Last Sunday saw me driving to Rethimno where I took a walk through the old town, before picking up my daughter from her basketball meet. There were a lot of tourists walking in the same places where I went. Here are some of my photos.
The tourist: Beautiful view!
Me: Where's that sewer smell coming from?
The tourist: A lovely quiet taverna overlooking the sea!
Me: How legal is the location of that restaurant?
The tourist: Graffiti! Ugh!
Me: Hm. I do indeed smell a rat.
The tourist: This is so romantic!
Me: This is bound to be over-priced.
The tourist: So close to the water's edge!
Me: Too close to the water's edge.
The tourist: Looks so fresh!
Me: How long has it been sitting there?
The tourist: The perfect spot!
Me: Paying for the view.
The tourist: Souvenirs!
Me: Kitsch.
The tourist: Nice vintage stuff!
Me: No price tags, ie I probably can't afford it.
The tourist: That sounds cheap!
Me: The dolmadakia are probably canned.
The tourist: Coffee in the shade...
Me: ... right next to the roar of the roadside.
The tourist: Oh... can't they replace it?
Me: The most perfectly designed flag ever. It will never need replacing.
Greece can be lovely to look at, but these days, it is very challenging living here.
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Interesting point of view.
ReplyDeleteProbably similar to mine point of view about Liguria and Portofino. I live 120 km of highway from Portofino, as many people living in my area, my family and my partner's family have a holiday house in the Tigullio area, 30 minutes (during peak season) ride from Portofino.
We go often to Portofino during summer just to take a walk, but we never buy drinks or anything else because we find them too expensive and too "made for tourists".
But many many people come to Portofino and Liguria from all over the word, just like Crete.
A couple of years ago in August we met a couple from Denmark in a taverna of Rapallo (near Portofino). They drove 2 days to come to Liguria. Reason? At the beginning of August in Denmark was raining dor 2 weeks no-stop. Can you imagine it in August?
Probably the best attitude is not to waste the beauty of our Mediterranean shores.
Very true, this is something we have to keep healthy for others to enjoy, so that we can make a living out of it.
DeleteFirst time in Rethymno was in June 1985, right after my uni entrance exams. It was magical and sleepy compared to my next visit in 2011. It is far more touristic now and less authentic but it is more lively too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should take our holidays abroad but who wants to leave Greece in the summer? In Western Europe summer lasts 1 month 20 June-20 July, Then the rain starts and 1st of Setpember the heating is turned om.
That's the cliche! Climate change is changing the European weather patterns to a certain degree: the northeners sometimes tell my taxi-driver husband that when they left their country, the weather was better than here! But seriously, I wouldnt move around in summer - it's just too crowded. I was in Iraklio last weekend for work and I stayed in a hotel. I could hear planes flying in all day, until at least 11pm - i prefer to stay put!
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