The abandoned Hotel was one of the "XENIA" hotels which belonged to the Greek state. There were many of them all over Greece at the best places and beaches, because they were builded at the time, when there were no tourists in Greece and all these privileged nowadays places, nobody was interested before 75 years and it was free to build. All these buildings were designed from the best modern architect of Greece (Aris Konstadinidis) and he was one of the first in the world who built bioclimatic buildings in such a scale, with very strong influences from the Bauhaus. It may seem like ruins today, but we have to consider that these buildings were designed and built from the mid '50 till the '70. We have to think what was mainstream at the time. I've lived in two different XENIA in my life. One in Perea Thessaloniki as a Student in the Tourist College of Thessaloniki for 2 years from October till May, and 4 months in XENIA Paliouri in Chalkidiki (Designed 1960 builded 1962) as a trainee employee in my second season practice in the summer of 1990. I can assure you that this bioclimatic "shit" that Konstandinidis made to these buildings worked 100%. We never needed an air conditioning in Paliouri in the summer. With temperatures sometimes over 35-40 C, the buildings were made so, that even when there were days with no wind, the rooms in the buildings and the open spaces around and in them, sucked a breeze from the sea because of the positioning, orientation, surrounding vegetation and the shapes of the buildings and roofs. The temperature was always 4 to 7 degrees lower. Some of these XENIA buildings are really gems, and they should be saved as modern architectural history to be studied for the future architects. Unfortunately the majority of them are abandoned from the Greek state, looking for new investors to take actually only the land of it, and build new "modern" hotels with no consideration for the energy efficiency in that manner.
Thank you for taking the time to educate this thread about the Xenia hotels. They were wonderful hotels built with public money at a time when there were not many accommodations throughout the country.
Rhode Island, USA. I married into a Greek family and my wife's family is from Corfu. I fell in love with the island life my first time visiting family. Thank you for the inspiration showing the possibility of living a life there. Would love to make the change one day!
Tavernas charge you only for bottled water. You can always ask for tap water instead, which is free, and refuse the bread. I live in the US, and restaurants here also charge for bottled water.
It's called" couvert" in Greece ( it's a French term) technically is illegal to charge it without letting the costumers know - so they can deny it if they want but seems most Greeks have no problem with it - at least when it's not overcharged most waiters are taking it for granted and don't ask, for Greeks adding like one or two euros to a 40€ sitting is not a thing worth argue for
The first derelict building in Arvanitia Beach was alive and kicking in the 80's we have many fond memories there and photos of good times. The second building was the original Xenia hotel which was amazing and had the most futuristic architecture for those days. It was functioning throught my childhood in the 70 and it was a sight to behold. Sadly the economic crisis and the crippling interests imposed by the loan-shark-like German banks & the IMF ,have taken their toll. Not to mention the second wave of poverty that came with covid. You should come to the UK even central London and count the number of boarded up businesses. The banks are having a field day in Greece, confiscating buildings. This is what bankruptcy looks like. If you look back to when the crisis begin, you will see an upward trend of male suicide as many dads lost their businesses and homes to the banks. Happy father's day!
Greetings from Chicago area in US. I was born in Greece and moved here when I was young. My sister lives in Argos and frequently visits Nafplion. You are correct about a lot of those things. We are loud, not patient about driving waiting in lines, but their Greek hospitality is unmatched. Like your videos.
I am a Greek living in Spain, I love your videos and I admire your lack of prejudice in your descriptions. Yes, I agree to everything you said, we are loud, we don't know the meaning of queuing, and we drive like crazy!
I'm from Holland and try to visit Greece at least once a year and always fly-drive. I do get a bit nervous driving around Athens because traffic can be really crazy there, but the rest of Greece is okay, I think. Greek drivers aren't really obnoxious imo. They just think that a 2-lane road can just as easily be a 3-lane road. And sometimes they're right! 😄
Born and raised in Athens, and you are right! Some lanes are bigger than others, so sometimes we are right. But sometimes we are really wrong.. In general we don't respect anything that comes from the government, meaning road signs too xD
Actually, you have to be more careful when driving outside of Athens .. local drivers drive as if they own the road - no respect for traffic signs, the. law or even .. common sence!😂😂
Greek that grew up abroad. Belgium . The Netherlands and now 10 years in the UK. Watching from the UK. Nice videos. Makes you want to move. Maybe in the future😊
I believe that thing with the A/C is not really a thing anymore. For the toilet seat, I believe that after the original seat is broken, in public places, they just don't replace it anymore
I'm Greek-Canadian, and we're going back to Greece for a vacation for the first time in over 20 years. Normally, we just visit family up north, but this time, we're going to do Greece as tourists. So your videos are very helpful in letting us know what to expect when we visit more touristy areas!
Point 6: They aren't just loud, they are also usually quite empathetic and sometimes full of pathos when talking. Once I sat in my favourite taverna on the beach road in Tyros and the mayor made an announcement regarding a local holiday. The timbre and the gravitas he used made this announcement sound like the blood, sweat and tears speech from Winston Churchill. All the while just telling the people that the beach road would be closed that evening for the procession.
