Davy_S
Well-Known Member
OK, apart from the mass hysteria you posted, do you think I will be ok to nip down to my local Taverna for my coffee with a view, or should I start digging my underground shelter now and forgo the coffee?
Greek sailing holiday - the financial risks
- Thread starter dylanwinter
- Start date
OK, apart from the mass hysteria you posted, do you think I will be ok to nip down to my local Taverna for my coffee with a view, or should I start digging my underground shelter now and forgo the coffee?
pteron
Well-Known Member
What's the weather like in the Ionian at the moment? We're thinking of a week supporting the sailing and drinking establishments in the near future.
Portofino
Well-Known Member
This is boaty forum, I was responding to the original OP , but that was Feb this year.
Saw news a few mins ago , re G8 our three european reps Cameron , Hollande, and Merkel, -- complete diff now "cold" view on the € crisis in Greece .
Mrs M let slip earlier this week that on June 19 th next election, stick another box on the ballot paper asking if they want to return the Drachma , exit the € ?
Reason -- so the Greeks have only themselves to blame for what I have described in the first post.
While you pop down for your coffee with the other s hopefully in a busy Taverna,with a fab view ,reflect for a moment the German labour force who have changed their working practices , increased hours ( to meet demand ) lower wages , now going in on a Sunday to manufacture goods to then export , resulting in positive growth in their economy , but greater taxation as the the German government " sends" € billions to Greece , to pay for YOUR - electricity , Pensions , police , coast guard ( nod to boats) .
I hope the local tax collectors are not drinking top much tonight , and return to to work, to dilligently go about calculating/ collecting all taxes/ dues properly and send to Athens , so that the Gemans can perhaps send less this week and perhaps give their workers a day off or a pay rise?
Mrs M and her workers have had enough!
Plan a passage out of Greece and keep a eye on the ATM,s
As I said return and live like a king later , all the beaches will be crowded covered in German towels in 2013? From German factory shut downs as new machinery is installed to meet the production demands
Saw news a few mins ago , re G8 our three european reps Cameron , Hollande, and Merkel, -- complete diff now "cold" view on the € crisis in Greece .
Mrs M let slip earlier this week that on June 19 th next election, stick another box on the ballot paper asking if they want to return the Drachma , exit the € ?
Reason -- so the Greeks have only themselves to blame for what I have described in the first post.
While you pop down for your coffee with the other s hopefully in a busy Taverna,with a fab view ,reflect for a moment the German labour force who have changed their working practices , increased hours ( to meet demand ) lower wages , now going in on a Sunday to manufacture goods to then export , resulting in positive growth in their economy , but greater taxation as the the German government " sends" € billions to Greece , to pay for YOUR - electricity , Pensions , police , coast guard ( nod to boats) .
I hope the local tax collectors are not drinking top much tonight , and return to to work, to dilligently go about calculating/ collecting all taxes/ dues properly and send to Athens , so that the Gemans can perhaps send less this week and perhaps give their workers a day off or a pay rise?
Mrs M and her workers have had enough!
Plan a passage out of Greece and keep a eye on the ATM,s
As I said return and live like a king later , all the beaches will be crowded covered in German towels in 2013? From German factory shut downs as new machinery is installed to meet the production demands
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Well-Known Member
The Facts: Germans work 1400 hours per year; S Koreans: 2080, Chileans: 2040; Greeks: 2012; British:1600 hours per year; productivity is a different story.
Greeks own £7 bn to German banks; £5 bn to British banks, £3.5 bn to USA and £38 bn to French Banks; however, the Germans make more noise than the French. The German economy in the last 10 years was built on exports to Greece, Spain and Portugal; they done very well out of these relatively small Euro economies.
The German Economy is too strong for the rest of Europe; if there is one country that may need to leave the Euro it should be Germany. However, if Germany goes back to the mark, it will never be able to export their goods to Euro-land at low cost as the mark would be far too expensive, making exports very expensive, resulting in a German collapse of economy.
The Germans will have to put up until others in Europe get back on their feet
Portofino
Well-Known Member
Problem Greek economy shrank around 13 % from 2008 to now, they have bought German exports then , but not now , eg Merc/ BMW sales fallen off a cliff now.
So there was " something" in it for Germany then , but not now. Youth unemployment ( under 25 ) 54% in Greece , ours is 22 % .
Think of the original 50 p 7 sides those countries will be fine and stay in there present currency , inc UK
Problem made worse by weak proposed government(s) attempting to win votes by anti austerity stance , means to lenders , cut your losses .
And Hollande stance , French want to cut Greece out ,( french are for france ) break that bond and Mrs M will stop sending €
ATM,s will dry up with € ,in Greece that your pulse , keep watching them.
The country will be better for the exit after the initial settling down.
