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Winter Newsletter
Well that’s it for 2017, the resort is now all closed and Samantha and I are well and truly settled back into the UK routine.
We have a busy winter ahead with work already started towards summer 2018. Bookings are going well and once again we are meeting our booking targets for 2018 with some periods already becoming fairly full and many other popular periods selling well.
There are exciting new flights with BA from Heathrow & some early bird special offers, further details on all this found below.
We have all the rooms sold for our popular reunion weekend 19th to 21st January and we are working hard to make this even better than last year!
Samantha, Mark and all the team at Vassaliki would like to wish you, your family and friends a great Christmas and a prosperous & healthy New Year.
Breaking News
We now have scheduled flights direct to EFL (Kefalonia) from London Heathrow with British Airways. They fly Tuesdays and Saturdays and at the time this newsletter went out they were £59 each way on the Tuesday flight!!!! Get booking now, there is still availability for the summer months for 2018!
Staff
We are really pleased to announce that Colin and Alex have agreed to join us again for next summer and will continue to offer their Pilates and Art classes which have been amazingly popular along with their never-ending energy.
We are sad to say that Nick the chef has decided to take next summer off. He has some other projects he wants to do next year and he will be missed by us all. But not to worry, we will still have our restaurant running as usual with many of Nicks ideas and recipes still being used. Nick has left a hard act to follow but I am looking forward to the challenge.
Little Sam (Tinklebell) has also agreed to return next summer and will once again be running the housekeeping side of the resort for us. Her laugh and energy are infectious and we look forward to having her back on the team next summer.
Do you fancy joining the team? We are considering getting another chef to work in our busy restaurant. Do you have the skills and want a summer in the sun? Have a look at the job on our website. http://www.viglanatura.com/join-the-team-in-2018
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- Mark & Samantha
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- Little Sam
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- Colin & Alex
Discount for 2018
It’s a dogs life
Sheba
One of the things many of the guests love about Vassaliki is our four legged friends who have lived with us at the resort. We have had a dog on resort since we opened in 2007 when we brought Sheba with us from the UK. Our white and tan labrador/ collie cross was a big hit with guests and she became very much part of the team here. When she passed away in October 2012 Samantha and I decided we would take some time off having a dog but soon found we had a big part of our life missing and many guests commented on the fact it was nice having a dog on site.
Archie
In 2013 Simon and Sheryle joined our team and they brought along Archie, who soon settled into resort life. He is a little water baby, loved swimming in the sea and the guests splashing him from the pool. He had his favourite guests (normally the ones who brought him treats) and the resort seemed to be back in balance again.
Dexter
We have now over the last 10 years rescued four dogs from Kefalonia. The first dog that came to us was Dexter in the summer of 2013. A crazy ball of fluff who was about four months old when he was left with us. We had him all sorted with injections and a passport to bring him back to the UK with us, but there was an issue… Dexter was travel sick and with the lifestyle Samantha and I live we needed a dog who can travel and we weren’t really looking for a dog at this stage. We quickly found Dexter an amazing new home on the Isle of Wight with a young family. He was flown from Kefalonia to reduce travel time for him and was collected at Gatwick by his new family. We still visit Dexter and he is doing amazing work with children who are finding life a little difficult, we are so proud of him.
Lucy
Samantha and I have always been lovers of animals, I even spent time working for the RSPCA in the UK. So when we took our collection money we made from our reunion raffle to the Kefalonia animal rescue centre we stupidly stopped at the puppy pen (Samantha’s fault) and we found Lucy Lou. She was about 8 weeks old covered in fleas but we just fell in love with her. She soon become a perfect resort dog, still to this day she loves meeting our guests and she even runs guided tours to the local mini market. She travels in the car with us back and forth between the UK and Greece each year, she copes with anything we put her through as she is just happy to be with us.