2:29 my friend lived in Spain for a while and I visited him during a heatwave. I had a heat stroke because he didn't have air conditioning. The day I was leaving we found an AC unit in a closet.
Lucky to have made your life work in the country of your choice. Seems like a dream: the sea, climate... Interestingly presented. Thanks for being honest about everything. We have a similar mentality, the good and the bad. We feel each others a brother-nation, due to historical bonds. Greetings from the neighbouring Serbia.
Ωραίο video, μπράβο! Προτείνω επίσης να κάνεις ένα video για την θάλασσα και το μπάνιο στην ελλάδα, από όσο ξέρω και από την δικιά μου εμπειρία, ελάχιστα μέρη στον κόσμο έχουν την ελληνική κουλτούρα του μπάνιου στην παραλία, ιδίως κάποιοι που είμαστε λίγο μεγαλύτεροι θυμόμαστε τις 3μηνες διακοπές το καλοκαίρι με μπάνιο πρωί απόγευμα κάθε μέρα. επίσης δεν νομίζω να υπάρχουν πολλά μέρη στον κόσμο με τόσες πολλές καλές παραλίες.
I'm from Sardinia, the beautiful island located on the left of Italy. What you said really resonated with me. It's interesting to see similarities even across the Mediterranean
I love your channel. I’m Brazilian been in the Uk for the last 20 years and would Love one day to move to Greece, good to see a Latino doing well in Greece!
Watching from Agios Konstantinos, Central Greece. Water and bread WAS always without cost. Now many, mostly dodgy restaurants charge a coperto (κουβέρ), this is illegal in Greece, but they do it anyhow.
Watching from South Africa. Planning to live in Crete very, very soon so your videos are so interesting and contain such gems of information. Thank you and please keep them coming 👍
My wife and I watch you from Toronto Canada, we are both Greek! we will be in Kiveri end of July for a few days. We visit Nafplio yearly. Love your videos and information.
Daniel, I just watched your video on how you make a living in Greece. You inspire me as an aspiring entrepreneur. You mentioned that you took an inventory of all of your skills after the Kafenio didn't workout. Can you elaborate (maybe a future video?) on how should we go about taking stock on our skills and how to translate them to an online business? That would be awesome coming form you. Thank you, Daniel. Saludos!!
presently watching our village of Kiveri in back of you across the bay.....from Atlanta, Georgia Amerikee.....nice video plus your explanations are right on. To your left, the old Xenia Hotel, now closed, was designed by my professor Ike Saporta, Architect, in 1968. In the distance looking past the Palamedo Castle is the little Island of Plati, which I designed a Hotel in 1972, but unfortunately, the island was deemed not buildable by the government, mainly due to no water (like Spetses).
The fact that Τάκης nade it in this video, instantly adds immense culture value and insight 😂 Also if you ever do a Part 2, you might want to mebtion the whole toilet paper situation with the bins, and how important is not to dispose the paper in the bowl. 😊
We live in Bulgaria, 2 hours drive from Greece. We are the same as the Greek, same mentality, same shouting(mostly friendly, but it sounds aggressive) and we love Greece. We know how to approach and talk to them. One of the friendliest and complex people in the world, but then so are we. Ola Kala
Hi, I am watching this from Adelaide in South Australia. We are visiting Greece from September 19.One week in Athens, one week in Naxos and one week in Paros. It was hard to choose where to visit as there are so many options, but we chose popular islands without the craziness of Santorini and Mykonos. However, we are doing a day trip to Mykonos and Delphi.We cannot wait as greece has been a must see destination for many years. Thank you for your channel, I found it just today. :)
Regarding Greek driving, it markedly improved after the economic crisis. Probably because fuel got so much more expensive, or maybe the younger generations, as in most places in Europe, are actually safer drivers than their parents and grandparents were in their teens, twenties and thrities. Well, I say most places, but I can only vouch for Austria (my homecountry), Germany, Italy and Greece. Anyway, when you came to Greece driving had already markedly improved compared to the 90s and 2000s (at least in my perception). Therefore let's hope that this development continues.
So cool and true video! Btw about the Bread and Water in taverns. In Taverns(at least 10+ years ago don't know if they still doing it), If there was no water and bread the meal was free, aiming for the homeless who couldn't afford food. Same goes for the Vasilopita, each household will cut a piece for the less fortunate to give if ever someone knocked your door.
Αυτό με τις τουαλέτες που αναφέρατε είναι κάπως γενίκευση και δεν νομίζω ότι συμβαίνει στην πλειονότητα των μαγαζιών. Εμείς όμως να δεις σοκ που παθαίνουμε όταν συνειδητοποιούμε ότι υπάρχουν άνθρωποι που δεν έχουν πρόβλημα να καθίσουν σε δημόσια τουαλέτα και σοκάρονται όταν δεν υπάρχει κάθισμα !!! 😅
Regading point 3: as someone whose family had a summer house in Greece for 25 years, we got told that it has also tax reasons because as long as the house isn't finished you don't have to pay taxes or at the very least not full taxes. That's apparently a main reason why it take so long for so many houses to be finished.
