Greece Trip
Greece, a Mediterranean country, is considered
the birth place of a rudimentary form of
democracy. It is the place where the Byzantine
Empire once ruled. In more recent times (ending
around 1920), it was ruled by the Ottoman
Empire. Athens is the crowded capital of Greece.
The Olympic games originated in Greece. In
addition, Greece was the center for western
philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, political
science and important scientific studies. Greece
is a popular destination for travelers. Part of
the allure is due to its attractive beaches,
rich history and charming villages. If ever
there was a place ideally suited for a ship or
yacht cruise, Greece is it.
Geographic Location
Greece is located in southern Europe, bordering
the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean
Sea between Albania and Turkey. It is situated
at the southern side of Balkan Peninsula. It is
also bordered by Bulgaria and Macedonia in the
southeast.
Travel To and Inside Greece
By Air – The national airline of Greece is
Olympic Airlines. Many popular airlines like
British Airways and Delta Airlines operate daily
flight from Athens. The biggest airport is newly
constructed Athens International Airport which
is located like 17 miles northeast of the city.
The other international airports of Greece are
Heraklion (Crete), Thessaloniki (Macedonia) and
Corfu (Kerkira).
By Sea – The popular Greek ports include Corfu,
Heraklion, Igoumenitsa, Patras, Piraeus
(Athens), Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Volos.
Delivery vessels and ferryboat lines link these
ports with Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Russia and
Turkey. Some of the popular cruises operating in
Greece are Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises,
Crystal Cruises, Festival Cruises, Holland
America Line, Princess Cruises, Silversea and
Swan Hellenic.
By Rail – If one is coming from UK, the best way
is to take Eurostar train to Brussels or Paris
and from there take connecting train to Greece.
Once in Greece, use a ferry boat to get around
Greece. They are cheap and relaxing with
restaurants and places to get snacks.
Population & Languages
The population of Greece is around 11 million
and the official language being spoken is,
unsurprisingly, Greek. Other languages spoken
are English and French. Most shopkeepers can
speak a helping of conversational English. Body
language and context should fill in the gaps.
When To Visit
Travel to Greece in May, late August or
September. That's when you'll find the most
optimal combination of warm, but not too hot,
weather as well as low prices and tolerable
levels of traffic. The crowds are not nearly as
burdensome then, either.
Sun
I highly recommend that you wear sunscreen. Be
sure to apply it more than once a day. Apply it
after you swim, for sure. Furthermore, it's wise
to swim before 10am or after 4pm to minimize the
sun's impact. You might want to wear a t-shirt
when you swim. Wearing a shirt when I swim
doesn’t bother me for I am pretty pale skinned
(I prefer to wear a shirt rather than shock
people). When you walk about, be sure to wear a
hat! You'll find many for sale, in case you
forget to bring one with you. Also, bring a long
a few bottles of water! Of course, not too many
where you get bogged down. I'd suggest you have
at least 2 liters of supply per person, per day.
Fortunately, there are a lot of stores selling
bottled water, so you can replenish when you run
out. But, just in case, have some backup.
Electricity
The voltage is 220 volt and the frequency is 50
hz. Greece has round pin outlets, the standard
throughout Europe. Buy a simple cord adapter in
your country, if you have a non-European chord.
Plug your chord into the adapter (female end).
On the other end (male end) are round pins that
subsequently plug into European outlets. You do
not need an electricity converter. Those
converters are only if you have a European
electrical item at 220v and try to plug it into
a 110 volt outlet, outside of Europe.
Climate
Greece has three climates: Alpine (in the
mountain regions), Mediterranean and temperate
climate (along the border with Macedonia).
Winters are mild and wet. Summers in Greece are
hot and dry. The capital city of Athens has
temperate and Mediterranean weather.
Local Customs
There are different traditions and customs in
different parts of the Greece. The throwing back
of a hand is considered to be a negative
gesture. Casual dress is acceptable, most of the
time. Smoking is prohibited in public transport
services and public buildings. Tipping is the
norm.
Greece can be chaotic. Often there is no strict
adherence to departure times. The places we went
to, the organizers were not well organized and
made it up as they went. The Greeks we
encountered seemed to quite casual about time
schedules. As seemingly annoying as that might
sound, the unhurried attitude a nice departure
from typical life in the western world. Then
again, the hands of time stop for no one, not
even Greeks!
Attractions (sites to see)
Ø Mardi
Grass Celebrations in February
Ø
Skiing in Arahova Mountains between October and
March
Ø
Thessaloniki’s White Tower and country’s rich
Byzantine culture
Ø
Corinth (south)
Ø
Lesvos beaches
Ø
Wine vineyards
Ø
Islands in the Aegean Sea
Ø
Wildlife preserve in Alonissos (Sporades Marine
Park)
Ø
Moni Panagia Chozoviotissa, a Byzantine
monastery in Amorgos
Ø
The Parthenon in Athens
Ø
Acropolis (in Athens, the biggest city in
Greece)
A trip to Athens means a trip through major
traffic. Hold on to your hat if you take a cab!
Prepare yourself for a sort of carnival ride
with a lot of speeding, slamming on brakes and
honking mixed in with a healthy dose of almost
jovial yelling between cabbies and other
drivers.
