#DO I REGRET NOT GOING TO A CHEAPER GREEK ISLAND

[sunlightandsuffering]

HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN TO MYKONOS?? I need reccomendations that are not going to absolutely gouge the shit out of my wallet but idk if that's possible at this point 🥹🤨

[alatismeni-theitsa]

Tips for not ruining your trip to Greece

Coronavirus and Medical care

First of all, if you can, it’s better to postpone your trip to Greece for another year. (For the year 2021). Sorry to start my post like this but let me explain. It’s likely you have another corona variant than the locals and if you infect them, their vaccination will be for nothing and they will have to pass more months of a super strict, borderline fascist lockdown. Also... you might be infected with another variant. If you MUST come, please wear a mask at all times and keep distances! (The same goes for Greeks who want to visit other countries).

Tourism is great but too many tourists will get the country back to square one pandemic-wise. If our healthcare system gets overloaded, a tourist won’t get sufficient healthcare either if something happens to them! I mean, our healthcare system is still overloaded due to corona patients so... I don’t know if it’s a good move to come here right now. In case of emergency, I am not sure if you will receive fast or proper care.

Generally, it’s good to know some stuff in Greek about your condition because half of Greece doesn’t speak English. Doctors are likely to understand the condition in English (because most of English health words come from Greece) but I’d say be prepared for good measure. Write your allergens and conditions in Greek on a paper in your wallet and hand it to someone if you need them to know. Learn important words such as “medicine“, “sick“, “It hurts” etc. (or have them written down somewhere. The important thing is that you can say them or show them to Greeks).

You can ask me if you can’t find the translation of some phrases and don’t how you pronounce them. Avoid the Erasmian pronunciation. It was made so foreigners can learn Greek easier, but it sounds alien to Greeks and it’s not likely it’ll help you.

Protection from the elements

I don’t understand how half the globe thinks we are a tropical place or a dessert and then they don’t prepare at all for a tropical place or a dessert when they come here in Summer xD At least being over-prepared would help! So...

Don’t come in Summer??? Yes, I know, it sounds stupid but you really don’t have to come in the peak of tourist season. Coming early May, June, September and October (where the sea is still warm) will get you a good tourist experience with less crowds and heat. If you are disabled and/or easily overwhelmed, avoiding the peak season will probably do you good. You can come any month really. We have different places for different seasons. All it takes is five minutes of googling.

If you come from a less sunny place (no matter your skin color) make sure to always wear more sunscreen than usual!! If the sun is up, always wear sunscreen when going outside - don’t forget your face and nape!!

Avoid going out at 12:00-16:00 and don’t stay under the sun too long! If you catch yourself being outside the hours 12:00-16:00 GET INSIDE no matter how alluring the sea or the pool looks. A sunstroke can rob you of 2-3 days of fun and waste your money. 

If you are light skinned, red skin indicates your skin is hurt. (You’d be surprised to learn how many people don’t get it). Cover the red part and don’t continue going out in the sun for long. The rest of your skin is going to become red and peel soon if you don’t take care. If you are out, have the red part very well covered! Moisturizing creams help red skin a lot.

Wear a hat, it only helps! (it can make a small difference when it comes to sunstroke) Also, it’s better to *cover* your skin to protect it from intense sunlight! (no matter your skin color) Don’t be fooled by the heat and start going around in your swimwear for hours!

Swimming doesn’t protect you from the sun! The water reflects the sunlight and you can get even more damage! (Usually people have half of the body out of the water and that’s where the light hits).

When the light starts getting quite low prepare for mosquitos. Mosquito repellent sprays, creams and candles, as well as mosquito nets on the doors and windows, are your friends! Avoid getting near to bodies of sweet water.

Drink lots of water frequently! Take many bottles with you in a bag, I am not joking. Observe your urine to see if it’s darker than usual - if it is, then you need to hydrate more, no matter what you feel you are doing. Don’t drink *frozen* water (just mildly cold, “δροσερό”). Frozen water is not as refreshing and helpful as you think. It can also hurt your neck and lungs if they get exposed to frozen water constantly and make them irritated and swollen. (Lungs get cold because of the water going down near them. It’s rare, but it happens)

Make sure your alcoholic drinks are safe! Ask the locals if any place is notorious for serving adulterated alcoholic drinks and better avoid getting cheap alcohol from the kiosk (unless the kiosk has a stock of a reasonably priced sealed bottles of a certain brand you trust. But then again... still be hesitant).