Nein mein Freund, daran liegt es nicht. Den Unterschied macht es, ob du legal oder illegal baust. Das weißt du aber, oder? Als Grieche 😉 mit Sicherheit!
@@irinigago the truth is somewhere in the middle. Many home extentions are illegal (without any permit - that cost a lot of money to issue), but also an unfinished house is not a house, so it can't be taxed
Love your videos. Watching from Cronulla Sydney. Have been to Greece a couple of time and can relate. Was shocked when in Athens and we were charged for table water and bread which we didn't even ask for. We had just arrived from Thessakoniki and they did not do that. In Thessaloniki they even had complimentry desert after a meal in some places... By the way we loved Naphplion.
Another great video, thank you. Just to mention that there are a lot of drivers in the UK who do not respect queues at all. They will sneak in front of you in a roundabout if it happens they have an electric or fast car in general that can accelerate more than yours 😂
Very true about the language I am from Scotland and some people can’t understand me in England when I speak and I am not broad spoken I suppose it’s all down to dialects in different parts of the country you come from
My experience as a Greek who studied English for 12 consecutive years was mind boggling when I met my first Scot :D. To this day I have no idea what he tried to communicate to me. I begged him to slow down to a point we both gave up trying 🤣🤣 No school can prepare you for the Scottish accent
Love your videos the best we have seen. My wife and I have found a house near Ermioni and hope to have the deposit paid later this month. We love Nafpilo and plan to spend a lot of time there. We are in East Sussex near Eastbourne
My Greek family lived in an unfinished home they were building for years and years. They said it was for tax reasons. If the house was not yet finished, they didn’t have to pay as much property tax as they would if it were done. I’m not sure if that’s really true, but that’s what they said.
LOL, everything you presented here is so true! 😂 A fun video, many thanks! And many of these characteristics also apply to Greeks who have been living abroad for decades. Just an example: one of my best friends here is half Greek by his mother and half British by his father. Having served in the British Army for years in various countries he ended up where he is still living married to a local wife, having two children and 5 grandchildren meanwhile. So years ago we went together for a few days to his birth town Thessaloniki (“Saloniki”). We rented a car locally and you should have seen my friend driving like a maniac there, just unbelievable how someone changes so rapidly 😂 …
Bread and bottled water are indeed charged in Greek restaurants. Since 2013, however, there has been a Greek law that provides that bread and bottled water must come to the table only if the customer orders it. Drinking bottled water that you have brought with you is prohibited. In many Greek areas the tap water is not drinkable,
sun beds and umbrellas are pretty cheap in most parts of Greece except at the hot spots like Santorini and Mykonos. For 2 persons 10€. Often the rent is paid with the drinks/meals you order like in Chalkidiki. By the way they have the best cosy beaches: Sinthonia. The enterprises have to pay to use the beach: 3000 € and more for a season.
Hello, may you maybe do a video about the using of plastic and the lot of trash that we see on our holidays? I am not telling to do an offensive video, but I would like to know how the locals think about it? Older people or young as well? How do they process the tons of plastic bags just from the toilet bins? Do they think to find a more ecological solution? I am not sure if this can be a topic to talk about, but it is something that many foreigners shocks as well. Thx
1) the driving part is very true Always drive " defensively" 2) true but is also very true that most shops, restaurants, tarvens ect are outdoors like so it kinda makes sense 3) there are many reasons why this happens, mostly has to do with Bureaucracy and founding 4) well.. 5) you said it all 6) in Greece when someone is speaking to low people will tell them to say it loudly 😊 7) English is part of the things have to people learn in puplic school but that doesn't means that people can have a full conversation in English 8) well there are Quiet places but one would have to discover them 😉 9) well mykonos is mykonos The prices are more reasonable in other places, often only charging for the coffee or whatever 10) it's called " couver" it's actually illegal but most of the time taverns are getting away with it became the charge so little that people don't get notice of it 😉
I’ve read that from this year it is forbidden to charge for κουβέρ (couvert), meaning use of cutlery, plates, tablecloth etc. It is also not permitted to bring water and bread without previous consent of the customer.
Driving Tip: If you are staying in a city, especially Athens, avoid renting a car... use a taxi. If you are travelling on a national road you can rent a car, but be careful on mountain roads. For pedestrians: Be extremely careful when crossing the road, many cars do not stop.
I am Greek decent and go to the island of Karpathos every summer and own a home there. Everything you say is true plus but I I keep going for two months every summer. Am I crazy?
I am a Brit on my 3rd month long visit to the Peloponnese after falling in love with the area on our first trip which was to Nafplio . Love your video and agree with these points, but feel you left off two things that will shock many tourists much more than paying for bread and water. 1 The state and /or lack of Pavements. (i broke my wrist on my first visit tripping on a half buried pipe on the pavement) 2. The lack of healthy and safety on the old monuments. Here it is normal to have completely unguarded drops down sheer cliff faces etc such as your castle in Nafplio (and the step to it).