One time while staying at a hotel on the island,
Aegina, I contemplated the idea of going to
Athens and seeing the sites, among them,
Acropolois (the ancient structure). I was pretty
intimidated, what with all that traffic, heat
and such. A child in our group seemed of the
same mind, exclaiming, "That's a long way to
go to see an old house!" Her logic aside, I
ventured out encouraged by my newly acquired
mantra, "Do it! You'll always be able to say,
er brag, 'I've been there!'" Do it for later
joy. Yes, as I imagined, it was a tumultuous
ordeal fraught with honks, speeding cabs,
brake-slamming, yelling and sweat. But, when I
woke up the next morning I only recalled the
good aspects.
Cautionary note: According to the U.S. State
Department, "Pick-pocketing is especially common
on the Athens metro and in some shopping areas
in and around Thessaloniki." So, beware! Keep
your wallet in your front pocket. Better yet,
wear a money-belt.
Greek Islands
There are many islands to choose from. Some of
the best ones are Santorini, Paros and Naxos.
These islands are mentioned often when you speak
with Greek travel experts. If you like to take
it easy when you swim, you’ve got it made: The
water off some islands has so much salt in it
that you can float on your back, effortlessly.
One island of note is Kalymnos, which is near
Turkey. This is not as crowded as other
destinations (with the exception of the city of
Pothia, in the south), yet it has all the
amenities. Lodge at the mid-western section of
the island (from the towns of Kantouni up to
Skalia). Walk the main streets during the day
and night. You will breathe in fine fragrances
of food. You are treated to a healthy dose of
ocean view. As you tread along the walkway,
you’ll find an array of restaurants and cafes to
choose from. Be prepared for “Gloria”, the nice
lady that seems to greet every passerby. The
flower-adorned street is lined with shops run by
ambitious owners actively selling wares such as
sea sponges. Don't worry, their approach is
low-key compared to other places. They don’t
grab you, as in Mexico!
Beware of KOS, which I dubbed, "CHAOS." It is
mostly for young partiers and is priced
accordingly (with the premise that drunks are
less price-conscious). You can find much better
deals, elsewhere. It is just too crowded for my
taste. In addition, the airport is crowded like
sardines in a can and filled with cigarette
smoke. Do not land here! Take a ship cruise,
instead.
While I have not been there, I have often heard
that Rhodes is similar to KOS (i.e. not my cup
of tea). Now, it might be better of me to visit
and see the place for myself. However, there are
over 6,000 islands and islets (of which 227 are
inhabited – of those only 78 islands have more
than 100 inhabitants) so I have to use some
discretion and use secondary research and expert
opinion!
So, essentially, there are at most 78 islands
that you could stay on. Of course, that’s
more than you need! But, at least we aren’t as
intimidated as when we hear there are over 6,000
Greek islands!
Shopping
Be sure not to pay the listed price. Knock off
at least 20%. When you are inevitably approached
by a store employee, start with, "Do you have
any specials?" Pause and wait for their
comeback. When you have found something of
interest, say, "It's for my - (son, wife, etc.),
it's their - (anniversary, birthday, etc.)." Or,
use the reason you want it for yourself. Always
supply a reason why you re requesting a
discount. End your conversation by half-turning
and exclaiming, "Is that your best
price?" Whatever price is offered, pause, count
to 5 (not aloud, for heaven's sake) and you
might see an additional 10% lopped off. The
power of the pause!
If you're really hell-bent on an even lower
price, turn around and walk away. Don't be
surprised if the shopkeeper calls out to you
offering you an even better price (if it's
within reason, of course!). If you feel bad,
like you're chiseling, do it anyway, but buy 2
things instead of the one thing you intended on
buying.
Now, some people will balk at any kind of
"negotiating" or "haggling." Realize, however,
that the shopkeepers expect it. Attitude is the
key to making it work. Do it with a smile. Have
fun. Don’t be like some uptight angry consumer
who gets all irate… instead make it a fun
excursion.
Lodging
There are plenty of hotels and houses for rent.
I recommend that you insist on an ocean view,
even if it costs more. Quite frankly, if you go
in May or late August or September, as
recommended, you probably won't have to pay more
for the 24/7 sea view. I know of one traveler
who balked at the suggestion, preferring instead
a room with a “liquor store view”, as he really
like the local drink, ouzo. Ouzo (ούζο in
Greek) is hard liquor with a black-liquorice
type taste. Mixing it with cola destroys the
liquorice-like taste of Ouzo.
Forget the television, by the way, unless you
speak Greek and don't mind 2-3 channels max
and/or poor reception. Besides, a little less
"tele" (British slang for TV) never hurt anyone!
Be sure to get a place with a refrigerator or
rent a small one. You'll want to store your
water, cheeses and such in the fridge.
Additional, you can store some soothing cream in
the fridge and use it if you get a sunburn or
just want to “cool down.”
Toilets
Not surprisingly, I can't speak for all Greek
hotels, but the ones we stayed at had toilets
with mediocre functionality. No, not a hole in
the ground, but not ultra-modern, either. Don't
put too much toilet paper in at once! It's
better to use the toilet one extra time during
the day then do too much at one sitting, if you
get my drift. I.e. don’t wait until you
REALLY gotta go.
Swimming Pools
Many, if not most, hotels have swimming pools.
You may wonder, why bother with a pool when you
have a plethora of sea? I agree. I suppose that
in some places the sea is a bit salty so some
times you are in the mood for a more fresh water
swim. However, I do believe that most pools
there use sea water, anyway. So, if you can get
a better deal without a pool, go for it.
Prohibited Items
The following items are not allowed in Greece:
Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most
meat and dairy products, eggs, plants,
endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic
beverages that contain more than sixty per cent
alcohol.
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