For your wallet health

Do all the above to avoid sunstrokes and dehydration or say goodbye to your free days and money :P

Exchange homes with a Greek for a month. There are some programs which do that. If you are that type of person, this solution might work for you. You even can stay with your Greek friends for some days, if that’s possible for them.

You don’t have to go to an island. We have plenty of places that are just as gorgeous and more merciful to your wallet. If you want to go to an island, there are some cheaper ones. And, even though each island has a unique history, lots of islands have similar environment and aesthetics.

Avoid tourist traps (trust me, you’ll be attracted to them, even Greeks get attracted there and then regret it :p)  and search the area for other restaurants before sitting somewhere. For cheap but qualitative food use the supermarkets, your local bakery and cooked meal restaurants. (Try ordering from sites like efood.gr and deliveras.gr)

For souvenirs spend money on something that you can’t get in your country. Don’t get a cactus souvenir on a plain pot and say “I got that from Greece” because it won’t show and nobody will care xD Buy something more... obvious. (Ok I don’t mean you have to buy a shirt that says “GREECE”, something more subtle, if you like :p)

You can probably find the same souvenir for cheaper in another less popular tourist area (or even in the shop ten meters down the road!).

[fairsharequotes]

New Zealand, Parliamentary Debates, 1903

Page 217: When Parliament decides upon a certain policy it is our duty to see that our constituents receive their fair share of the results. Let me given illustration. The Premier stated — I think, at Auckland — that it would be part of the policy of the Government to construct an armory and make our own rifles, so that we might be prepared to meet the foe, and so on. If such a proposal is made I shall vote against it; but if it is carried against my vote and wish, and if the Government insists upon carrying it out in spite of anything I can do, then I have a perfect right to demand for my constituents that they shall have a fair share of those rifles, a fair share of the expenditure, in proportion to their contribution to the revenue. Whilst I am opposed to borrowing as much as anyone in this House, still, if the Government insist on borrowing, I think my constituents, or at least my province, should have a fair proportion of the money borrowed. The Hon. Sir J.G. Ward.—So as to increase the amount of borrowing? Mr. Lewis.—Oh, no. The Hon. Sir J.G. Ward.—That is what it does. Mr. Lewis.—It does not. I take this view: The Government want to borrow, say £2 million. If they succeed in borrowing £2 million, i have a right to say, to £100,000; but if they only succeed in borrowing £1 million, then I only have a right to £50,000 — or whatever the proportion may be. After the Government have borrowed the money I have a right to demand a portion of it, to which my constituency or province is entitled, having regard to its contributions to the revenue and the amount of interest it has to pay. An Hon. Member.—You have had more than your share in Canterbury long ago. Mr. Lewis.—Well, I do not know so much about that. I think, if the honorable gentleman will take out some figures dealign with our contributions to the revenue and the trade of the colony, he will find that we still have a pretty considerable margin in our favor. I do not come here asking the Government to borrow money on behalf of Canterbury; but when the do so — if they do so against my wishes, then I should not be ashamed to ask for some fair share of the money we have to pay for. Page 243: I have heard some of our northern members condemning very much the great waste of expenditure on this line. Well, Sir, I do not look upon it as a part of my duty to find fault with the way in which the southern members expend their money on railways, or anything else. All that concerns me is that we get a fair share of the money for the North Island, and that we see that that money is properly and judiciously expended. I think that, as far as I see of the southern men, they are sufficiently intelligent to know what i the best thing for themselves, and if they do not act wisely and judiciously in the construction of their railways, that is their fault and not ours, and therefore I do not feel it my duty to find fault with the southern members in that direction at all. What I claim is that we have a right to demand a fair share of the expenditure in the North Island, and see that that money is properly expended there. Page 246: We also complain that we do not get fair representation. I believe we are entitled to another member. Our population is about 9,000 more than the South, and yet we did not get the other member that we should have got. In regard to our representation in the Executive, I say that we have not the representation there that we are entitled to. My memory is not good for names, dates or isolated facts, but I believe it was the Hon. Mr. Seddon who said, “You have the Hon. Mr. Ward and myself as representatives, because we are living in Wellington.” but the North Island members are not to be warded off in this matter any longer. They only ask for a fair share of representation and a fair share of the public expenditure, and they are honestly entitled to both