Wilf
Next was a rescue for some friends of ours who have a house near our resort. They found a spaniel-cross who they wanted to take back to the UK with them. They had to leave Kefalonia so left him with us at the resort while we prepared to return to the UK ourselves in our camper. Wilf stayed on resort for about four weeks before joining Lucy and us on our four day trip back to the UK where we delivered him to his new family in Cambridge.
Olie
Our latest rescue was this year. While visiting the local olive press we came upon a small tan and white puppy who was about 8 months old. He was very friendly and in amazing condition. His coat was clean with only a small number of fleas, the press owner said he was dumped that morning by an old man. Our sailing trip hostess Leanne wanted to get a rescue dog so a few phone calls were made and the decision was to collect him and get him to the vets for a medical check up. He was in good health so all the necessary paperwork, injections and procedures were completed to allow the young dog to return to the UK. He stayed with us at the resort until he was ready to join us for the long trip back to the UK. After three throw ups in the first 11km (the Kefalonia roads are twisty) he settled down really well and seemed to take the trip in his stride.
Olie is now settled with his new family near the New Forest and we are lucky enough to see him most weekends when we all meet up for a forest walk where we seem to keep finding pubs on route!
All the dogs we rescue have been very lucky to find new homes and loving families. Samantha and I are proud of the small amount of work we have done to help these few individuals.
Special Offers 2018
This offer is not available online so call now 020 8144 2166 to enjoy this amazing offer.
Join The Team in 2018
Experienced Resort Chef
So if you are looking for a complete change of lifestyle and would like to join our team at Vassaliki for the summer of 2018 have a look at the job description below and send us an email with your up to date CV and a covering letter/email stating why you feel you would be the best person to fill the position.
The start of the summer the first 4 to 5 weeks are for set up of the resort. This is a busy time for us and the jobs can be handwork and tiring. Long hours will be needed to get the resort to the required standard we demand for the summer. This time of year (April – May) can be very hot making the work even harder. The sort of work required will be but not limited to –
Setting up the kitchen pool bar
General construction
Painting
Garden cut back and tidy
Health and safety checks
Once the resort is open jobs below will be required to be done on a day to day basis. The job changes every day and depends on the demands and expectations of our guests.
Breakfast cooking and service
Prepare and serve lunches
Evening meal service including a daily special and dessert
BBQ night once a week using resort BBQ and wood burning oven
Occasional beach BBQ on remote beach
Replenishing drinks fridges
Coffee service – using a barista machine
Pool Bar cleaning an tidying
Laundry of pool bar cloths.
Resort Shopping for all food and drinks using our suppliers. Driving licence essential
Being on hand to answer guest enquiries – able to learn local knowledge
You will be required to cook five days a week with two days off each week. Your time off will be covered by resort staff so some preparation will be required.
The most important thing is you must be clean and tidy worker as the kitchen is small and on view to the customers. You must enjoy meeting and talking to guests and dealing with dietary requirements of some customers.
The atmosphere at the resort in relaxed and informal.
For the details of the benefits package please email – info@viglanatura.com
Ithaca trip
On 18 March 2017 The Times newspaper in its travel section highlighted ‘Ithaca’s golden bays and ancient legends attaching to the article a delightful picture with the caption ‘The village of Frikes’right to reach
Times say it Frikes but I believe it Kioni
This year, half way through our holiday at Vassaliki with The Times article in mind, we popped over to Ithaca for two nights staying at the Perantzada Art Hotel Vathy. The car ferry leaves from Sami and takes about an hour to reach the tiny harbour of Pissaetos.
And it was fascinating. The island, which has a magical history, is very beautiful. The town of Vathy is great fun with yachts constantly moving, berthing, mooring and leaving: endlessly entertaining. We explored before checking into the hotel and going for a swim in the hotel pool.
Later we drove round the harbour road subsequently taking a turn to the right to reach a parking space by a beach where we left the car and walked the extra few hundred yards to Skinos beach for a swim. We did not know if we were allowed to shed our clothes so erred on the cautious side; there was a ‘cat’ moored a little way off but that was all. We seemed miles from anywhere.
