I think I must make something clear: The stuff they bring to you in Greek restaurants after you ask for the bill is a "kerasma" as the Greeks call it, it's a free offer. They do not charge you for it. It is a way to tell you two things: 1)Thank you for your preference to our shop and 2)It is a "farewell" for leaving a place. Greeks do this also if you leave a house after a visit. It is an ancient habitude; the food and drink "to keep you strong for the road ahead".
People here at Rio invite you to a restaurant and even expect you to pay for your meal. I always thought that was rude and disrespectful, glad to know greeks agree with me. Its basically saying their presence (not yours) is something worth paying for and they dont actually care about you, ughhh so arrogant. If you invite someone somewhere Which isnt free, you should at least pay for them. Thats how you show them you consider them a friend, not a toy. Dates are another thing, but friendships are more important than fucking someone.
I’m from Brazil. I went Island hopping in Greece for about a month in 1999 when I was living and studying in the UK. I was in a constant state of exhilaration and did not want to live! I have gone back to many other Greek Islands since then and have traveled to many places around the world including Maldives, the Caribbean Islands, Thailand etc etc which I absolutely love but I must say Greece is one of my favorite places on earth. Greece is the only place where I do not feel exploited and it has the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets, great food, beautiful islands, the most wonderful, friendly, caring and expressive people I have ever met. I lived in the UK for about 20 years, have lived in Qatar, Bahrain for the past 6 years and If there is one place I could live happily for the rest of my life it would be Greece.
@@katerinakaterinaki9143 This comment, your response, and all other comments are making me plan a trip to Greece with my wife. Thank you all. Wish to experience Greece soon
I love Greece. I'm Portuguese and I always feel at home there: we may speak different languages and have different landscapes but we are the same people.
The yayas don't go to taverns or old cafes (kafeneio), They stay outside their house or in their balkonies and talk in groups and drink coffee together.
For me nothing shocking in Greece. Great country with the amazing history, a cradle of European civilization, hard working, friendly and helpful people and the level of hospitality incomparable to other countries around. Greece and Poland had the strongest resistance Underground Army during WWII, both countries suffered a lot of pain from its neighbour in the history, we share the same values based on the power of good tradition, family and faith. There is a strength in diversity, nothing to be shocked about.
gb plus They only work when they feel like working They live for the day and don't worry about tomorrow The elderly people work hard on there farms but not the younger generation
@Trousersnake Pliskin You are wrong. The Greek resistance (EAM-EΛΑΣ) liberated their own country, two weeks before the allies come to Greece! Please don't commenting incorrect facts if you don't know what really happened
@Trousersnake Pliskin That you are talking about is the civil war! The english didn't restore the order, they made mess and led the Greeks in the civil war. The point is the resistance against the Nazis and not the Greek civil war after the end of W.W.2 . You know nothing about Greek history of WW2.
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I've had to help tourists who are heatstriken and sunburnt. Seriously people. Greek sun and heat are brutal! PLEASE wear a sunscreen whenever you are outside, please carry a fan and a bottle of cold water with you, please don't eat heavy food and drink tons of alcohol cause it will make you feel stuffy. I want you to come here and have a good time, not get hurt. Moreover, if something happens to you, do not hesitate to ask locals for help. Even in the big cities. Ask us for help, ask us for instructions or recommendations. If a Greek doesn't know how to help you, they will ask around for you until they find a way. Three more things that shock tourists, explained: #1 If you are in the bus and suddenly all the Greeks are crossing themselves, don't panic! We are not about to die! Whenever the bus passes outside a church, we cross ourselves. #2 Cafeterias are full all day long, not because we don't work & are lazy, but because it's our culture. If we have a 20min break at work, we prefer to go to a cafeteria instead of eating or resting. We are people who really enjoy going out for a coffee and a talk with friends. It 's how we destress. #3 Many people in Greece will smile, nod or say hello to you if your eyes meet. It's considered the polite thing to do. No they don't know you, no they don't want anything from you, no they are not flirting with you. They are just being polite. Greece is amazing in the winter. We go to all those traditional Greek villages & resorts in the mountains and we do trekking, climbing, horseriding, eat great food and more. Greece is not all about summer, islands , beaches and white houses with blue doors. If some of you visited in the winter you would have an equally amazing time.