claims; and if they got them it will very largely modify their feelings of opposition to the present Government. …… They are opening up more land in the North than they used to. Formerly the were spending their money in the purchase of large estates in the South. I have nothing to say against that; but what we complain of is that we in the North do not get our fair share of expenditure in that direction. When we find money going down South to buy large estates in order to keep population in that part of the country, without giving us our fair share in the North, we have a right to speak out and complain on the subject; and I hope the Government will continue to open up our lands, and also road them, and give the settlers proper facilities for getting on to their holdings, and also getting off them again. The lands of the Assets Realization Board were available in the North, and they soul have been utilized without the expenditure of any such large sums of money as have been spent in the South. But we believe that the sympathies of the Government were too much center din the south. It is natural that we should to some extent lose confidence in a Government that is devoting too much attention to the southern parts of the colony, and not sufficiently regarding the interests of the North, where we have good lands, and where we have as much need of railways and roads as any other part of the country. I do not speak with any ill will towards the people of the South. they are entitled, I suppose, to get all they can; but I think the Auckland members have been somewhat to blame for allowing the southern districts to get so much of their own way in this matter. In any case, we have not had that fair share to which we have been entitled. At the present time, I understand, the south has had a million and a half of money that belongs to us. Page 254: We have heard of another screw being suggested in the graduated land tax, but the honorable gentleman, with a sense of equity which seems to be characteristic of him, recognizes that those people who have been accumulating wreath in towns should have the graduate tax reach them. We have heard a great deal about the country, and we have been told by many that the country districts are not bearing their fair share of taxation. We are told that the colony is going to be round in order to make the people in the country districts bear their fair share of taxation. Why, the country people are now paying more than their fair and equitable share of taxation, and it is the raising of such a cry that generates differences between town and country. Page 363: When this Electoral Bill comes down, I look to the honorable member for Franklin and other members on the other side of the House to support me in that liberal proposal. I now want to say a few words with regard to the gentlemen on the Ministerial benches. We were told yesterday by Sir Joseph Ward that he did not make gifts to the Greeks. WE on this side of the House are continually complaining that sums are voted for works in our districts, but are not expended. But in Opposition electorates what do you find? Not only that sums are voted, and large sums, but they are expended. How does that come about? I will read an extract from a speech delivered by a member sitting on the benches opposite. He says:—“It had been said that districts represented by Opposition members could not get a fair share of the money, but, if they did not get all, they got a lot of it, in order that their mouths might be kept shut.” I charge the Premier with bribing the members of the Opposition in order to keep their mouths shut. Will he deny that? That is an extract from the speech of an Auckland member, as recorded in the Auckland ‘Herald.’ Hon. members.—Name. Mr. A.L.D. Fraser.—Mr. Bollard. Let me here say that the Premier can get me much cheaper than that. It appears to me that the Opposition, notwithstanding their complaints, get their fair share of the expenditure. Mr. Bollard: You do not read it correctly. Mr. A.L.D. Fraser.—I have read the extract word for word. I referred a few moments ago to a speech delivered in this House which gave me really very great disappointment. I may say that I have always had the highest respect for the honorable gentleman from reading his speeches and hearing of the position he held on the Opposition benches, and I thought he would be a credit to Parliament. But as a young member I was grievously disappointed. the member for Wellington City devoted a whole hour to personal denunciation of the Premier. His attack was unpleasant to my ears and unpleasant to the ears of many others of a younger school. I regret it rom an Opposition point of view; it has weakened the Opposition in public opinion — there is no question about that. That honorable gentleman took liberties with facts, and coquetted with actualities that can only be accounted for by his reasoning being obscured by hysteria or fanaticism. He reminded me of one who had made such a sinner of his memory that he credited his own lies.

[grgop]

Budapest: The grand tour (part 1)

Alright, here comes part 1 and the most active day so far. I hope you will like it, at least the photos. I'm going to describe the places I visited with my friend (and many thanks again for guiding me and being an awesome host), what to see, where to eat and have a good time there.