The first one hit a little too hard. When I visited for the second time in Rhodes, my boyfriend was ordering me a Gyros, and a man parked his car in the middle of the road and went in line to order himself a gyros. I was astonished how not a single person complained, and instead, they all just drove around the car whose driver side door was left open 😂
@eleniasimop it was a two-way street, so the cars were having to drive into the incoming lane, so I don't know if I'd say enough room, but their patients are immaculate!
Just a comparison to what regards water and bread; As a greek who lives in Austria since many years, I find at least awful the fact that the Austrians offer just a small glass of tap water with any order, and sometimes nothing at all. There is no chance to have a normal glass of tap water without being charged for it! As far as the bread is concerned, no comment! :)
I was laughing so hard with number 6! Its so true! lol :) The bottle of water and bread is called kouver here on Greece and its been that way for a long time. I can understand that it must be weird for a tourist but dont get to worried cuz it only cost a couple of euros. I wanna add that most of the time they dont force you to buy the water just the bread. Greetings to everyone from Athens Greece. :)
There is one more thing you will pay for in most places eating food. It's called kouver, (I think "cover charge"). Its not something you consume but the overall charge for the place, atmosphere, service etc. And the price is not fixed.
Well, I am Bulgarian and all of these "shockers" are applicable for Bulgaria as well. For the whole Balkan peninsula for that matter. Maybe except for #10. I only need to learn Greeknin order to be able to curse at the other drivers properly!
I suggest you accept the water and bread. Here in Greece is part of the culture to eat bread with your meal. It won’t cost much anyways when you are eating out in a taverna. I only mentioned it because I know some foreigners have a problem with it. I for one, would order a bottle of water and bread anyhow when eating out, and I am happy to pay for it. In fact most Greeks would order a second round of bread just because it’s part of the culture. I can’t imagine going to a taverna and not having a big bottle of water and bread to share it with the people that I am eating with. The key word here is sharing. Hope this helps. Of course ignore all of this if you simply don’t eat bread or don’t like bread. Then yes, just say no to the bread and water.
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I died when you put a clip from Taki Tsoukala
Me too! ADE GEIA!!! 😂
Best!
The abandoned Hotel was one of the "XENIA" hotels which belonged to the Greek state.
There were many of them all over Greece at the best places and beaches, because they were builded at the time, when there were no tourists in Greece and all these privileged nowadays places, nobody was interested before 75 years and it was free to build.
All these buildings were designed from the best modern architect of Greece (Aris Konstadinidis) and he was one of the first in the world who built bioclimatic buildings in such a scale, with very strong influences from the Bauhaus.
It may seem like ruins today, but we have to consider that these buildings were designed and built from the mid '50 till the '70. We have to think what was mainstream at the time.
I've lived in two different XENIA in my life. One in Perea Thessaloniki as a Student in the Tourist College of Thessaloniki for 2 years from October till May, and 4 months in XENIA Paliouri in Chalkidiki (Designed 1960 builded 1962) as a trainee employee in my second season practice in the summer of 1990.
I can assure you that this bioclimatic "shit" that Konstandinidis made to these buildings worked 100%.
We never needed an air conditioning in Paliouri in the summer. With temperatures sometimes over 35-40 C, the buildings were made so, that even when there were days with no wind, the rooms in the buildings and the open spaces around and in them, sucked a breeze from the sea because of the positioning, orientation, surrounding vegetation and the shapes of the buildings and roofs.
The temperature was always 4 to 7 degrees lower.
Some of these XENIA buildings are really gems, and they should be saved as modern architectural history to be studied for the future architects.
Unfortunately the majority of them are abandoned from the Greek state, looking for new investors to take actually only the land of it, and build new "modern" hotels with no consideration for the energy efficiency in that manner.
A few years ago it was demolished in Chania and the space has been unused since then.
fascinating, thanks!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenia_(hotel)
Thank you for taking the time to educate this thread about the Xenia hotels. They were wonderful hotels built with public money at a time when there were not many accommodations throughout the country.
Fascinating and educational. Thank you!
Rhode Island, USA. I married into a Greek family and my wife's family is from Corfu. I fell in love with the island life my first time visiting family. Thank you for the inspiration showing the possibility of living a life there. Would love to make the change one day!
Tavernas charge you only for bottled water. You can always ask for tap water instead, which is free, and refuse the bread. I live in the US, and restaurants here also charge for bottled water.
It's called" couvert" in Greece ( it's a French term) technically is illegal to charge it without letting the costumers know - so they can deny it if they want but seems most Greeks have no problem with it - at least when it's not overcharged most waiters are taking it for granted and don't ask, for Greeks adding like one or two euros to a 40€ sitting is not a thing worth argue for
The first derelict building in Arvanitia Beach was alive and kicking in the 80's we have many fond memories there and photos of good times. The second building was the original Xenia hotel which was amazing and had the most futuristic architecture for those days. It was functioning throught my childhood in the 70 and it was a sight to behold. Sadly the economic crisis and the crippling interests imposed by the loan-shark-like German banks & the IMF ,have taken their toll. Not to mention the second wave of poverty that came with covid. You should come to the UK even central London and count the number of boarded up businesses. The banks are having a field day in Greece, confiscating buildings. This is what bankruptcy looks like. If you look back to when the crisis begin, you will see an upward trend of male suicide as many dads lost their businesses and homes to the banks. Happy father's day!
