All is not well in Paradise
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BRENDA WEBB visits Kalymnos, one of Greece's less-accessible islands, and discovers the global economic downturn has arrived there.
It's 7 o'clock on a warm Mediterranean evening yet we're the only ones at a waterfront taverna in beautiful Vathi on the stunning Greek island of Kalymnos.
A few locals are playing backgammon, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee at a taverna next door, but there are no tourists.
At the quay, six yachts are tied up but, like us, their crew are budget cruisers who tend to eat and drink on board most of the time.
We're only here for an aperitif, despite the enticing aroma of lamb roasting on a spit and fresh fish grilling on the barbecue.
Stavros, our friendly and informative waiter, tells us that last May there were many independent travellers and a group of 75 Australians. That made the tavernas and pensions hum and their owners smile, but now they're frowning and hoping that June, July and August will be better.
But with people generally reluctant to travel, that's unlikely and worrying for the islanders, who rely on tourism to survive.
Stavros feels the only way forward is for tourism operators to drop prices to meet the market, but he says the Greeks are reluctant to do so.
A Greek Australian his parents were from Kalymnos, but he was raised in Australia he returned to the island paradise in 1986.
His cheery Aussie accent and friendly manner is a drawcard for English-speaking visitors and the only reason we are enjoying ouzo and octopus (a culinary sensation) at the taverna.
We met him earlier during a walk through the town and he insisted we swing by later for a drink. We did and he repaid the favour by giving us the octopus for free, along with a bagful of the most delicious home-produced olives we've had in Greece.
In recent years, Stavros has seen the island's population plummet and he's even sent his own children back to Australia to be educated rather than stay on Kalymnos, where opportunities are limited for the young.
Everywhere on the island are abandoned houses a sad sign of the times and an indication that many locals are choosing to leave for more prosperous destinations such as Athens or Australia.
Kalymnos has an uphill battle. Other Greek islands such as Mykonos, Santorini and Hydra, on the well-beaten tourist trail, attract wealthy, discerning travellers as well as a continual flow of big-spending superyachts and cruise ships.
Rhodes, Crete, Corfu and Kalymnos' close neighbour, Kos, appeal to the package-tourism market and thousands of low-budget holidaymakers flock there, arriving on direct charter flights from European cities.
Kalymnos relies heavily on independent travellers. It doesn't have an operational airport and it's a 12-hour ferry ride from Athens, so takes some effort to get to.
But it is all worthwhile. The island is stupendously beautiful there are rugged mountains, fjord-like inlets, picturesque towns, pristine waters and lush and fertile valleys full of market gardens and citrus and olive groves.
Its port town is a horseshoe-shaped bay with neoclassical, pastel-hued houses clinging to the hillside. Many of those houses are shades of blue, harking to the days of the Italian occupation during World War II when the islanders showed their patriotism by painting their houses, shutters and doors in the national colour.
The waterfront is a delightful mix of colourful fishing boats, vegetable and fruit stalls, and the foreshore is cluttered with fishermen mending their nets.
Tavernas lining the waterfront serve up delicious fresh fish for which the island is renowned. However, when we visit, many are quiet.
The resort areas of Myrties, Masouri and Armeous are slightly busier, but nowhere near as busy as Kos, from where we have come. Many English holidaymakers this year are opting for all-in-one package deals including direct flights to destinations such as Kos, or avoiding the eurozone altogether and heading for Morocco, Turkey or Egypt, where their pound goes much further.
In Turkey, two can eat out well for $20 in Greece it's $40. A pretty bad cappuccino is $2 in Turkey an equally bad one is $7 in Greece. Even fresh fruit and vegetables are double the price in Greece.
The one ace Kalymnos has up its sleeve is its fantastic landscape that attracts rock climbers from around the world. Its precipitous cliffs are regarded as a mecca for rock climbers, offering seriously challenging extreme sport.
The country has a chequered past, including an unhappy Italian occupation during World War II.
In its headiest days, it was the prosperous sponge-diving capital of the Mediterranean until that industry collapsed.
Islanders then turned themselves to tourism, but have struggled to attract the numbers this beautiful island deserves.
We loved our time in Vathi, where we swam in the turquoise waters, walked the precipitous slopes exploring ancient Byzantine and early Christian churches, biked through the lush valleys and wandered through tiny villages.
We hope others discover this gorgeous island, so that its future is assured.
- The Marlborough Express