First things first - the hairdresser

Okay, this sounds probably strange but I was postponing going to the hairdresser in Vienna until I came to Budapest. The reason is that it costs simply normal in Budapest (for the men with washing it's € 6 which is the same like in Croatia). I didn't want to pay 12-15 Euros in Vienna for the same thing nor I had time to wait until Zagreb two weeks later. And hey - it sounds much more interesting to do it somewhere else. My first 'foreign' haircut. Luckily for me, the Hairdresser saloon was right close to me so I didn't have to walk a lot. The name of the place is Bio Hair Hajvágószalon and it's in Mester u. 1, 109. It's a big place and I didn't have to wait too long. My friend went with me there since she spoke a bit Hungarian and they didn't speak English (or didn't want maybe? ) just to make sure everything's fine. Then I survived on my own. The woman that was about to cut my hair didn't speak English apparently but we somehow managed to understand each other and I was happy that I was not bald in the end. And then she put so much gel that I looked like Istvan Varga.

Now back to the apartment. We all woke up around 10h so it was already 11h when I came back, had some breakfast and then packed the stuff to go! I put my analog camera, a few chocolates and the USE-IT map in the backpack. Ready to go!

Along the Danube to the Central Market Hall

Our first thing on the list to do was to go to the Petofi bridge nearby and then head to the north along the Danube. Now the things were starting to get more interesting since we were moving slowly to the center and you could enjoy the walk, especially when reaching the second bridge (The Liberty Bridge). We passed through the Nehru part and stopped by the Shopping Center Balna Budapest which has an interesting architecture (maybe not fitting into the surroundings of old residential quarter but still... ). There we stopped to see what's on the other side of the river.

On the other side there you could see the huge theater building, old architecture. And I may add quickly a few differences with Vienna. As you will soon see Budapest is unlike Vienna directly on the Danube river. And the river in Budapest is very broad - around 340 m between the two sides. In Vienna the situation is though a bit different where the river splits into two main and third part that goes through almost throw the center, and between the first two main splits there is an island and another one much much bigger where people also live and it's kind of modern Business center with skyscrapers. Here in Budapest it's different. On the left side of the river bank (to the west) there was the city of Buda and on the right was Pest, now together they make Budapest.

On the right to the Theater and the Liberty bridge there was a hill called Gellert. We'll be climbing on it where you'll get the panoramic view of the Budapest. But first you have to survive my text by that part.; -) We continued forward and came to the Corvinus MBA Center (Uni) and the famous City Market Hall. Now if you like the old stuff, especially the architecture that makes you feel like being in a Sherlock Holmes movie with the cityscape from the 19th or the beginning of the 20th century - there you are. You're gonna love it. And why I enjoyed walking around Budapest. Old brownish, reddish bricks and the style. This Corvinus school is apparently one of the best world's business school. My friend recommended me to enter the market hall. And good we didn't miss it.

Now this is huge. There are hundreds of people, you can smell meat, cheese, spice and other things we like to find in the kitchen. And there is also a marketplace but mostly with souvenirs, clothing and non-food products available. After passing through the waves of people on the ground level we climbed up the stairs and got into another mass of tourists. What I found funny and a bit strange was that the Hungarians were selling lots of souvenirs related to the Soviet Union; the Russian busby, hammer and sickle, cool old goggles for the motorcycle, helmets and so on. Why strange? You probably know from the history that the Soviet Army occupied Hungary after the World War 2 for practically 45 until 1990s... and there was the Hungarian Revolution (Uprising) in 1956 with a few thousand people killed and wounded. Back to our story. I found something nice that got my attention and bought it for a few euros. It's the cardboard or metal plate with some retro graphics on it. The one I bought is already being put on the wall in Zagreb. If you also love trashy things you can find here something for sure! I must admit it was a break and relaxation for my brain to look at all the stuff there, lots of Kitsch but pleasure to watch.

