So, the great expert on travel who's always being interviewed on BBC news when they do a piece about possible difficulties when visiting "problem" destinations has advised that if you're travelling to Greece from the UK this summer, then it's best not to change your Sterling into anything larger than €20 notes. I would suggest that this bloke, who I used to respect greatly at one time in the past, get his facts right; maybe actually come here and find out from the horse's mouth before offering such stupid advice.
I've lived here for seven years this summer and only yesterday was having a conversation at the "Top 3" Bar in town with my fellow Excursion Escort and friend, Tim and some UK guests when this topic came up. Tim and I would have laughed if we weren't so livid to hear that this was the kind of balderdash being served up to the public, which the BBC must think are so gullible.
The €50 note is probably the most common note in circulation out here. The ATM machines dish them out perpetually and - incidentally - these aren't running out of ready cash either. Just about the same percentage of businesses are accepting credit and debit cards as ever and I have yet to see any "unrest" on the streets of a Greek island, apart from perhaps someone getting jumpy over the late arrival of their souvlaki. Yes Mr. Paxman, a "kebab" is Turkish, in Greece it's called "SOUVKALI" mate.
I'll tell you something else. This perpetual "talking up" of the idea of Greece leaving the Euro is pointless as well. It's not going to happen, but even if I'm wrong and it does, do you think that businesses here in the tourist areas will not continue to accept Euros? Go to Turkey and you'll find that, even though their currency is the Turkish Lira, you can spend an entire fortnight there without seeing one, as the Euro is accepted everywhere. Plus, plus...if the Drachma were to be resurrected it wouldn't happen overnight, probably not even during the course of this year's holiday season, so please be assured that, as stated in another recent post, it's business as usual here in Rhodes.
For those of you thinking of coming, here are a quick few snaps taken just yesterday in Rhodes Town...
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| The main thoroughfares are pretty busy, but just off the beaten track you get scenes like this |
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| ...and this... |
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| ...and this.
Postscript added July 1st.
This article has appeared in the Independent. Seems the "expert" in question has finally come here and redressed the balance. Read it all the way through though!!
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Good for you John, setting the record straight. The trouble is a lot of people do take what the media says as gospel and often the facts can be distorted, ask me how I know! Looks like you have better weather there than we have at the moment.
ReplyDeleteWell said John, If you only had 20 euro notes they would not last long, or not the way I spend them, I was in Lindos last week and the only thing missing were poeple, they just do not know what they are missing in the village of a night, still back in 5 weeks with euros in hand, now where did I put my Fix (Greek beer to those who do not venture to the best place in Europe)
ReplyDeleteDibs
Yea Dibs, you can get your Fix totally legally here in Greece, great eh?
DeleteHi John, what was his reasoning for suggesting the 20 note maximum? Seems a strange concept. And if Greece does exit you are right, the euro and ANY foreign currency will be eagerly sought after, and at a great rate - Greece will become a very affordable place to visit for everyone!
ReplyDeleteJohn. Simon Calder gave the same advice in his newspaper column
DeleteTUI have made hoteliers promise to take the drachma.How stupid is that!!
Its a well known fact that some Tour ops keep hoteliers waiting many many months before they pay up
Excellent point Trevor. The tour ops have even led to some smaller hotels closing through not getting their money soon enough. Some don't even get paid until the next season has begun, and they say the Greeks are corrupt!!
DeleteTim, your guess is as good as mine. It makes no sense to me at all, and he certainly hasn't been "on the ground" around the Greek islands for far too long, in my book, to know what he's talking about.
DeleteTrevor mentioned the bloke's name, brave of him!!
Good on you John tell em as it really is here on Rhodes. All these so called holiday experts never tell the true story
ReplyDeleteFor the other readers out there, Stuart is a near(ish) neighbour of ours, so he knows what's happening (or rather, what's not happening!) out here too.
DeleteScaremongering...................just another way for governments and their flunkies to control the general public.............I no longer believe anything that I'm told by the media. My thoughts would be, take your cash/card/travellers cheques/whatever and see what happens. If you get into trouble it'll be a worthwhile life experience trying to get out of it. Whatever happened to taking risks and having adventures? Sorry, John,your mood was infectious.............now off to check my blood pressure!
ReplyDeleteVicki
Paxman is a pompous nincompoop!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we use that word more often?
Yes I like "nincompoop" too. He's a bit of a bounder as well if the truth be told, allegedly.
DeleteI really enjoyed your trip up the Mississippi by the way. Wasn't that Morgan Freeman a nice brick of a fellow?
PS Didn't need to check my blood pressure, just re-read some of your posts and browsed some of your photos and I was calm and chilled once again!
ReplyDeleteVicki
Best way to keep that blood pressure down is move out here. Say perhaps to a tranquil valley in Southern Rhodes!
DeleteThat is the aim!!