Thank you so much 🇬🇷💙🙏
Dem stimme ich zu. Als 🇬🇷 tut es verdammt weh, wenn man sehen muss, wie deine Heimat zu Grunde gerichtet wird.
I own a Greek taverna in Crystal River FL 😃 I love watching your videos! Fun to compare people and tavernas in Greece and America❤🌹 🇬🇷
Oh wow! Thanks 🇬🇷
You want a waiter??😅
I live in Naples Florida this will be interesting to watch.
Greetings from Chicago area in US. I was born in Greece and moved here when I was young. My sister lives in Argos and frequently visits Nafplion. You are correct about a lot of those things. We are loud, not patient about driving waiting in lines, but their Greek hospitality is unmatched. Like your videos.
Thank you for sharing 💙🇬🇷🙏
I am a Greek living in Spain, I love your videos and I admire your lack of prejudice in your descriptions. Yes, I agree to everything you said, we are loud, we don't know the meaning of queuing, and we drive like crazy!
Thanks for sharing!! 💙🇬🇷
I'm from Holland and try to visit Greece at least once a year and always fly-drive. I do get a bit nervous driving around Athens because traffic can be really crazy there, but the rest of Greece is okay, I think. Greek drivers aren't really obnoxious imo. They just think that a 2-lane road can just as easily be a 3-lane road. And sometimes they're right! 😄
Born and raised in Athens, and you are right! Some lanes are bigger than others, so sometimes we are right. But sometimes we are really wrong.. In general we don't respect anything that comes from the government, meaning road signs too xD
🤣🤣
Actually, you have to be more careful when driving outside of Athens .. local drivers drive as if they own the road - no respect for traffic signs, the. law or even .. common sence!😂😂
Greek that grew up abroad. Belgium . The Netherlands and now 10 years in the UK. Watching from the UK. Nice videos. Makes you want to move. Maybe in the future😊
Thank you 🇬🇷💙🙏
I believe that thing with the A/C is not really a thing anymore.
For the toilet seat, I believe that after the original seat is broken, in public places, they just don't replace it anymore
That goes for pretty anything that breaks in Greece. Once something breaks that's how it stays....
I'm Greek-Canadian, and we're going back to Greece for a vacation for the first time in over 20 years. Normally, we just visit family up north, but this time, we're going to do Greece as tourists. So your videos are very helpful in letting us know what to expect when we visit more touristy areas!
We're in New Zealand and watch your videos everyday. We are learning Greek visiting Palopense in April/May next year. Love your videos! ❤
Point 6: They aren't just loud, they are also usually quite empathetic and sometimes full of pathos when talking. Once I sat in my favourite taverna on the beach road in Tyros and the mayor made an announcement regarding a local holiday. The timbre and the gravitas he used made this announcement sound like the blood, sweat and tears speech from Winston Churchill. All the while just telling the people that the beach road would be closed that evening for the procession.
Spanish are louder
enjoy watching your videos. looking from Norway
Thanks for watching! 🇬🇷💙🙏
Watching from Kentucky USA!
Hi Kentucky 👋
Watching from Toronto, CANADA
Hi 👋
2:29 my friend lived in Spain for a while and I visited him during a heatwave. I had a heat stroke because he didn't have air conditioning. The day I was leaving we found an AC unit in a closet.
Watching from Los Angeles im in love with Greece
Great job Daniel. You've nailed it...
The offer of free glass of tap water has a symbolic value and represents the idea of filoxenia..
In West Europe almost everything is charged..
Lucky to have made your life work in the country of your choice. Seems like a dream: the sea, climate... Interestingly presented. Thanks for being honest about everything. We have a similar mentality, the good and the bad. We feel each others a brother-nation, due to historical bonds. Greetings from the neighbouring Serbia.
Thanks my friend 🙏
Ωραίο video, μπράβο! Προτείνω επίσης να κάνεις ένα video για την θάλασσα και το μπάνιο στην ελλάδα, από όσο ξέρω και από την δικιά μου εμπειρία, ελάχιστα μέρη στον κόσμο έχουν την ελληνική κουλτούρα του μπάνιου στην παραλία, ιδίως κάποιοι που είμαστε λίγο μεγαλύτεροι θυμόμαστε τις 3μηνες διακοπές το καλοκαίρι με μπάνιο πρωί απόγευμα κάθε μέρα. επίσης δεν νομίζω να υπάρχουν πολλά μέρη στον κόσμο με τόσες πολλές καλές παραλίες.
🇬🇷❤💪. Egal ob es anderen gefällt oder nicht. Hellas ist und bleibt ein land der Götter mit all seinen Facetten. Und das ist unbezahlbar
I'm from Sardinia, the beautiful island located on the left of Italy. What you said really resonated with me. It's interesting to see similarities even across the Mediterranean
A glass of water is always free, if you get a bottle of water yes you will pay.
And you must know it is cheaper in the Super Market
I love your channel. I’m
Brazilian been in the Uk for the last 20 years and would
Love one day to move to Greece, good to see a Latino doing well in Greece!