After the souvenirs we came back downstairs and bought some food. I already mentioned that Hungary and Budapest are ideal if you want to enjoy life for smaller amount of money, much more affordable. I have to say that the food was even cheaper than in Croatia (encountered that only in Serbia before) so I couldn't miss the chance to buy some kilograms of anything for half a euro... while back in Vienna it's more than euro. When you think about it, it's more affordable to go by bus to Budapest (or Bratislava? ) to the hairdresser and buy all the things on the marketplace, you're probably still in the plus with your finance and had an opportunity to travel.

Our next destination was the Gellert hill where we could have a panoramic view and then see what next. Leaving this huge and long market hall on the street that led to the bridge. Around us were again some old tall buildings that reminded me of some films. And the yellow taxis everywhere. Time go to to the other side of Danube!

Over the Liberty Bridge to the Gellert Hill

I think it was already around the noon when we came there. To our left was the old Uni Corvinus building and now the old bridge. It had on its both sides a two meter or more broad pedestrian and cyclists' road. And the bridge was full green, the metal, so there's this wonderful movie feeling again! Right in front of us on the other side you could see the Gellert hill and the citadel on the top covered by the forest. There was also some kind of fortification down the hill.

On our right now was the beautiful view towards the next bridge and with the city in the background. We stopped there to take lots of photos and also jumped on the bridge and some guys copied us. The bridge is also about 360m long.

Once on the other side we passed by the Gellert Thermal Baths and found the path that leads to the top

Gellert Hill, the Citadel and the panoramic view over Budapest

Time to climb up the road. There were several of them, we just followed the others and hoped they know they way. Once we lead the others into the wrong direction. Still no regrets. And every here and there you had a nice view over Pest (the eastern part of Budapest) so we used the opportunity to take some photos again. And of course, after climbing for few minutes we already felt exhausted, too much exercise man! Then found one nice stop before the citadel, now high above the ground and you could see far behind the city, as far as the fog or the clouds allowed you too. Check the pictures. Few more minutes and we were at the citadel. Which was pretty big and long. There were of course lots of people; tourists, the locals and the runners. And the giant statue representing the Liberty. We walked forth to see what's on the other side but not much except for stands/markets where you could buy toys or something to eat and drink. Again there was another view over the city, this time also much of the western part was visible. To the north was the castle we planned to visit, on the other side there were two bridges, the Parliament house relatively far away, the huge Ferris wheel I saw yesterday and now our home seemed a bit far away but still part of the 'center' and the river.

Our next destination was the castle of Buda. We found a zig-zag road that led us to the next bridge and then along the river into direction of the castle.

The castle of Buda

This castle is also a pretty big thing and looks awesome during the night. But we came there around 1pm I think. The first thing I noticed and my friend made me pay attention was that the garden was renovated, as well as some other parts of the complex. The entrance into the garden looks a bit like of some Greek temple. And it must be a popular destination for the young couples to have a wedding, since we were just mocking one that was there (okay, it was me buahaha).

After a few minutes of being a bit lost we found the way to the entrance and the main yard in front of the castle and around it. There were again lots of people and it had a nice view over Pest including the Parliament and other things. There was also a show by the soldiers, but that's the classic thing you see in every city with two guys having fun with the guns and jumping around to amuse the crowds. And a bit of fun fact about the castle: it was the Royal castle of the Hungarian kings first completed back at the beginning of the 13th century, almost 800 years old. Now it's a museum and there are lots of exhibitions within. Unfortunately wasn't free or affordable for us so we headed forward.

Matthias Church, Fisherman's Bastion and back over the river

We headed pass some labyrinth and streets to Szentháromság square where was this Matthias Church located. We didn't enter it nor I know much about it nor we cared haha, I just didn't find anything else to make a title for this part. Next to the church was a small park with a man dressed in the Hungarian historic clothing with the feather on the hat playing an instrument similar to pipes (only the sound). Behind the church to the south was St. Stephen's statue and also an opportunity (that we skipped) to go on some walls and have a cool view. But we had it few meter away. This was related to Fisherman's Bastion. The Parliament was now almost straight in front of us. And I forgot to mention there was a funicular at the Buda castle but we didn't use it (the same exists in Zagreb). We decided to go back on the other side of the river and make a lunch break.

On our way to the road down the hill we gave some money to the guy playing in the parkand again I enjoy a bit seeing the old abandoned buildings, maybe the brick factories... although it probably looks creepy during the night, especially if you would have to enter it... alone.