Print money ,like before creat loads of public sector jobs, need a bigger tourist industry to meet demand, etc
So there was " something" in it for Germany then , but not now. Youth unemployment ( under 25 ) 54% in Greece , ours is 22 % .
Think of the original 50 p 7 sides those countries will be fine and stay in there present currency , inc UK
Problem made worse by weak proposed government(s) attempting to win votes by anti austerity stance , means to lenders , cut your losses .
And Hollande stance , French want to cut Greece out ,( french are for france ) break that bond and Mrs M will stop sending €
ATM,s will dry up with € ,in Greece that your pulse , keep watching them.
The country will be better for the exit after the initial settling down.
Print money ,like before creat loads of public sector jobs, need a bigger tourist industry to meet demand, etc
Portofino
Well-Known Member
I,ll finish --- go on "search " on this forum , or U Tube
" Nigel Farage speaks on Greece"
Sums it all up, and more .
" Nigel Farage speaks on Greece"
Sums it all up, and more .
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
Sounds a bit like England last summer . . .
Meanwile, outside Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras, everything goes on as normal.
Each extended family has a farm which produces meat and veg and dairy products; a taverna which processes some of it; a van which takes the rest to market or a lorry which collects it for export. If the family is on an island, or near the sea, it'll have a fisherman as well, and rooms to rent to visitors.
Yes, power cuts may become more frequent. Transport more expensive. Equipment breakdowns slower to repair. Back to the 90's in fact - when Greece had difficuty importing expensive (by their standards then) mechanical goods.
But Greece then was (and out of the cities, still is) a delightful place. Some foreigners were very critical of its infrastructure; other delighted in it's more simple and friendly way of life.
Yes, it's difficult for the "in crowd" - protected employees with early pension rights, the hundreds of professions with closed shops - to have to step back 20 years in their standard of living when the promises about their privileges made by vote seeking politicians suddenly turn to worms. They are, indeed, suffering very heavily. Teachers, a 50% pay cut . . . that is a horrific step back.
It is a pity that some who earned a lot for so long were able to buy their way out of taxation. Top level professionals whose income very rarely exceeded €7,000 per annum indeed! Have you met many lawyers, surgeons, accountants and doctors who earn so little? Of course, their big boats and swimming pools were gifts from heaven to compensate for such low income . . . weren't they?
Anyway, come hell or high water, the tourist industry will keep running. My Russian friends tell me the routines for obtaining visas are becoming much smoother . . . with luck one of them may buy my house!
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CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Well-Known Member
Well said. The Greeks will bounce back again within the Euro or Drachma, always have done in the past; and we will carry on sailing in one of the best sailing places. I also hope that someone buys my house too
Whiskey Bravo
Well-Known Member
Does anybody take that bufoon seriously? And no, I haven't searched for the link.
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
Ahhh. An Ostrich in our midst!
tedgorton
Active Member
just returned from 3 weeks sailing around the Ionian, everything normal, prices a little lower than usual, people just as friendly as ever. discovered some new coves where you get that "first morning of the world" feeling, nobeody but you and the birds and fish. amazed at the sensational/alarmist views of some, this is a macro-crisis and at the micro-level (where we all live and especially sail) it is invisible at present. who can say what the future holds (for any of us?)
3 cheers for the chap who's off to support the drinking and eating establishments. Greece is the best, the Ionian the very best. If I could move out there I wold do it tomorrow.
3 cheers for the chap who's off to support the drinking and eating establishments. Greece is the best, the Ionian the very best. If I could move out there I wold do it tomorrow.
chrishelen
N/A
My family have chartered a bareboat in September for a week for a sail around the Ionian,it is our first time bareboating, so we are looking forward to supporting the local economy big time.
blueglass
Well-Known Member
+1 also just come back from Ionian. Business as usual, friendly and relaxed as ever. From the visitor's standpoint absolutely nothing has changed, certainly around Corfu, Paxos area.
In the islands they would'nt know how to have a riot if they wanted one - far too laid back.
If the drachma is introduced tomorrow a pocketful of euros, GBP USD or any other hard currency would get you anything you want!
Maybe portofino should get out here and take one of the chill piills the locals have for breakfast every day.
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
Old thread but ....
Spent all of April in the Ionian then two weeks in late May and going for 2 weeks in July. Life goes on as usual! It may be a little less crowded than usual but that's about it.
Spent all of April in the Ionian then two weeks in late May and going for 2 weeks in July. Life goes on as usual! It may be a little less crowded than usual but that's about it.
macd
Well-Known Member
To get back to the original question, surprised that no-one has mentioned that if a charter holiday is paid by credit card, you're protected: under UK law your card issuer is totally liable to reimburse even if the charter outfit goes bust, the plane fails to materialise, or whatever.