I watch your videos from California,united states
Hello 👋
Watching from Agios Konstantinos, Central Greece. Water and bread WAS always without cost. Now many, mostly dodgy restaurants charge a coperto (κουβέρ), this is illegal in Greece, but they do it anyhow.
Thank you 🇬🇷💙🙏
In Greece laws are for breaking....
Watching from Maastricht, The Netherlands. Λατρεύω πολύ τα βίντεό σou. Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
That abandoned hotel it used to be such a gem! Wow
🧿Drop a comment from where you are watching this video 👇
New York
The Hague Holland.
Athens
Vienna, Austria
Tyrol, Austria
Good list. Surprised you didnt mention gas prices that are almost triple in price from the US
Jung, dreimal so hoch? Hast du die Gehälter der Griechen mit denen der Amis verglichen? Die der 🇬🇷 sind nämlich dreimal so niedrig.
Watching from South Africa. Planning to live in Crete very, very soon so your videos are so interesting and contain such gems of information. Thank you and please keep them coming 👍
Thank you my friend 💙🇬🇷🙏
My wife and I watch you from Toronto Canada, we are both Greek! we will be in Kiveri end of July for a few days. We visit Nafplio yearly. Love your videos and information.
Have fun! And thanks for watching my videos 🇬🇷💙🙏
Love watching your videos, I am greek American from kalamata I live in Los Angeles California.
Thanks for watching! 💙🇬🇷🙏
Daniel, I just watched your video on how you make a living in Greece. You inspire me as an aspiring entrepreneur. You mentioned that you took an inventory of all of your skills after the Kafenio didn't workout. Can you elaborate (maybe a future video?) on how should we go about taking stock on our skills and how to translate them to an online business? That would be awesome coming form you. Thank you, Daniel. Saludos!!
I will my friend 🇬🇷💙🙏
@@MyGreekLifestyle🙏🇺🇲🇬🇷
Athens, Greece and you are spot on about all 10 subjects !
I am Greek and i am from Nafplio. i doubt if there is a view like this in the whole world. Thank you.
7:41 "I love my wife, of course" (or else the flying pantofla will get you :P)
7:43 the loooong sigh. We understand hehe
presently watching our village of Kiveri in back of you across the bay.....from Atlanta, Georgia Amerikee.....nice video
plus your explanations are right on.
To your left, the old Xenia Hotel, now closed, was designed by my professor Ike Saporta, Architect, in 1968.
In the distance looking past the Palamedo Castle is the little Island of Plati, which I designed a Hotel in 1972,
but unfortunately, the island was deemed not buildable by the government, mainly due to no water (like Spetses).
Απόλυτα σωστός και μπράβο σου! ❤
Ευχαριστώ 🇬🇷💙🙏
The fact that Τάκης nade it in this video, instantly adds immense culture value and insight 😂
Also if you ever do a Part 2, you might want to mebtion the whole toilet paper situation with the bins, and how important is not to dispose the paper in the bowl. 😊
I enjoy watching your videos from Portland, Oregon USA
Glad you like them! 💙🇬🇷🙏
We live in Bulgaria, 2 hours drive from Greece.
We are the same as the Greek, same mentality, same shouting(mostly friendly, but it sounds aggressive) and we love Greece. We know how to approach and talk to them. One of the friendliest and complex people in the world, but then so are we.
Ola Kala
Hi, I am watching this from Adelaide in South Australia. We are visiting Greece from September 19.One week in Athens, one week in Naxos and one week in Paros. It was hard to choose where to visit as there are so many options, but we chose popular islands without the craziness of Santorini and Mykonos. However, we are doing a day trip to Mykonos and Delphi.We cannot wait as greece has been a must see destination for many years. Thank you for your channel, I found it just today. :)
Watching from London❤
Hello 👋 London 🇬🇧
Regarding Greek driving, it markedly improved after the economic crisis. Probably because fuel got so much more expensive, or maybe the younger generations, as in most places in Europe, are actually safer drivers than their parents and grandparents were in their teens, twenties and thrities. Well, I say most places, but I can only vouch for Austria (my homecountry), Germany, Italy and Greece. Anyway, when you came to Greece driving had already markedly improved compared to the 90s and 2000s (at least in my perception).
Therefore let's hope that this development continues.
I agree. I travel to Greece every year and always hire a car. Driving in Greece is less scary than ten years ago.
So cool and true video!
Btw about the Bread and Water in taverns.
In Taverns(at least 10+ years ago don't know if they still doing it), If there was no water and bread the meal was free, aiming for the homeless who couldn't afford food.
Same goes for the Vasilopita, each household will cut a piece for the less fortunate to give if ever someone knocked your door.
We are loud too in Brazil but I prefer Greece😃
As a frequent traveller to Greece in the last 40 years, I can confirm: All valid points.