We came to the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, again an old one (the bridge between Buda Castle and the Citadel was rebuilt completely after being destroyed in the war). At the beginning of the bridge there were big lion statutes since lions are one of the symbols of Hungary. It was now maybe around 2pm or half past 2. We took some photos and headed to eat some food first. Right at the end of the bridge was Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest and to the left Hungarian Academy of Science.

Enjoying the delicious food at the Baotiful bar and restaurant

Since we were now starving and it was lunch time my friend recommended to go to Baotiful restaurant which was on the half of our way to the Parliament.

If you don't know that it exists you might miss it (like I did! ) since it's "blended" into the street. And it's an Asian street fast food restaurant. You have to open the huge doors of something that at first looked like abandonded factory. And it was something in the past. Now the next are the curtains and when you go through them you're in the relatively big or medium size space with cool chairs and table and two guys who are cooking and serving you. The menus are in Hungarian only if I remember. We ordered something that looked like a very good (but maybe smaller) spicy sandwich which in combination with Sriracha ketchup was just like heaven! I know I wanted to eat more but had to save money for other things. I don't remember the name of it but I remember it tasted like paradise.

So yeah, I recommend you to go there, it's a cool cosy place and they offer wonderful food. And maybe try this special sandwich which name I don't know.

Time to go to the Parliament.

[paradiseisfound-blog1]

Arriving in Crete was like forcefully entering parenthood, but without children, just accompanied by a one-hundred and twenty pound demon lacking proper brain waves and exhaust burns to the ego. Regardless of the spectacle, we were there. Zeus blessed us as he blew cold winds through our fingers. In the early morning, we exited the ferry to a truck taxi. The windshield wipers moved in time, while the driver’s warm, quaking laugh pleased our soul. The hum of the electric power lines doing overdrive energized my (Steve) spirit. I felt ready. Leigh stuck her head out of the window, taking in the island smells and rapidly blinking as she returned smiling that genuine smile I fell in love with.

Our first stop was Heraklion, the largest city on the island. The dawn smiled at us as the cab drove south. An average price of a hostel or budget hotel room is 10-25 EUR. We were there in the off-season (January-February), so it was even cheaper. Crete has beautiful beaches, excellent hiking, quaint little historic villages, delicious food and wine, and friendly, welcoming locals. The ancient wall is the highlight of the city, bar none. The fortifications eclipse the city with auburn streaks of venerable unbaked rocks settling in their byzantine remembrance.

Driving through the Greek countryside has an almost dust bowl justice to it; towns appear out of thin air and disappear just as quickly. The bus driver shared lurid narratives as the ticket attendant translated. The stories always had the notion of a hero and it reminded me of the author/poet Homer, like a modern depiction of his historic prose. There are certain premonitions one must carry when traveling: 1) it could happen and 2.) the caustic idea that a foreboding event will unfurl in some way. However, that’s just for safety precautions. Explore. Live. Just do it. Just go.

Heraklion can be quite congested. If you’re looking for the trip back to Venetian antiquity, while keeping your hand on a modern pulse, Chania is a great alternative. We departed Heraklion with no reservations or regrets; she showed us a good time, fed us, and walked us to the door.

Chania (sigh). Chania. Getting from Heraklion to Chania only took, roughly, two hours. Chania is the second largest city on Crete. Fascinating historical sights and numerous harbor cafes occupy the main square/city center. We rented a car to explore the countryside in greater detail. Honing in on the idiosyncrasies and what makes the island tick was our focal point. That is the way you truly find the “Texas of Greece” where shotgun blasts are fired to commemorate passing villagers and Himalayan-esque cliffs dipping seamlessly into turquoise water. Elafonissi Beach was a truly compelling part of the island, but beware, it gets outrageously crowded during the summer months (May-August). Driving in Greece can be chaotic, but extremely conducive to a wonderful experience. Goats and sheep abruptly cross the road as if wearing elaborate disguises. Years of learning composition and studying arithmetic is only one part of human living. This side of paradise will expose to you, as it did us, to a new vision of things–of life. Chania was our first, somewhat, extensive relaxing period and we relished every minute. We ate like pigs. We drank like kings. We walked tall like explorers. And we took in the gregarious culture, like fascinated visitors.