Evening star., 1938-02-20
GREECE ISLAND
Of CHEAP TRAVEL
Prices Low, but Too Much
Economy Might Bring Shock
to SenSibiIitieS.
BY LOUISE CRUICE.

BY LOUISE CRUICE.
Greece is to many like CarcaSsonne
IN the poem, place where one longs
to visit bat knows he shall never see.
Both distance and finances seem in
superable obstacles, though as mat
ter of fact neither one should keep
one from his hearts desire. 1t is pos
sible to get inexpensive transportation
directly to the Piraeus, the port of
Athens, and Athens is unquestionably
one of the cheapest capital cities in the
world. As March. April and May are
the perfect months for Greece anyone
with time for holiday might well
consider it.
Here word of warning would not
come amiss Greece Is country
where the cost of living is low. The
traveller can wander there at small
expense, but a too great effort at
economy is unWise. In Athens the
pensions cannot be recommended.
There are two excellent hotels there
where one can get room and board
Tor far less than in the de luxe hotels
of Paris, London or New York.
If one must economize the thing to
DO Is to take room at one of the
second-grade hotels where often only
breakfast is provided and get luncheon
and dinner at the restaurants about
town. There are many of these rang
Ing from the dining rooms of the best
hotels to the tavernas.
Amusing Place to Eat.
A taverna is very amusing little
eating place. catering to the plain
people. AS one enters the larder is
spread out before the patron-meat,
fish, vegetables and fruit-and he Sc
lects the viands he wants the cook to
prepare. Anyone who is an enthusiast
for local color should take some meals
In taverna, but few Americans would
care to eat in one daily as they would
md the food much too exotic There
are other restaurants, however, where
the menus are based more on French
dishes. though one must add in hon.
esty they are obviously not cooked by
a French chef. Nor is the service
French. The tablecloths are often
spotty and the walters none too clean.
There is one restaurant possibly there
are a few others) where everything
Is spotless, and if the prices here are
a little higher the average American
nnds it worth the difference Even
here one can get lunch and dinner
with wine included for approximately
$1.50, so it is evident that the charges
are not exorbitant.
Greek wine. If not resinated, is pala-
table. Resin is added as preservative,
and in the course of years the Greeks
have learned to enjoy the favor, and
SO do some foreigners. 1t is possible to
get wine without it and most Ameri-
cans prefer it that way A very good
white wine may be bought for about
Is cents quart, and good Greek
brandy can be had by the glass for 6
to IL cents. Wines. meals and room
with bath included. it is possible to
live comfortably in Athens for $3.50 a
day.
Travelling in Greece even 10 years
ago used to be real adventure, but
the roads are being steadily improved
and conditions generally are becom-
ing better. The trains, from the
American point Of view, are very slow,
but. on the other hand, cars for long
motor trips may be hired reasonably.
Plenty of Atmosphere.
No one who is in the least adyen-
turous should miss trip by bus. He
will probably have to get up very early
to catch it. his fellow passenger may
have pair Of live hens in a basket
under his feet, and he may sit for
hours IN an atmosphere of garlic, but
these slight discomforts will be more
than offset by the advantages. He will
OF course. be seeing the marvellous
beauty OF the Greek countryside at a
Hdiculously low cost, and his fellow
passengers will be never ending sources
OF entertainment.
There is sure to be among them 4
Greek just returned from New York
or Chicago, speaking fluent American
and a little patronizing about his
mother country, who will gladly act as
interpreter. Also the passengers will
probably sing, endless Greek songs, the
verse chanted by the driver, the re-
frain shouted by every one else in the
bus. And If the driver falls silent at
precipitous bits Of the road one of his
fares will take up the strain and the
music will 60 on. The melodies are
fascinating, quite unlike our harmony,
with queer minor chords and cadences.
not unlike Chinese music, and Ger
tainly Oriental in character.
One of the best of the bus trims is
. from Athens to Delphi, which takes
about six hours. The little hotel there
Is clean. and the meals, though not
luxurious, are perfectly adequate. If
the weather is cool it is well to engage
room on the first floor, as only this
part of the hotel is heated. The mat
tresses are about inch thick, and
the pillows seem to be made of felt.
Kind OF bedding apparently dear to
the Greeks, who at least in their
sleeping arrangements still have a
trace OF Spartan blood. The writer
had been warned that bedbugs were
prevalent in Greece, but this is not
true. Fleas there probably are. as
A.. they prevail over all the Mediter.
ranean seaboard, and a springtime
traveller should be prepared for these.