Αυτό με τις τουαλέτες που αναφέρατε είναι κάπως γενίκευση και δεν νομίζω ότι συμβαίνει στην πλειονότητα των μαγαζιών. Εμείς όμως να δεις σοκ που παθαίνουμε όταν συνειδητοποιούμε ότι υπάρχουν άνθρωποι που δεν έχουν πρόβλημα να καθίσουν σε δημόσια τουαλέτα και σοκάρονται όταν δεν υπάρχει κάθισμα !!! 😅
Watching from New York with my Venezuelan girlfriend 🇬🇷🇻🇪
Regading point 3: as someone whose family had a summer house in Greece for 25 years, we got told that it has also tax reasons because as long as the house isn't finished you don't have to pay taxes or at the very least not full taxes. That's apparently a main reason why it take so long for so many houses to be finished.
Nein mein Freund, daran liegt es nicht. Den Unterschied macht es, ob du legal oder illegal baust. Das weißt du aber, oder? Als Grieche 😉 mit Sicherheit!
@@irinigago the truth is somewhere in the middle. Many home extentions are illegal (without any permit - that cost a lot of money to issue), but also an unfinished house is not a house, so it can't be taxed
Love your videos. Watching from Cronulla Sydney. Have been to Greece a couple of time and can relate. Was shocked when in Athens and we were charged for table water and bread which we didn't even ask for. We had just arrived from Thessakoniki and they did not do that. In Thessaloniki they even had complimentry desert after a meal in some places... By the way we loved Naphplion.
Thank you for sharing 💙🇬🇷🙏
Greetings from Switzerland 😊
That view was beautiful, not shocking.
Another great video, thank you. Just to mention that there are a lot of drivers in the UK who do not respect queues at all. They will sneak in front of you in a roundabout if it happens they have an electric or fast car in general that can accelerate more than yours 😂
Watching from Syros Island.
🇬🇷💙🙏
watching from Dundee, Scotland
Hello 👋
I am watching from messinia near kalamata i love your videos 😅
Yes Greece like Indy 500. Though I never drove in Athens.
Im watching this video from Mitilene, here in greece
Very true about the language I am from Scotland and some people can’t understand me in England when I speak and I am not broad spoken I suppose it’s all down to dialects in different parts of the country you come from
My experience as a Greek who studied English for 12 consecutive years was mind boggling when I met my first Scot :D. To this day I have no idea what he tried to communicate to me. I begged him to slow down to a point we both gave up trying 🤣🤣 No school can prepare you for the Scottish accent
Hello from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA! 🌵🇺🇸🌵
Watching from Rhodes Island of Hellas...
Hello 👋
From Toronto, Canada
Watching from Derbyshire, England, UK
Hello 👋
Watching from Limnos North Aegean.
Just wondering if it is allowed to walk on top of the wall stractures in places like historical sites. ❤
Love your videos the best we have seen.
My wife and I have found a house near Ermioni and hope to have the deposit paid later this month. We love Nafpilo and plan to spend a lot of time there. We are in East Sussex near Eastbourne
My Greek family lived in an unfinished home they were building for years and years. They said it was for tax reasons. If the house was not yet finished, they didn’t have to pay as much property tax as they would if it were done. I’m not sure if that’s really true, but that’s what they said.
It is. That's the reason why many houses are not finished.
LOL, everything you presented here is so true! 😂 A fun video, many thanks!
And many of these characteristics also apply to Greeks who have been living abroad for decades. Just an example: one of my best friends here is half Greek by his mother and half British by his father. Having served in the British Army for years in various countries he ended up where he is still living married to a local wife, having two children and 5 grandchildren meanwhile.
So years ago we went together for a few days to his birth town Thessaloniki (“Saloniki”). We rented a car locally and you should have seen my friend driving like a maniac there, just unbelievable how someone changes so rapidly 😂 …
Watching from the u.k.
Bread and bottled water are indeed charged in Greek restaurants. Since 2013, however, there has been a Greek law that provides that bread and bottled water must come to the table only if the customer orders it. Drinking bottled water that you have brought with you is prohibited. In many Greek areas the tap water is not drinkable,
Only in some islands water is scarce, the water is safe to drink in almost all of Greek cities in the mainland
sun beds and umbrellas are pretty cheap in most parts of Greece except at the hot spots like Santorini and Mykonos.
For 2 persons 10€.
Often the rent is paid with the drinks/meals you order like in Chalkidiki.
By the way they have the best cosy beaches: Sinthonia.
The enterprises have to pay to use the beach: 3000 € and more for a season.
Hello, may you maybe do a video about the using of plastic and the lot of trash that we see on our holidays? I am not telling to do an offensive video, but I would like to know how the locals think about it? Older people or young as well? How do they process the tons of plastic bags just from the toilet bins? Do they think to find a more ecological solution? I am not sure if this can be a topic to talk about, but it is something that many foreigners shocks as well. Thx
1) the driving part is very true
Always drive " defensively"
2) true but is also very true that most shops, restaurants, tarvens ect are outdoors like so it kinda makes sense
3) there are many reasons why this happens, mostly has to do with Bureaucracy and founding
4) well..