DeleteVicki
Well said John please everyone tell the world about this wonderful island. From Gill in Pylona
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteWhen we got our travel money recently (just back from two weeks in Santorini) the agent gave it us in 20's and 10's so I didn't think about it. Not that it made any difference, we just had a larger bundle of cash to stick in the safe.
ReplyDeleteA bar owner said the press only talk about what happens in Athens, he was happy with life and said his takings were up on last year.
Good luck to them and I don't care what the currency is, the country is what counts to me and my family and we will be back again next year to try another island.
Good comment. In fact many of the islands make good income from tourism. The only problem is, the taxes all go to central government. In the post called "Paved With Gold" which I wrote last November, there was a local guy who felt that if Rhodes (and by extension, many of the other islands) were independently governed, the streets would indeed be figuratively paved with gold.
DeleteI think what Simon Calder was getting at was this - IF, IF Greece was to exit the Euro there would obviously be a delay before a new Drachma could be introduced. So, the Greek banks may start by overstamping Euro notes to "convert" them to Drachma as a temporary measure. As the Drachma is likely to devalue quite quickly this could create a scenario where, if you paid for a small value item with a €50 note and got "G-Euros" in your change then your change would be worth less than it should.
ReplyDeleteAs for the kebab comment made by Paxo, I can think of far better words than "nincompoop"!!
Keep up the good work John. Roll on Sunday 24th when I will return to Greek soil for a couple of weeks, then back to Rhodes en-route to Tilos end September
Jenny Booth
Yea, well it's all highly speculative and needlessly panic-inducing isn't it.
Delete"Paxo" eh? Hmm, needs stuffing don't you think?
Quite!
Delete.... as regards both issues.
Jenny
A great post as always John - love reading your blog. I love the Greek islands and now that I'm retired I save all year to spend a few weeks out in Kefalonia each summer. I also travel to other islands too and love Rhodes. Recently I've been trying to tell folk over here in the UK exactly what you have just said - that the islands are still fantastic places to visit, you'll get a warm welcome, the sun is still shining - and for saying it I got attacked on a forum by an English named girl who apparently lives full time in Kefalonia. She went to great pains to tell me, nastily, that the locals hate the tourists, we should hear what they say about us behind our backs when we've gone, and that the place is corrupt. I was very taken-aback! Now, I'm not stupid enough to think that every smiling face is real (no more than they are in the UK or anywhere in the world) and yes, of course the locals want money from the tourists, that's the way the world works, but in all honesty I have experienced nothing but kindness and good humour from the people in every Greek island I have visited. I've even been invited for a meal at my favourite taxi driver's family home quite often. Corrupt? Well, I think we all know how things work in Greece and that certain things are done "slightly differently" to the UK. But are they? Or are the Greeks just more open about it?! Our UK governments and councils aren't exactly whiter than white. Human beings are not perfect and I wasn't saying that Kefalonia is some sort of Garden of Eden idyll. So I will not let this woman's rude and uncalled for remarks spoil what I know is going to be another lovely trip to Greece - only 2 weeks to go now! I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteKeep up with the blog, it's really a great read, and I have really enjoyed your books on my Kindle too.
I have met such people here too Caroline. I rather think that their point of view says more about them that it does the Greeks. Over almost 40 years I have had far too many experiences as you have, which demonstrate the hospitality and warmth of the people here. Of course, I'm not blind to the "warts'n'all", but that doesn't stop me wholeheartedly agreeing with you and still loving the Greek psyche.
DeletePeople who only see the negative are sad people and often deprive themselves of warmth and hospitality through the vibes which they themselves give off, which are read by those around them all too clearly. I only wonder why such people don't just clear off back to the UK if they're so down on the Greeks.
Very well put John! Absolutely agree with you. I do wonder if this particular person was indeed one of those people who moves to a country but then looks down on the local people and doesn't even try to integrate or understand a new culture. I've always found that if you are polite, friendly and smiling, laugh at your own mistakes to try out the Greek language, then that's exactly what you get in return 99% of the time - friendliness and laughter. A simple "kalimera" and a smile goes a long way. I am a visitor to their country after all.
ReplyDeleteAh well, that's my rant over for the day! Now where did I put my suitcase? Time to sort out the holiday clothes!
Have a good one, I'm sure you will. Καλό ταξίδι και καλÎÏ‚ διακοπÎÏ‚!
DeleteSimon Calder now seems to be putting the record straight.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/simon-calder-cheap-but-cheerful-or-a-summer-of-discontent-for-tourists-in-greece-7888755.html
(Is that what a link is meant to look like?)
Vicki
Thanks Vicki, just left my own comment on that article and flagged it up on facebook too.
DeleteNot so doddery I can't be useful dear!
ReplyDeleteVicki
Well said John, couldn't agree more!
ReplyDelete