Actually I have meet tons of tourists during last days kenko and many of them were informed by panicked relatives back home about the political developments. Everything seemed normal to them and they haven't realise there might be an issue. I am not in denial, I report what I see, If you want to forsee disasers this is your right, but I report what I see with my own eyes. The only problems were some ATMs drained before be refilled again up to now. Are you here and experienced any panick???? All you do is saying with certainity "it will happen this, it will happen that" . All I say is we have to wait and see what happens. And I did not try to patronise anyone to come or not. I keep repeating it is a personal decision.
I feel we only do circles on this thread. It has become pretty boring for me, sorry.
My last post .
Bye!
Are you here and experienced any panick????
Nobody has claimed panic - you're reaching for hyperbole.
The issue for tourists is as I detailed them, and kenko did too - ambiance, magic, relaxation, and a very good feeling from all the tourism industry staff. Not interminable discussions about Greek politics blah, blah, blah ... now that IS boring for most tourists!
I agree that this thread is losing its way a little (and the other one has become a Greece v Turkey debate). Speculation has its place of course but it would be useful to have a thread that is purely on-the-ground reports of what's happening at the moment, in terms of cash, transport, if things start to close etc. I'll be in Ioannina tomorrow (I hope) and maybe I'll start the thread then, if I have anything to report. Meanwhile thank you to mariha and the others who are sharing their actual observations. There have been surprisingly few actual reports, and from both ends of the spectrum (business as usual vs 'you could fire a canon in Plaka').
Mariah, I hope you take your own advice and "read as many reports from as many sources as possible."
You might want to google up "Greek Financial Crisis," for starters.
BTW, three former Greek Prime Ministers are urging a "yes" vote on the referendum to be held July 6, and polls now show a 54-46 percent majority for "Yes"
BTW, three former Greek Prime Ministers are urging a "yes" vote ...
Hmm ... all very well ... but former prime ministers might need to shoulder a lot of the blame for the situation Greece is now in ... they are hardly innocent or disinterested bystanders!
Latest from the Telegraph, posted online 10 minutes ago:
'British holidaymakers in Greece will be unable to buy food or medicine within days if a deal is not reached to reopen the banks, the head of a leading business body has warned.
Constantine Michalos, president of Athens Chamber of Commerce, has warned that there could be “shortages on the shelves” by early next week and tourists could be left without “basics”.'
asgerdr: I take your point about on-the-ground reports and look forward to what you have to say - thanks in anticipation.
British holidaymakers in Greece will be unable to buy food ...
Will all the hotel dining rooms, restaurants, and street cafés be closed - or without food?
A Finnish woman just wrote from Thassos, Limenaria. Yesterday they tried to withdraw 80 euros from ATM, but got only 40. Today two ATMs did not give them money, the third one gave. But their banck account showed they had taken 2 times 100, though only got one. Any cards cannot be used for payments there. This is their last day in Greece and they are happy to get home though they did like Thassos a lot.
Limenaria looks fairly poor - must have its good side of course. But it is sounding grim for tourists.
British holidaymakers in Greece will be unable to buy food ...
Will all the hotel dining rooms, restaurants, and street cafés be closed - or without food?
That is more or less just what will happen if the banks can't re-open ianw. People don't seem to realize the affect closing the banks has and how FAST it will snowball. The referendum at this point is almost a mute point. Either way if the banks can't re-open the affects will continue to build.
I've tried to find a link to any article outlining what happens if all banks in a country close but without success. I have found though a link to an article outling what would happen if trucks stopped running. Many of the points and examples given of the results are just as applicable to a scenario in which all the banks in a country close I believe.
http://www.trucking.org/ATA%20Docs/What%20We%20Do/Image%20and%20Outreach%20Programs/When%20Trucks%20Stop%20America%20Stops.pdf
As I wrote before, there is little point in a tourist having cash if there is nothing to buy and no one to serve it to you. No meat imports, no meat on the menu; no money to pay staff, no waiter; no money to buy fuel for a fisherman's boat, no fish on the menu even if fuel was available.
Did you know that on many of the smaller islands, fresh water is brought in by tanker ship? What do you think will happen on the popular tourist destination island of Mykonos when the tanker doesn't arrive?
http://www.greek-islands-travel.co.uk/greek-lifestyle/greek-island-water-shortage-bills.html
If the banks don't re-open, it will only take a few weeks for all kinds of major problems to start happening. Not months, just days and weeks. The only cushion is what is 'on the shelves' to begin with. In the case of almost everything you can think of, that is measured in days and weeks.
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