hassos already stole my heart some 12 years ago.

The first time me and my family went there was 1989 - the year that the second big fire destroyed a great part of the island. I was only a litle girl - 10 years old - then, but I already sensed the ultimatly relaxing atmosphere of the island and its people.

I knew then that I would have to come back there...

Happily so did my parents, and we went back the next year and the next.....

We would always stay at this tiny litle pension at the beach between Skala Prinou and Skala Rachoniou. I wont mention the name here because I don't want the whole world to know about this special place. The pension is run by the dearest Greek family ever, they realy make you feel at home. As litle kids we even helped the old ya-ya in the kitchen, and as we grew up we started to clear our own table at the terrace to ease the workload of the family during the season.

After I left home I never saw Thassos again, untill this year though!

My parents decided it would be nice to have a holliday with the whole family again; my sister and me and our partners. And where else would we go but Thassos!!

This trip would be even more special than before, since my boyfriend is a Greek (grown up in Holland though) and speaks the language very good. He hadn't been back to his homeland in 15 years.

So the 16th of July we got on a plane at Amsterdam Airport and some three hours later we where already looking for a Taxi to take us to the Keramoti Port, where we would catch the Ferry Boat to Limenas. As we were approaching the Thassanian Coastline my heart started to drum again, as it did the last time, nine years ago.....

Well, I could write a thousand pages of our experiences this year, but in a few words "Thassos for me is the one and only real paradise in the world"

Since my boyfriend speaks the language, it was a real intense experience this year. Already after two days we found a Greek friend, Panos, who had lived and worked on the island his whole life and couldn't be happier. He showed us places of the island I had never seen before! In his Toyota Pickup, where the three of us - my boyfriend Thanassi, me and Panos himself - were sitting packed against each other on the front seat, he drove us way up into the mountains, where according to Panos no tourists came - EVER....

These places were even more peacefull than any of the villages and views I had seen on my prior visits to the island.

So the holliday ended way to early after two weeks...We promised Panos to be back again next year and excanged phone numbers and adresses. The first day back in Holland he already called us, telling us he missed us.....well, we miss Thassos and all its aspects just as much!

Me and my boyfriend are thinking about leaving for Greece in a year or two to 'start' our lives there..We both work in the Advertising Industry as Desktop Publishers, and we want to try to get a job creating holliday brochures or something for the Greek Islands.

But one thing is certain: Next summer we will be back to see our beloved Island and Friends again!