Going back to Greece

Alan, thank you for finding, and sharing, the article. We’ve had two trips to a Greece in the previous two years, including time in the Peloponnese and the Mani Peninsula at Easter. It didn’t seem to have a lot of tourists then, but it sounds like things are so much less busy now.

Having the Greek government pay for your quarantine lodging, if necessary, would ease the process somewhat. A couple other things from the article that stood out, not related to Greece, but I believe a British English vs. American “English” contrast: having 2 seats between 3 made me think for a moment - did they have 5 seats? I believe they had 2 seats out of 3 n their row - possibly. Also, I had to think for a moment about the cans piled with “fruit veg.” Were they hauling vegetables, or fruit, or both? We’d say probably just say “produce,” unless it really was vegetables. But if abbreviations are endearing, why not “fru veg?”

Cyn

‘Two nations divided by a common language’ as George Bernard Shaw wrote.

The seats thing is just badly written, I think, and a sign that papers nowadays aren’t sub-edited. They mean three seats between two people.

‘Fruit and veg’ though is a really common British phrase. It hadn’t occurred to me it wasn’t used in the US.

We go to the Peloponnese quite often and I agree it can be quite quiet, especially out of season. We’ve never really been down into the Mani though. We got as far as Aeropolis a couple of years ago but found it a bit dour for our taste.

We had trips booked for March and for May - Athens and Andros respectively - and still have flights for September booked. We’re weighing up what to do, but the article makes it sound more possible.

Cheers
Alan

I agree that fruit and veg is very common usage (as in frequent not "common") in the UK. Generally indicates what a greengrocer sells. Also has a more "common" use as a descriptor of anatomy.

for people intersted in live Greek plays in an amphitheatre the live broadcast has started on youtube. The audiance are still coming in.

Look at this previous Greece Forum post about it: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/greece/live-stream-from-epidavros

yes, Nick, it is important to consider which paper

Thanks, Gents, for the clarifications. Where’s an ampersand when you need one? Or at least a slash, if one wanted to say “fruit/veg?”

So that brings up another question - and at the risk of sounding too common myself (although maybe that’s appropriate), how does fruit and veg relate to the anatomy? Perhaps some bloke describing a bar fight, where his opponent got kicked in the fruit and veg?

Back to the Greece geography, Alan, you mentioned venturing as far south as Aeropolis. That’s where we stayed for three days and two nights, venturing on day trips around the Mani. On Good Friday, a lone church bell started ringing early in the morning, a very somber mourning toll, which continued on through the day - dour, indeed! Although that probably reflects the church’s observance of the sad day, more than the atmosphere of the town.

We headed out after breakfast on an amazing drive, with the bell fading on the distance, winding up and down on innumerable switchbacks, following small roads along ridges with precipitous drops down to the sea. Villages we passed seemed to have no one there (Good Friday?) so we didn’t stop and mingle with any locals. Reaching one tiny spot, a couple of buildings on an incredibly beautiful crescent of golden sand at the coast, reached by a nerve-wracking decent from a high ridge, lit up by sun rays breaking through the overcast clouds, was an almost religious experience. Rick Steves’ guidebook describes the Mani like one of his special “Back Doors,” where few tourists go, and where the experience is special. That day was special, with just us and the isolated countryside, and seemingly empty settlements. Not a paradise for a regular holiday stay, but still, something fabulous to see while you’re that far south in the Peloponnese. Not doable without a rented car, though.

Alan, may your return to Greece be not too, too far off!

Cyn

I think our experience of Aeropolis may have been affected by there having been a funeral earlier in the day. There was also a tolling bell when we were there!

The rest of your day sounds brilliant though.

Cheers
Alan

Alan,

That article makes a trip to Greece sound very tempting. Unfortunately it would require two flights to get there and a total time of about 15 hours sitting inside a metal tube. As soon as my government relaxes their "avoid unnecessary travel" rule, I might consider it.

Hi,

I will be going to Greece in October and unlike my fellow Canadian posting here from Vernon BC, I understand the travel rules to be quite different. The EU has Canada under the yellow category-- we can visit the EU-different entrance requirements depending on the country. There are no restrictions by the Canadian government on Canadians travelling either domestically or internationally. I travelled domestically in Canada in June and will do again at the end of August.

Meeting the airline and immigration procedures in most countries is straight forward, though it changes (ie opening up more, less restrictions) and its best to monitor those procedures regularly. The only travel issue for us Canadians is the quarantine period coming back to Canada (oh and the US/Canada border is closed to car traffic-- you can still fly there). And add insult to injury, the Canadian government isn't providing the same travel privileges to EU citizens that the EU is providing to Canadians-- absolutely bizarre! LOTS of politics involved here ; )

"There are no restrictions by the Canadian government on Canadians travelling either domestically or internationally."

That's true but until the government changes the Avoid All Non-Essential Travel, I won't be able to get travel medical insurance for international trips (the company that I use for insurance has confirmed that). It's also necessary to get medical insurance for inter-provincial trips, but I haven't checked on that as I don't plan on venturing outside B.C. at the present time.

Ken, Ive discovered that Medipac does currently cover Covid-19 for Canadians while the Federal Government Level 3 (“avoid non-essential travel”) advisory is in place. At Level 4 (“avoid all travel”) they do not. Coverage doesn’t seem to be that expensive. Check their site.

EDIT: To be clear this is not Trip insurance (interruption, cancellation, etc), but medical insurance during the trip.

We just decided to re-create our cancelled 2020 trip and make it longer! I miss Greece so much!

Couldn't go on my annual October trip to Greece this year as EU won't allow Americans in, plus it was getting kind of "iffy" about going anyway.

I'm planning on 2021.

Let's hope there is a vaccine that's safe and effective so we can all get back to normal and return to Greece!