older folk around. I think they like it because it's quieter, not so hot and probably there are a few bargains to be had for getting here. They are quite easy to spot as a lot of them appear to like walking - I have no criticism of that - and you can see them wandering around clutching maps.

In terms of numbers it's very much a Bell curve with the peak being late July/August, which is the favoured time for Greeks to go on holiday. It's easy to spot some, but only some, Greek holidaymakers because they go jogging. I kid you not. Not all Greek tourists are joggers and not all joggers on Skopelos are on holiday, but I see very few joggers here the rest of the year.

This summer, my dog, Bonnie, and I encountered a Greek couple jogging in the woods near Amarantos (Αμάραντος). They were going in the same direction as us and soon left us behind and so we were slightly surprised when we found the same couple doing yoga on mats next to their car which was parked in the woods. I was more than a little distracted by the woman, a slender, Lycra-clad vision of flexibility, and much less distracted by her rather portly male companion. Anyway, it takes all sorts and maybe I should take a leaf from their book. Just my little joke, I will NEVER go jogging and yoga's a no-no, too.

It might have been stretching things to suggest that there are seven different categories of visitors, but I'm always ready for any chance to acknowledge Shakespeare. So thank you WS for Jaques' monologue from Act II Scene VII of As You Like It. If you'd like a quick look at the monologue then click here.

Now a brief apology. I've been a bad blogger, a very bad blogger, in that I haven't written anything for ages. It's not been an easy year for me or my family, but even so I have sat around at various times this summer thinking "I've got to write something" and then I've just carried on lounging around feeling a bit bored. For such poor service I apologise and to make up for it I offer you this wonderful song by Sam Cooke. By the way this does not mean I want to marry you and take you home, it's just a nice song. OK? The video is a bit ropy, but the shots of the audience make it all worthwhile. Different times indeed.



And finally, a question: Have you ever seen a smiling jogger? No, me neither. That's got to mean something.

1 comment:

  1. Have you ever seen a smiling jogger?

    No not at all, their faces gripped as if in pain as they flick sweat as they pass. I am full of admiration for anyone who can run alongside a busy road, breathing in Carbon Monoxide in the early morning heat ...

    ReplyDelete

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