The restaurants in Vathy (those away from the harbour seemed to serve the best food) were crowded lively noisy happy places for an evening meal. It was fun.
Vathy is in the south of the island. On our second day we dove the 19 km or so along the coastal road to the northern village of Frikes, stopping there for a coffee before continuing to Kinoni , a lively place again full of yachts but also with a myriad of small shops selling the sort of trinkets my wife finds fascinating. I enjoyed a beer sitting at a water side table whilst she investigated what the small shop keepers has to offer.
The scenery was spectacular, the boats coming and going amusing.
Catching the 9am ferry the next morning back to Kefalonia required anything but a leisurely breakfast yet watching and then being part of the system of loading up the ferry was interesting. It was so nice to get back to Vassaliki for a swim and a drink and a session on the sun lounger bfore happy hour.
Yet there is an amusing twist to the tail. According to Mark and I am sure he is correct, the picture in The Times was not of Frikes at all!!! It was actually a picture of Kioni, you need to ask Mark that next time you see him.
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- Frikes
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- Frikes
Written by Michael
2018 prices launched
We have now launched our prices and rooms for 2018. If you are looking to join us for the summer of 2018 please book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. We already have some periods fully booked.
Call us now to hold a room for you. All the flights are now launched so a great time to confirm your stay with us.
Vassaliki Resort Summer 2018 prices
| Price in Euros | Start of Summer Special 12/05/18 to 25/05/18 | Standard Rate 26/05/18 to 22/09/18 | End of Summer Special 23/09/18 to 13/10/18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| One bedroom Sleeps 2-4 |
€100 per night | €130 per night | €100 per night |
| Maisonette Sleeps 2-4 |
€100 per night | €130 per night | €100 per night |
| Two bedroom Sleeps 4 |
€120 per night | €150 per night | €120 per night |
| Studio Sleeps 2 Limited self catering |
€80 per night | €110 per night | €80 per night |
| Roof Studio Sleeps 2 Limited head room |
€80 per night | €110 per night | €80 per night |
These prices do not include the new Tourist Tax being introduced by the Greek government in 2018 under EU law.
The Tourist Tax rate is €0,50 per room per day payable locally.
The Art of Naturist Stone Balancing
Stone balancing is an art form which an audience may interpret in various ways, for example as a performance, an aesthetic form or simply a source of wonder. Some may seek a more spiritual meaning in the interplay between rocks, air, sky and gravity. Sometimes there may be no audience at all, the stone sculptures are produced merely for the pleasure of the artist.
Essentially the art form involves placing a combination of rocks or stones in arrangements which require patience and sensitivity to generate, and which sometime may appear implausible. Rock balancers are frequently asked how the forms can stand without glue or other supports. The key factors are the shape and mass of the pieces, their balancing points and the interaction of the forces of gravity and friction. The forms can range from the stacking of simple flat stones to more complex arrangements with counterbalance, single balance points, arches and many other shapes and combinations. The creations can be random shapes or planned to resemble natural or man-made formations.
With experimentation and time I have developed some skills in producing stone art and find it an enjoyable and relaxing pastime. For me it is a simple pleasure to spend time focusing on a small piece of work which is by nature temporary but unique. Each piece is a challenge to my imagination, dexterity and patience and I find the interaction with the natural elements of stone and the forces of gravity, friction and wind help me to appreciate the natural environment. However there are some expert artists who devote their lives and careers to inventing new techniques and continue to push the boundaries of the art form. The Internet has many web sites with incredible photographs of the type of work done by a number of professional exponents.
Kefalonia provides many opportunities to try stone balancing in beautiful, natural and peaceful locations. The wonderful beaches on the island vary in character, from the long sandy stretches of Skala, Mounda or Avithos, to the smaller more pebbly beaches more typical of the north of the Island, such as Ebylisi and Dafnoudi. You will find on most beaches a variety of stones, from the smooth bright white rounded pebbles of Myrthos and Antisamos, through a whole range of limestone, igneous rock and conglomerates. Perfect materials for creating your own piece of individual art!
