Had a well deserved lay in this morning. Up and about around nine fifteen. The only plans we had in mind for today was the beach. We breakfasted on scotch broth! I had opened the can by mistake the previous evening so it had to be eaten, regardless of when.
We’re running out of drachmas which means the bank will have to come before the beach. Up to now, I’m conserving my money quite well.
I let Allan do all the big city driving as he is more used to it than I. We found the bank without much trouble, and restocked with the filthiest money I have ever seen. But when you think, dirty money? – no such thing! It all took a little longer than we had thought however… We finally arrived back at the beach at a quarter past twelve. – It was so wonderfully warm, at least to our cold, sun-starved northern bodies! Unable to lie still for more than half an hour, I went for a swim – hardly able to believe that it is November.
Satisfied and refreshed, I was able to lie down and sunbathe in perfect relaxation.
The sun begins to lose its heat at around three o’clock so I suggested we go for a drive down to Cape Sounion, the southernmost tip of the Greek mainland where there are ruins of a temple to the god of the sea – Poseidon, Neptune to the Romans. It was further than we thought – about thirty-five miles. But being such a pleasant afternoon we carried on.
A roadside café attracted our attention, and prompted our appetites. In we went… The owner, a short, fat, greasy man said he would do us steak, chips, tomatoes, bread and a pint of beer for about 9/6d.(75¢). That sounded reasonable enough so we went out on to the veranda dining area, perched above the road to await our meal. The jukebox was playing Bill Haley’s “Two Hound Dogs” and other antiquated records which we found quite amusing.
The meal arrived. It looked picture perfect. We toasted each other in beer, and attacked the steak. But it hit back hard – it was rotten! This was too much. We are fed up of people trying to fleece us everywhere we go, charging – or trying to – exorbitant prices.
I jumped up, and strode determinedly back into the café to complain. The owner was reading a newspaper, and didn’t notice me. He jumped like a shot rabbit when I touched his shoulder.
I beckoned him to follow, and he trotted out after me. A few words of angry French and obvious gesticulations were enough to show him what we thought of his meat. Although he tried to pretend it was all right, we sent him packing to go and get some more. He returned with a couple of pieces for our inspection. Allan nodded his assent. But I refuse. I still have painful memories of three days spent in hospital with food poisoning some years before. I contented myself with the chips and tomatoes.
Allan made his second assault on the steak, but soon gave up, saying it was no better than the first. He threw it to three hungry-looking cats who were hovering near the table.
Eagerly, they flew at it, but soon backed away after a few cursory sniffs. It was too bad even for them! The beer was OK though!
We went in to pay, and found only six drachmas had been subtracted from the bill. This, after he had stated that each steak cost nineteen drachmas! This made us even madder. I took the bill and wrote down 38 ÷ 2 = 19, and an arrow pointing to the meat, meaning of course that that was the amount I wanted taking off the bill, the remainder was all we were going to pay. He was nearly crying, saying that the second steak was twice as big as the first – and good! I waved a finger under his nose and told him to get on with; altering the bill, which he finally did so in the face of insurmountable odds! We had won the day! We intend to report him to the tourist board tomorrow. We vowed that never again would we pay without question.
This country is beginning to pall on us. Apart from the history, it does not have much to offer. The climate is fine but the land is drab and mountainous, and the coastal scenery is no match for Jersey. Nevertheless, I would like to come again just to take another look at the Acropolis.
We arrived at Cape Sounion just before sundown. The impressive columns of the temple in the sunset made for beautiful photographs I hope!
Another example of the pervasive cheating was to be found at a trinket shop on the cape. The prices were almost twice those we found in a little shop yesterday. Where is it all going to end? Don’t they realise what they are doing to her country’s reputation? We were led to believe that Greece is cheap, and fair-minded – rubbish! But I think we are learning.
Back in camp. Tonight, we are going out for a look around, so wait for further adventures from the… intrepid tourists in a few hours time! Later, adventures??
First, we went into Athens to try and find a night spot which had been recommended to us. But we couldn’t. Not knowing Athens we decided to make for the port of Piraeus, also thinking it might be cheaper there. What a disillusionment we were in for. Sat. The very first bar we went into had the nerve to charge 10 Dr.(2/6d. or 20¢) for a bottle of beer smaller than the ones we usually get for 7 Dr. To add insult to injury the barmaid tried to palm us off with half an American dollar, saying it was worth 30 Dr. when in reality it was only worth 15 Drachmas. I refused to take it, insisting on either English or Greek money. I got Greek! We noticed that some of the local drinkers were beginning to eye us in an unfriendly manner. We left that place in a hurry.
Solely to compare prices – and that’s the truth – we went into another bar. While Allan was ordering the beers, a horrible-looking harpy, half drunk, tried to get me to dance. I felt sick. To cap it all, the beers were also 10 Dr. each. So, to the accompaniment of what sounded like naughty words in Greek we walked out, leaving the opened bottles on the bar. I thought we were going to cause a riot.
That was enough of Piraeus for us.
Then we couldn’t find the car! We walked and walked. Past the beautiful cruise ships – “Caronia” was in port – through unknown streets. Again, German came in useful. Our saving grace came in the form of a Piraean who spoke the language, pointed us in the right direction, and we found the Fiat. On our way to the car I bought a threepenny bar of nut chocolate for sixpence. There were no nuts in the thing! This was the last straw. We got out of the town as fast as the car would carry us.
We are growing more and more bitter at the widespread dishonesty among the Greeks – certainly not a credit to their venerable ancestors. Much more of it and I shall be glad to get out of Greece. Athens itself does not appear too bad, one has to be careful. The country towns seem as yet unspoiled but the rottenness seems to be spreading. Certainly the authorities will have to do something soon or heaven knows where it will all end up.
Whilst in Piraeus I managed to get a copy of today’s “Daily Mail”. I find that in the nine days during which we have been cut off from the news that the Russians are still banging their firecrackers, and so are the Yanks! Fighting still continues in the Congo. Poor old Joe Stalin has been removed from his place beside Lenin, and buried in the Kremlin wall. What is the world coming to? A not too happy goodnight.
