Greek August! Ripe sweet fruit, hot air, cool sea and everyone is on vacation!
Except, if I believe what I read in media and the internet, half of Greek families cannot afford a vacation. Taking into account all expenses; gasoline and tolls for the car, ferryboat tickets, hotel/Airbnb and eating out, vacation is beyond the means of the average Greek family of four.
Is this a new phenomenon? Growing up in a working-class family in the 1960s and 1970s I only remember two times when my family vacationed (I do not count a few times when we visited my grandmother in the village). Nevertheless, things have changed for the best and so has the standard of living for Greek families as well as their needs or wants. Is there something that can be done?
I hear that the solution is government intervention. Maybe it is the answer, but I am not sure. Can the government dictate the ticket price of ferry boats? Can it impose a ceiling on gas prices? I doubt it. What if the Greeks refuse to take vacation and stay home; will that force hotels and tavernas to lower their price? That would be an interesting experiment, but I don’t see how such a massive “strike” can be coordinated.
A more practical suggestion I heard calls for Greeks to avoid the more popular islands, indeed avoid islands altogether, in favor of vacationing on the mainland. Some even suggest avoiding the more touristy parts of mainland in favor of out-of-the-way places. I find this suggestion practical. Greece is blessed with beautiful coastline, for those who like the sea, and majestic cool mountains for those who prefer them. A family will avoid the ferryboat expense and can even find cheaper accommodations.