Sunstroke will kill you. and like hypothermia, by the time you've figured you're in trouble it's too late. period. add alcohol??? not a good idea. weat a hat; even sunglasses or I wear safety glasses for the grit in the wind.
Greece was probably my favorite place in Europe that I’ve visited so far. People really were super friendly and it’s true that the food is delicious 🙌🏼
Greece was my dream trip since I was 11 , then I went for a month. Now it’s my plan. I will live there some day soon. Greece 🇬🇷 was even better than my dreams. I’ve been to many countries, and enjoyed them all. But Greece made me feel like I belonged there. 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
@@z.v.9405 We have around 4000 ethnic Greeks in Armenia. They ALL are hardworking patriotic Armenia loving brothers of ours. Eduard Sharmazanov is Armenian politician who is ethnic Greek and one of my favorite young politicians in Armenia. A brilliant young man. One day he will become the president of Armenia.
I'm American, married to a Greek and we live in the Netherlands. Three lovely cultures combined .. hartstikke gezellig .. ευχαριστώ για την περιοδεία. 🌹
Woah that's quite the combination you've got going there. Mind if I ask how on earth that happened? I'm in a similar situation - American, Norwegian wife, live in Switzerland. We met in college and I got moved here for work. We decided to stay and the rest is, as they say, history :).
@@johnvictorengland7703 Both musicians met in Amsterdam in the 70s. I moved back to the States. 25 years later I, now being in the medical field moved back to Holland, he was my last patient of the day. He, still playing music asked me to join their group. The rest as they say, is history. 🌹
@giorgos katsianos Way back in the 70s, during a rainstorm, I found myself sandwiched between two men of different cultures under a tarp waiting for the rain to stop. In our subsequent conversation, the one man (Dutch) was laughing at me because America was only a couple of hundred years old. The other man (Chinese) taking pity on me said: Sir, Holland is only a thousand years old. (Greece is but a teenager by comparison).I suppose it's all relevant.😁
"Being married to a Greek woman....." No wonder! I wasn't sure if she was Latina or what? But, being Latina myself, when I visited Greece (2006), I was shocked how Latino it is----the way the people act, the way the cities are laid out (I never got lost), the way the businesses are (you say hello and goodbye to a shopkeeper whether you buy something or not), the way they revere their old people. I felt so at home. Anxious to go back. Kudos for another spot-on video!
Haven't been to Greece yet, but planning to make it there more sooner than later. I do get the same vibe whenever I watch videos about it. It definitely reminisces somewhere in a beautiful Caribbean island/Latin country. Mostly from south America. The charisma of the people and features, the hospitality. Very similar. Well...needles to say, Latin Americans get a lot of their roots from the Mediterranean countries. That's why I love their food!!!! I am definitely going to make there one of this days!!!! Great country!!!!😊❤
It's because of the similarities we Greeks have to other Mediterranean peoples, especially Spanish and South Italians. Greek and Spanish accents (and even some parts of the language!) are very similar. And we have the same siesta times! So, yeah, I'd say Greeks and Latinos do share a lot of things!
I work a side gig in sales in TX and I was pulling up the client's info I noticed he had a Greek last name. I went on but when I concluded our business then I said to him "Ef haristo poli" and the guy jumped out of his seat! He talked for another minute or two about growing up in Greece with a big grin, it was great. Apparently most people thought he was Mexican!
I went to Greece in 2019 and having traveled a bit in my life i can truly say i fell in love with Greece and her people. Greek people are so very nice and welcoming! Cant wait to go back very soon
The smoking was INSANE! That was definitely a huge shock for me. We got served Vinsanto after just about every meal on Santorini. It is delicious but it was a lot. Also, taking the trip to Meteora and visiting a few of the monasteries was absolutely one of the best decisions that we made for our travel plan. I absolutely left part of my heart in Greece and can’t wait to go back.
@@kaechup ok it gives and other amazing places in Greece )) ..you must have time and money of course !!..i was too in all Greece ..i cant decide which is better or not ..but i can give you infos for next time !!
