Greece's economic and governmental issues as of late make my reflections on the country a bit difficult. The places we've visited are hundreds, if not thousands of years old -- existing well before the European Union was even a thought. They should be treated independently of the current crisis. That being said, a lot can be learned from just basic interactions with Greece's people and observing its daily rituals.
I contemplated writing this post after the elections on Jun. 17, but I suppose it makes no difference. First off, one has to separate what we saw with what we experienced.
There were three distinct parts of our trip -- Athens, the Islands, and the Mainland. Each has its own unique feel and ranks differently in my mind.
Athens, as one might expect, is a big city with all the perks and detriments that being a big city affords. Like many older European cities, its street layout is illogical and confusing, but many areas were pedestrian-only (except for the occasional scooter that would cut through). In terms of visitor friendliness, Greeks seemed generally welcoming except in terms of operating hours. Museums and other sites seemingly open and close at random . . . with the most ridiculous example being the Acropolis in Athens, which closed at 2:30 on a Saturday. Presumably this is to save the state some money in operating costs, but it also decreases the number of daily visitors. Such is the problem when politicians rather than economists are in control.
We then have the islands, which not surprisingly, were the most relaxing and enjoyable part of our trip for me. However, they were not entirely what I expected. Each island we visited seemed to have gale force winds. We technically visited during what is considered the "off-season," which continues until late June. From what I have read, the winds do not necessarily die down and are not uncommon. Partially because of the off-season and partially due to the unrest in the country, tourists were not that common of a sight. Of course, there were bus tours and cruise ships that would temporarily invade an area, but within hours they were gone. We never had to wait for a window seat at a restaurant or struggle to find a parking spot. This was nice for us, but probably not good for Greece's tourism industry.
I recently read an article that tourism revenues are expected to plummet this year due to the threat of civil unrest following the June elections. Europeans have changed their destinations to elsewhere. In hopes of luring tourists, Greek hotels have slashed prices - further contributing to the lack of income. Germans, in particular, are avoiding the country due to anti-German sentiment stemming from Germany's power in the E.U. and its involvement in Greece's financial woes.
If the islands were struggling with tourism, the mainland was really hurting. Home to such sites as the oracle of Delphi, the monasteries of Meteora, and the site of the ancient Olympics, the mainland is ripe for bus tours, but I can only think of a couple times where I had to wait for someone to get out of my shot before taking a picture. Hotels seemed to be letting out one room per night and streets of empty restaurants competed for the five people that were visiting the town. This was a scenario that would sometimes play itself out in Vietnam, but the difference being that Vietnam is communist. In a free-market economy, one cannot expect to stay in business by not having any business.
On top of that, restaurants have a habit of giving away food and drinks that weren't even ordered. I googled this practice, thinking it was some sort of cultural thing, but I could not find anything. Crete was the worst offender -- giving us fruit, dessert, and drinks in one sitting. They appear to do this for all their guests. So in the case of this one particular restaurant, roughly 15 people were dining at the same time as us. The restaurant could have saved probably 100 Euro in just the time we were sitting there. It makes one think that Greece's troubles are more-than-likely self-inflicted.
Our time with Spiros on the mainland was spent mostly in a taxi cab, but this proved enlightening. It gave him plenty of time to talk about the country and the government. When I was talking to him about flight training and explaining that there are many hoops to jump through, he commented that the U.S. always has a more practical solution to issues. I was somewhat taken aback by this - believing that the FAA and its regulations are doing their best to make my life miserable. But Spiros told us that the European governments are too much talk, and very little action. The same could be said of the U.S. congress, but evidently Greece is 10x worse. It seems that the Greek government is unnecessarily antagonistic . . . to itself. Not only that, but things I observed while driving around make me think that the situation may be worse than it appears.
When I was driving on Crete, I got a bit nervous when I first saw signs warning of speed cameras, but passed them going 120kph in a 90kph zone. However, the drivers around me were driving even faster. Apparently the gov't can't afford to turn the cameras on or operate them. Occasionally we would see a police car with its lights on just sitting on the side of the road without giving chase. According to Spiros, most of the police force can't afford to put gas in their cars. This is very puzzling. And in Athens, I witnessed the least intimidating squad car ever (shown here). Being a criminal could be a very profitable career move for Greeks right now. If I robbed a bank and saw a Smart in my rear-view mirror, I would have to chuckle to myself. I could outrun it in my Hyundai as if I was driving a Ferrari. One has to wonder if the government cuts were made in the right areas. Safety and protection should be a major concern especially in a state of rampant unemployment and unrest.
The country, which already has over 20% unemployment, also employs people to do pointless jobs. One example being the gas station attendant. Elsewhere in Europe, one pumps their own gas, but when you need someone else to do it for you, it means gas stations close in the evening when the attendants go home. The thought of a gas station closing is a very foreign concept to me. Furthermore, the thought that those that are employed are doing jobs that aren't even truly necessary is disturbing. Perhaps unemployment could really be over 30% if the fluff jobs were eliminated.
If Greece wants to fill those hotels, restaurants, and tourist spots, it cannot simply slash prices and distribute pretty posters of Santorini. People aren't going to go because they think Greece is irresponsible and on the verge of collapse. I hate to say it, but it is entirely plausible based on what I've seen. One cannot simply throw money at the situation and expect it to improve. The issues seem largely systemic, so Greece needs to make
massive reforms in order to right itself. Based on what Spiros thinks of the government's ability to handle a problem, they may have an answer in 8 years. This all points to a very delicate situation. I'm not sure the upcoming elections will push things one way or the other. Most likely, Greece will put itself in a situation where it cannot generate money to pay off its debts and the E.U. will insist on a schedule that Greece cannot meet. At worst, this could mean Greece gets kicked out of the Euro Zone. More realistically, the E.U. central bank will come to the rescue at the last minute, but as I said, this will only be a temporary fix.
So there you have it. Greece, a country heavily romanticized in movies, is struggling to portray itself as the "Mamma Mia"paradise that people once thought it to be. It really is a very pretty country with the islands, in particular, being very photogenic. But all of that means nothing if people don't feel comfortable visiting. I hate to think of myself as being one of the last tourists to visit Greece for some time. Let's hope it doesn't turn into Egypt, whose tourist industry is virtually nonexistent right now. Sorry for all the doom and gloom, but it is a very unfortunate situation right now for Greeks, for Europeans, and for travelers as a whole.
