Scams in Greece

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by michaelchatzili

Loans are being wired back as we speak, and given back as we speak too. We hear news about payment and receivables every day / and we also hear news about cancelled investment plans.

Loans are also paid back as a result of a huge increase in taxes and a huge cut in pensions (70% in many cases). Cost of living has gone up, earnings have become much less and confiscations of houses are happening every day to those who do not pay the taxes (the new system taxes with the lower earnings).

It is getting worse, not better. But let's not do politics on our friend's post. A very small part of Greece may improve, and I hope this will also be for the boating / regulations part.

So sad to hear, I have been many times to Greece and I found the the people to be great (no, wonderful) although it has been many years but I still wish to return.

[boatman61]

Much ado about nothing.. you give the guy your lines.. you pay.. step of the boat and do it yourself you dont pay.
Who's looking for the handout..???
The wealthy yottie wanting free line handling or.. the guy on the dock hoping to make a couple of bucks that you likely wont even miss.

[soares29]

BTW you should give how much you think it’s fair... it’s a tip not a service.

[Hahser]

Further info:

I received a reply from the Kalymnos Tourist Office. They were very apologetic and asked me to identify the 'mooring man' who had been so agressive and abusive.

Good to see they care about keeping visitors happy.

On the financial issue: I live in Greece and pay tax there. If others avoid paying by issueing fake receipts then the rest of us have to pay more. It's not unreasonable to expect people to pay tax on their income.

btw if anyone else has problem in Kalymnos the tourist office email is:

george@kalymnos.gr>

[soares29]

I was just in Greece ( Cyclades ) past week. We cruise Caribbean and MED somewhat regularly. Loved the place. A kind suggestion for the tourist regulators would be to standardize a the seawalls and offer mooring buoys. They could take a look in how the BVIs does ( you can pack multiple dozens of boats in a bay safely - no crossed anything ) and how Croatia does with the seawalls, there is always someone to help and you can dock a 48f cat easily... Loved Greece but the system is too disorganized and there is a lot of variation between islands in how things are managed. We noticed experienced sailors struggling a bit...

[john61ct]

Believe me in Kalymnos everybody knows who's who and what goes on.

Maybe the tourism guy will put in a word with the official 'scamming' sponsor, but more likely they all just have a chuckle at the silly foreigners expecting them to run their feifdom the same as other places.

I find for my own piece of mind best to deal with reality as she presents herself, rather than trying to change it to meet my expectations.

Personally a bit of chaos and graft, unpredictability as long at reasonable levels, is part of the charm of such places.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Believe me in Kalymnos everybody knows who's who and what goes on.

Maybe the tourism guy will put in a word with the official 'scamming' sponsor, but more likely they all just have a chuckle at the silly foreigners expecting them to run their feifdom the same as other places.

I find for my own piece of mind best to deal with reality as she presents herself, rather than trying to change it to meet my expectations.

Personally a bit of chaos and graft, unpredictability as long at reasonable levels, is part of the charm of such places.

Have you spent a lot of time in Kalymnos?

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Anders

Have you spent a lot of time in Kalymnos?

Have you?

I'd say John was spot on - and I have.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Have you?

I'd say John was spot on - and I have.

Never made it to Kalymnos and if that's an accurate description of Kalymnos I prefer not to go there cause that's not the Greece I know.

[john61ct]

Kos mostly, but a few weeks on each of the nearby islands.

In those days everyone knew everyone, and that was before 3/4 of the population headed to Melbourne and Chicago.

Still have a bag full of sponges somewhere. . .