Is travel to Greece a good idea?

[thebaldguy]

My wife and my sister in law are looking at going to Europe with a stop for a week in Greece this fall. They will be hanging out with a Greek friend and her family and traveling around the country.

I'm not crazy about the travel to Greece to be honest. Her sister is pretty naive about politics, economics, world events, personal security, and doesn't really even watch the news. Her answer to my security and safety questions is pretty much "We will be hanging out with a Greek woman who knows everything". Note that this is coming from a small town woman who feels uncomfortable living in large city above 5,000 people. I think she is in denial about possible problems and I have been directing my wife to do some reading about what is actually going on over there and it's not pretty; bank runs, medical shortages, bread lines, unpaid workers, strikes/protests, etc. Problems with how electric, natural gas, and fuel deliveries will be an issue in the event of economic meltown. Can you count on the local law enforcement to help you in such a crisis?

I reminded both of them that if something bad happens to them there, there isn't much I or anyone else here can do to help. Her sister chirped in, "Nothing bad will happen; Julia (the Greek friend) knows what's going on...We'll be fine! I think she feels that my concern about safety issues makes me a "Debbie Downer" about the trip and it annoys her and her family a bit. She doesn't feel "safe" with me in my big city but she feels "safe" in a foreign country full of economic and possible political problems. Figure that one out.

My wife is on the fence about a week in Greece, but her sister is going anyway. I told the wife to travel to Greece only if it's safe and wait until the last minute to make a decision for a week in Greece. What do you folks think? Is this a good idea, or is this place a potential problem to be avoided?

[AJ Dual]

Meh, Greece mid meltdown is still better and safer than a few middle eastern places that are popular tourist destinations during "peacetime".

My parents leave for a Greek/Turkish vacation this week.

The biggest problem is their vacation being ruined because the historical sites are closed.

My parents were a bit disappointed the Greeks got another bailout because they were looking forward to great deals on jewelry priced in drachmas.

[TommyGunn]

What is needed is more specific assurances that Julia actually know WHERE the visitors should not go, and where they can go, safely, as well as whther or not these conditions change.
Can you talk with Julia at all or does everything  you know come through your wife and/or sister in law?
You might get a better feel for Julia through personal contact.

[vaskidmark]

If you trust the State Department - http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

Greece is not on the list yet.

Many of the "survivalist" blogs have decent tips on travel through shall we say "sketchy" country.  The ladies may not want to go buy a screwdriver or two, but some of the other ideas are probably woth the effort of trying to review with them.  Big on my list are 1) have sufficient US currency (Traveler's Checks can substitute), 2) do not carry large denominations of US or local currency, 3) split up where/how you carry all cash - do not have a large wad you need to haul out, 3) do not trust any bottled beverage unless you personally break the seal, 4) do not drink the water - even bottled spring water - unless is is clearly labled as distilled or reverse-osmosis filtered, 5) ice is local water!, 6) do not go out after sunset unless you have a very trusted guide, and then only to well-lit tourist traps on well-traveled tourist routes, 7) leave your passport and a daily ininerary at the hotel - better they steal your passport than some street thug, and 8) pin the telephone and telex number of the US Embassy/Consulate inside your clothes.

Your ladies going to Greece may be a "good thing" given the current economic state, if they can avoid major infrastructure disruptions.  The dollar should be extremely strong on both the offical and sidewalk exchange rates.  They should learn how to haggle prices for paying in US currency/Traveler's Checks.

Thomas Cook http://www.thomascook.com/ used to be the gold standard of travel agencies.  When I was a nipper my folks would deposit money with them that I, in some other country, could draw from.  They had not only travel health insurance but a list of very carefully vetted local doctors if you needed one.  They were "discrete".  I have no idea how much of that still remains.

stay safe.



etc: I don't care for her either, but this APS.  No name calling.

[Perd Hapley]

Tell them to accept no gifts.

[HankB]

There's a lot of stuff I'd like to see in Greece, from the Parthenon to Thermopylae - I'd find out from the Greek friend what sort of sightseeing they have in mind, whether or not the attractions are open, and above all else, I would scrupulously avoid ANYPLACE that has a political demonstration or protest of ANY type. As for personal safety, trouble can pop up anywhere, but in general Europeans of just about any sort are less likely to stage terrorist attacks than middle eastern Moslems.

I'd be less worried about Greek political unrest than what's going on in Egypt right now - and I think Greece will be a whole lot safer than going for a walk in Iraq along the Iranian border as some U.S. hikers found out a few years ago.

Like I said, quiz the Greek friend a bit about where they plan to take you. If the major attractions - famous historical plaes - aren't on the itnerary . . . there's exactly zero reason to go to Greece.

[MillCreek]

Tell them to accept no gifts.

Ha!

[RevDisk]

Eh, safe enough. Greece does not usually attack tourists. Normal foreign travel rules apply

[never_retreat]

I would take everything you see on the state department website for what it is, a government group.
See if you can use your google fu and find an English language Greek newspaper and do your reading. I'm assuming you don't read Greek.

When we went to Spain last march the state department had all kinds of warnings. The biggest think they kept hipping about was protesting in the major cities. I read an English Spanish website for weeks before we went, nothing in the news I would call scary or dangerous.
So we did find the protesting in Madrid and Barcelona.
It was just union protesting for a transit workers.
Really common a travel advisory for this?

I don't know how much English is spoken in Greece if you need help but In Spain it is widely spoken.
I can order drinks/food in Spanish but sometimes it helps if you can talk to someone.
We were one foot a lot and when we did need directions most police could hack out some English, at least for words or phrases in English that I did not know in Spanish,

[French G.]

Never had a problem in Greece. Even when we were bombing their buddies the Serbs the local populace delayed their protest until our last scheduled day in port. 

[Kingcreek]

If the exchange rate is especially favorable, you could shop for some greek municipal bonds?

[vaskidmark]

If the exchange rate is especially favorable, you could shop for some greek municipal bonds?

That's assuming there are any Greek municipalities left.  Otherwise they are about as useful as Ottoman Empire/Czarist Russia/Weimar Germany securities - wallpaper.

stay safe.

[Scout26]

If the exchange rate is especially favorable, you could shop for some greek municipal bonds?

Win !!!!

[Lee]

I wouldn't go...the booze tastes like black licorice (yuk) and the women are more hairy than the men(yuk).