5) you said it all
6) in Greece when someone is speaking to low people will tell them to say it loudly 😊
7) English is part of the things have to people learn in puplic school but that doesn't means that people can have a full conversation in English
8) well there are Quiet places but one would have to discover them 😉
9) well mykonos is mykonos
The prices are more reasonable in other places, often only charging for the coffee or whatever
10) it's called " couver" it's actually illegal but most of the time taverns are getting away with it became the charge so little that people don't get notice of it 😉
I’ve read that from this year it is forbidden to charge for κουβέρ (couvert), meaning use of cutlery, plates, tablecloth etc. It is also not permitted to bring water and bread without previous consent of the customer.
Hey , love your content. How about making a video in Greek??🙃
Hi, can you please share your knowledge about kids schools & healthcare in nafpplio? It’s a major factor for my potential relocation to nafplio
You would be o.k.
I will
When I visited 7 years ago I was surprised by all the dogs and cats that roam about freely - apparently living on the streets.
Port ludlow, wa..usa..best to travel in winter
Love your videos wish Greeks were like you keep it up and don’t change ….
Thanks you 🇬🇷💙🙏
Re air conditioning: THE ELECTRIC BILLING IS SUPER EXPENSIVE!!! more than the other european countries and with half the wages!!!
❤❤❤
💙💙💙
Driving Tip: If you are staying in a city, especially Athens, avoid renting a car... use a taxi. If you are travelling on a national road you can rent a car, but be careful on mountain roads.
For pedestrians: Be extremely careful when crossing the road, many cars do not stop.
Thanks for the tip. Is the driving any better in the Peloponnese like in Patras, Kalamata?
@@TheStoryOfNicoletta The smaller the city, the better, also consider checking parking, in city centres it could be difficult.
@@c.r.t. yes, i see that the parking can become tricky in city centres, thank you for the heads up!
I am Greek decent and go to the island of Karpathos every summer and own a home there. Everything you say is true plus but I I keep going for two months every summer. Am I crazy?
Hi,From South Africa
I am a Brit on my 3rd month long visit to the Peloponnese after falling in love with the area on our first trip which was to Nafplio . Love your video and agree with these points, but feel you left off two things that will shock many tourists much more than paying for bread and water. 1 The state and /or lack of Pavements. (i broke my wrist on my first visit tripping on a half buried pipe on the pavement) 2. The lack of healthy and safety on the old monuments. Here it is normal to have completely unguarded drops down sheer cliff faces etc such as your castle in Nafplio (and the step to it).
I like no air-conditioning in the gym! In England they turn off the cold only if it is bellow 3 degrees outside! I m sweat and freezing!
The first one hit a little too hard. When I visited for the second time in Rhodes, my boyfriend was ordering me a Gyros, and a man parked his car in the middle of the road and went in line to order himself a gyros. I was astonished how not a single person complained, and instead, they all just drove around the car whose driver side door was left open 😂
There is no reason to complain if there is enough space to drive around sth.
😊😊😊
@eleniasimop it was a two-way street, so the cars were having to drive into the incoming lane, so I don't know if I'd say enough room, but their patients are immaculate!
from Finland
Hi Finland 👋
Just a comparison to what regards water and bread; As a greek who lives in Austria since many years, I find at least awful the fact that the Austrians offer just a small glass of tap water with any order, and sometimes nothing at all. There is no chance to have a normal glass of tap water without being charged for it! As far as the bread is concerned, no comment! :)
I was laughing so hard with number 6! Its so true! lol :) The bottle of water and bread is called kouver here on Greece and its been that way for a long time. I can understand that it must be weird for a tourist but dont get to worried cuz it only cost a couple of euros. I wanna add that most of the time they dont force you to buy the water just the bread.
Greetings to everyone from Athens Greece. :)
In Preveza the beds are free
Let's hope your wife don't see.. Although you are not unkind in anyway.. Fabulous video as always.. Best wishes from Scotland
Thank you but she has just seen the video. In fact, she is screaming as we speak 😂
@@MyGreekLifestyle that's only because she loves you..and it's only her way to talk like that .I'm a bit that way myself
There is one more thing you will pay for in most places eating food.
It's called kouver, (I think "cover charge").
Its not something you consume but the overall charge for the place, atmosphere, service etc.
And the price is not fixed.
Well, I am Bulgarian and all of these "shockers" are applicable for Bulgaria as well. For the whole Balkan peninsula for that matter. Maybe except for #10.
I only need to learn Greeknin order to be able to curse at the other drivers properly!
Daniel do you suggest to just accept the water and bread. Or can you politely say no to the bread.?
I suggest you accept the water and bread. Here in Greece is part of the culture to eat bread with your meal. It won’t cost much anyways when you are eating out in a taverna. I only mentioned it because I know some foreigners have a problem with it. I for one, would order a bottle of water and bread anyhow when eating out, and I am happy to pay for it. In fact most Greeks would order a second round of bread just because it’s part of the culture. I can’t imagine going to a taverna and not having a big bottle of water and bread to share it with the people that I am eating with. The key word here is sharing. Hope this helps. Of course ignore all of this if you simply don’t eat bread or don’t like bread. Then yes, just say no to the bread and water.
I never requested bread and they always served it to me and no shopkeeper has been fined.
I would never call the police for being served bread in a taverna. Greece has bigger problems than that.