@@taurohkea2169 lol calling the Greek police lazy is the single stupidest thing one can say. They are not lazy whatsoever. And the anti smoking law has done wonders. I haven't seen anybody smoking somewhere they aren't supposed to in months
Greece is my favorite place on earth. I go every summer. For me the trick is to give yourself extra time. Don’t rush from place to place. You’ll just get frustrated. As you say, take your patience. You mentioned the portions, but not that when you don’t eat it you’re probably going to get some grief about it-“You no like it?” So I agree, don’t eat for half the day ahead! That includes restaurants! You do have to get to ferries and flights on time, but those aren’t always on time either-especially if you factor in strikes. (Though strikes are usually scheduled, so check ahead!) Safety isn’t as over the top as in the states. Guardrails and warning signs aren’t everywhere. You have to pay attention and take care of yourself. I went for a walk past the Skiathos airport and learned all about jet blasts once. I love that the kids are free range-but I hear tourists griping about it. I hope none of this ever changes. I think the Yia Yias are hanging around outside the school yards keeping an eye and cheering their grandkids on in sports and dances. Greek is a tough language to learn, and occasionally I have some bust out laughing at my accent, but I think they appreciate the effort. :) Thanks for the videos. Usually I know these tips from my own travels but I still like to watch them!
Have a look at volos city and Pelion mountain if you haven't been there, its amazing right in the centre of Greece combines mountain and sea in just 10 minutes. Have a nice day
@@TheGlitterGlobe yes you can combine here in a day walk in the mountain and swimming in the sea but i hope you visit us again and have a good time wherever you go
@ Stelios Paterakis > As a greek I gotta say, you are being too kind lol Well, he said that his wife is Greek, so he has to be kind or else he will face the almighty pantofla :p
It's vice versa . In Ikaria life goes on very slowly, siga - siga. That's the reason people in Ikaria live without stress. In Crete people drink tsikoudia. It's a cretian drink like ouzo. 😀
Driving was completely fine in Greece. Then again: I am from Eastern Europe. Food is indeed amazing and cheap. Also, the hospitality. About Greek time: it is good to relax a bit and not hurry everywhere. That is the point of a holiday.
Mark, I love Greece and having been there several times I hope to visit it again with my wife and daughter. Crete is great for all the reasons you mentioned
@@nomadicolours They are looking to double down on enforcing no smoking laws with the new government currently, so who knows, maybe it will get better eventually. Greeks love their cigs tho unfortunately
Some years ago, I used to work in Hersonissos, not far away from Aghios Nikolaos. We could guess how long the tourists were in Crete by their burned skin! People, take care, wear hats and sunblocks. Thank you for the nice things you say about our country. About Crete there is another phrase that can be useful: "Ma giati den tros?", which means "why don't you eat"? they usally ask this question after you have eaten an elephant and three goats etc! My mother is very good at doing this!
Speaking of Greek time... A friend (His father came from Greece as a teen) married a Spanish lass... I asked her if she'd introduced Chris to the concept of "manana" (in Australian, "Eh tomorrow will do")... "No, he hasn't come up with anything that urgent yet!"
Just got back from a trip to Italy, with a one night stay in Athens. We loved Greece and definitely want to explore more of it. We wished we did a second night there but only so much you can cram into one trip.
Mason Brooks wife and I did a week in Rome. Was amazing! I could live there. If you go there stay at hotel ISA. Great location to getting around to the sites. It’s not city center tourist and crazy but perfect. Eat breakfast on the terrace over looking the Vatican. Will be going back
Greece is the most beautiful country in the world. Literally! Everything is amazingly perfect!!! The foods ( oh my gosh, you cannot stop eating) , the seas ( unbelievable! So clean and blue. I mean really blue. They have clear turquoise water, and light blue,deep blue, all blues,clear, like glass. Everything!). The people are so friendly and the weather fantastic. Don’t forget to visit the ruins ( Acropolis is not the only one. So many thousands of years before Acropolis). Greeks are the first to create ruins and statues and all that ,which are perfection! The history is soooooo interesting and fascinating! You can not believe up to where Greece was. And definitely eat Souvlaki( the birthplace of real Souvlaki) with gyros,or meat cebab sticks,how they used to do it in 2500 BC. I was amazed by the ancient Greeks and Greeks in general. And they really do how to enjoy life.
We just cruised the Greek islands this mid October, no need for sun block then! But it was still warm, mid to upper 70s - low 80s, and the Mediterranean was fantastic! My first time swimming in the same sea (Rhodes) as so many ancient peoples did! It was truly very exciting for me!! The best fried calimari we ever had was at that little restaurant on Santorini, practically right under the cable cars right on the bay! Huge portion, and cheap too!