The activity is made all the more pleasurable if it can be practised in a naturist environment, without the encumbrance of clothes as this helps to provide a more perfect connection between the mind, body and natural environment. The lovely island of Kefalonia is blessed with many tranquil locations where naturist stone balancing can be done; some accessible by roads and tracks, others only by boat from the crystal clear sea.
The art form of rock balancing can be actively enjoyed by anyone, of any age. Try it for yourself – you will be surprised at the lovely shapes and patterns that you can produce with a little patience and imagination, simply by stacking stones on top of one another. I hope the examples of my work included here will provide some inspiration and get you started.
Colin Eversden
Colin lives and works at Vassaliki, in Kefalonia, in the summer months. As part of his role at the resort Colin hosts informal art sessions for guests to encourage participation and development of artistic skills.
Naked Wanderings report on one of our Naked Beach Parties
Quick Newsletter
Well that’s the August madness over with and the island can now return to its normal quiet peaceful self again.
Kefalonia Traffic Jam
Don’t get me wrong I still enjoy August. The island is full of festivals, concerts, beach parties and the new square in the centre of Argostoli is full of people eating, drinking, meeting with family & friends, so the atmosphere is amazing, but I won’t miss the crazy drivers and Greek traffic jams!!
The beaches in August did get busy and the dreaded textiles seemed to try and take over some of the naturist friendly beaches but Avithos, Mounda, Mania and Kanali remained naturist friendly throughout the season, well done my fellow naturist beach goers. We have also just received some information about another potential naturist beach which was unknown to us. We will look it up and give it a try soon hopefully, so watch this space.
Naked Beach Party
Our new naked beach BBQ’s have been a big success this summer as well as the naturist boat trips on board the Lady O. We still have both these events lined up until the end of the summer.
We now move very quickly into September. The season is going so fast that I feel we have only just opened. We have a very full resort ahead with only three rooms available from 29th September to 7th October at the discounted rate. On the 7th October the resort closes for our naturist guests and we open for our prudes week. Yes we have people attempting to get a suntan through a swimsuit around our pool! I must remember to dress in the morning for pool cleaning duty…!
Press News
We have just had a visit from the Naked Wanderings. Nick & Lins, a young couple from Belgium, have decided to quit their jobs and visit as many naturist resorts, beaches and facilities as they can, to write about them on their very informative blog. Have a look and see what they say about our resort. http://www.nakedwanderings.com
The naturist press have been busy this summer with the launch of a new magazine in the Netherlands. Backed by the NFN and UIT magazine, Bloot Magazine will be hitting the newsstands, newsagents and supermarkets in Holland shortly. This is the first naturist magazine designed to target the non naturist or naturist inquisitive market. We were lucky enough to have a visit from a journalist who will be including us in the first 100,000 copies of what we hope will be a long running magazine.
Beach Bags
Our free Vassaliki bags are nearly all gone. And we are starting to receive some great pictures from guests showing off their Vassaliki bags at other resorts and famous landmarks. We will put the best ones online soon.
Flights
We have now received notice that flights for 2018 have been launched by Jet 2, Norwegian, Thomas Cook & Thomson. We are waiting for Easy Jet and Ryan Air to launch yet. So time now to keep an eye on the flights and book early. Don’t book flights before you either call Samantha or book a room online www.viglanatura.com/book as we do have some periods already full. 
EYES down now for the last leg before Samantha, myself and the rest of the Vassaliki team return to the UK. Hope to see you during the last few weeks of the season if not speak to you at the end when our newsletter will offer news about
- The launch of all the flights for 2018
- Results from our survey
- Reunion weekend
- Team of 2018
- and lots more…
Naked Wanderings review of Vassaliki
A great review from the Naked Wanderings. I just love the line. “This is a holiday with friends who you have not yet met!!”
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