@@meowBlitz the word is just σιγά =siga that means slow or slowly not siga -siga ,double siga is just a phrase not a word i think ! For example slowly slowly = siga siga so simple man 😉
Omg! Wolter! My son and I just got back from there (14 days in September) and your info was SPOT ON! We said the thank you's and the greetings as much as possible while there and boy did we EVER get the royal treatment! The Greeks even asked my son if he was Greek (1/4 %) and I am half. The hospitality is AMAZING! And yes...prepare to WAIT for your bill! I can't wait to visit this beautiful country again...and again! Yiamas!!!!
Such a beautiful and informative 'tour'. I have travelled to quite a few places in my life time and Greece is one of the best countries to live in. Where does one begin, the months of sunshine, the historical ruins/ sights, the crystal clear waters, the rich history and culture and last but not least,,,,the delicious food which is to die for!. Bottom line , Greece is Life!!!
Crete is one of the most beautiful country's and places in the world. I definitely want to to Greece 🇬🇷. I got back last night after a week's holiday in Agios Nikolaos Thalassa Villas. I never ever want to stop going to Crete. I so want to live out here but right now I got less than 3 hours sleep so I'm completely jetlagged. Never been jetlagged before but I feel so tired. Great videos keep it up Parekelo.
I've been to several places in Greece and absolutely love them all. And you are right about the food. Amazing! The Greek people I met were all wonderful too. Such a wonderful country
Just do a reasearch before you come. Santorini is one of the most well known, but literally too many other places are at least equal and cheaper all around. Try Parga, Kephalonia, islands on the western side, Ionion Sea. Or Nafplio and most importantly, Halkidiki ( the 3-legged thing in Northern Greece which has the best beaches but cost much less ).
Thank you so much for this video. We are in Greece at the end of our 17 night adventure. It helped prepare us for things we would not have expected. Love your style. Thanks again!
I'm Greek. Thanks Walter that was nice. You actually got to explain some weird stuff and turned them around cause really this is just our culture. The one thats really bad especially for safety are the unfinished buildings
Mate you start the video with my hometown Agios Nikolaos. I was so surprised and happy to see that. I hope you had great holidays. Greetings from Crete. 🔵⚪⚫
Greece is amazing and I would love to go back! Met a older gentleman on the train who owned a olive farm on Crete. Unfortunately, my trip was too short to be able to go visit. Next time I'll definitely rent a car to get around outside of Athens. Would love to visit the villages/towns of my great grandparents.
I got an international driver’s license because I planned to get a car on Santorini at the very least. That plan went out the window once I saw how they drove in Athens. 😂
I'll probably never make it to Greece unfortunately, but I do love your enthusiasm and insights into another culture. Vicarious travel, not as good as actually going there, but fun in its own way.
Nice video. Everything Mark Wolters says is true far beyond stereotypes (stereotype is a Greek word - στερεοτυπο-) lol. As a Greek I advise northern tourists who don't like to get burnt and get that "red" shock, to visit Greece now or in Spring, it is much better, not so many tourists, not so much heat.
Smoking has become less frequent over the past few years and the new government is enforcing the anti-smoking laws, so it’s easier to enjoy the amazing food and views. Thanks for a great vid.
Like who? The anarchists and the far-leftists that have destroyed Athens and Exarchia and occupie peoples properties because reasons? Don't missinform.
@@mitsvanmitsvanio6106 Do you even live in Greece? Yeah and the countless others that have never vandalised anything and just walk around in the damn center of Athens :)
@@mitsvanmitsvanio6106 You live in another country then man. If you think that police raids in bars putting guns on random peoples heads partying or invading our houses and and beating us because we don't "comply" is a good and normal thing you're part of everything thats wrong with this world :)
Thanks for promoting Greece!!! 2 tips try cold coffees like "freddo esspreso" and "freddo cappuccino" I usually cant find them in other countries and eat "papadopoulou" and "7 days" sweets from mini markets they are delicious
Thank you for all the good words you said about Greece and the Greeks, there are some bad ones but let's not mention them right now.... Greetings from Thessaloniki.
Nice video, with lots of sense of humor that points out our daily reality! We do have many defaults that we truly need to work on, but we also have many qualities! Now, if you think we're late in our appointments or meetings, you definitely don't know Brazilians! Pure dispair and frustration! Ευχαριστούμε πολύ! :)
Come to Greece , drink raki and ouzo get drunk , stay up late,get a bit red by the sun tourists love it by the way the change of their skin colour (greek yogurt is perfect for the burned skin and is also a tradition here😅)Thank you for this video!🙏💙
So, I'm flipping through videos on RU-vid and up comes this well fed, a bit red on the face guy with a respectable beard who is about to tell me the ten things that will shock a tourist when they visit my country! Of course I lend him my ear! Then I see and hear you, my friend! And your smile puts me at ease. And I know these shocks you forementioned, will not be bad ones. It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear a non Greek speak with such warmth about my country. And "thank you" is but the least I could say to you, Mark, for your kind words! We Greeks love the land of our fathers but being that we are here every day the Acropolis, for example, is kind of usual for us. We live among the history the tourists come from far away to see. It is part of our everyday life, therefore we tend to notice the bad more often than the good. These words, coming from a visitor, are a good reminder of the amazing little corner of the planet we call home! We are what you describe and appreciate the fact that people notice but not everything is perfect of course! We have our sour spots too but I think an overwhelmingly powerful feeling of Filoxenia, ("filo"-friend and "xenia" from xenos-stranger, foreigner) comes over us when a stranger seeks to befriend us that makes all the difference! We love to learn about your culture and teach you ours! We love to tell you about our grandfathers the way it was, the way we all hide a little Ulisses inside us! We love to philosophise, converse, to drink with you! Some times, we'll even fight you for the check at the taverna! So come to Greece! Tourism is 1/5 of our GNP so yes, it puts money in our pockets. Yet, somehow, it's not about that. Outside the big cities, you will rarely feel like a tourist here! Because we do really love to have you! It's just our nature!
You did a very good job with this. I'll only say that in heavily touristed areas, the shopkeepers are not like most shopkeepers in Greece. They're brusque. Also, when Greeks sound like they're angry and yelling at each other and speaking a mile a minute, they're not yelling at each other at all. Unless it is really really loud.
I love Greece. Could go live there. My "shock" was that the vast majority of Greeks I met knew little of their own heritage. It was as if I had more knowledge of their past and its critical meaning that they did. As if they just took it for granted? That was the shock. Regardless, I love going there. Met many friends and we always hook up when I go there. And I love greek time. 😍
Most of the elderly don't remember much about it, because they've experienced wars and had to cut school at a young age to help their parents at work. Most of the teenagers have developed a "fatigue" that drags on until mid20s, because here in Greece when we are young and at school we visit historic sights with school, other historic sights with our family during weekends and probably even more with family during vacations. You can never visit every sight with ruins open to the public, because there are too many and that means you can never know everything about greek history. And although many sights have interconnected history, every sight has its own unique history, too and those with interconnected history might be 350km apart because ancient greek colonies. Also, there is the possibility that if you haven't visited this ruin, you probably have visited the one 20km away. If I remember correctly, Greece is the country with the most historic sights per capita. Nevertheless, as we grow older we try to catch up with our historic memory and also expand our knowledge. It helps even more when we have children, because as they grow up we revisit memories, places etc. We' re not indifferent, it's just life!
EconMan - Glad you love Greece. Well, there are travel guides, who get paid, to explain to tourists the history behind every site in Greece and with whom to have interesting conversations. They also speak many languages. That said most Greeks know of their rich history and proud heritage but recently their memories have become short, focusing only on how today will go and what tomorrow will bring... That debt crisis wore them all out!
When you’re ravaged by war, displacement, occupation for centuries, and a vast amount of your cultural legacy is being shipped to western museums with stable institutions to study them, and then you have to take on the worlds immingrants on top of austerities... yeah you’re a little too busy to learn everything about Zeus.
@@007lamiss I so get your point. But I wasn't talking about their contribution to mythology, but to humanity. I'm talking about those guys who pretty much taught everyone on the planet now who currently systematically thinks, how to think. If forced to pick the single most significant country to have ever existed -- it's Greece hands down. That is what the Greeks have lost. That emotional understanding of their own significance. Where is their Socrates today? Indeed, when I was there, I attended a play of the same name "Where is Socrates Now?" I don't believe you would have joined the EU had they en mass remembered this.
One shock you might get here in Crete if you arrange your vacation really really early, is swimming or going to the beach and its 25 degrees outside but in the far distance you see the mountains filled with snow on them... Crete (and many other islands of Greece) are like that, they combine all weathers and all climates, you might stay in Crete for an entire year and experience all possible climates you can think of.
