To think some holiday makers in Greece are odd?

[authcodehobby]

I’ve been on my first holiday in Greece and it was lovely. Absolutely beautiful country and it was great to just spend a week relaxing. We stayed in a little self catering apartment with a shared pool, bar etc between apartments and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Some of the other holiday makers seemed absolutely obsessed with being ‘friends’ with the owners though. Conversations in the pool were all about ‘well I’ve known Jack (the owner) for 10 years now, he looks forward to me coming every year’, which is responded to with ‘oh well I’ve been coming since 2001 so obviously I know all of Jack’s family and they invite me out for drinks’ etc etc. All in competition to let everyone know how close they are to the owner.

Poor Jack was being asked by one woman if he remembered when her friend Sandra visited in 2005 or whatever. He clearly couldn’t.

It’s great for the resort that people think they’re their friends, but why can’t people see that, to the owner, most will be like any other customer, here today and replaced by others next week who will also think they’re best friends with Jack and family?

My friend holidays at another Greek island and never tires of telling us about Eli’s bar and how good friends she is with Eli and I’ve always wondered if she believes it but thought it was just her, but it seems not.

AIBU to think it’s really odd that people believe that people they see once a year who rely on their custom are their friends?

We just came back from Corfu and found the restaurant staff to be very friendly, but it was generally the men that were pleasant. Many of the women we encountered in shops and particularly at the airport were downright rude and you were made to feel as though you were an inconvenience.

I regularly go to lanzarote and have always found the local there to be very friendly and hospitable to tourists.

I love Greece and have been to the same place a few times because I want a relaxing holiday, beautiful setting, amazing friendly service... and I know that's what I'll get. Before finding this place I'd shudder at the thought of repeating a holiday but it is perfect. So why waste time off work and £££££ just for the sake of going somewhere different. Sometimes you just want to destress.

CtrlCandCtrlV

I can understand people falling in love with an area and buying a holiday property there, or just spending a few months at a time. It's a bit different from the people who send their 2 weeks abroad a year in the same place, at the same time, booking the same sun lounger every single year grin

It doesn't hurt anyone, it's just funny.

I don't know..We certainly couldn't afford to either buy a holiday home or go there for a few months (who could get the time off work?!).. we'll just have to stick with our couple of weeks and be "funny". Never knowingly sat on the same sun lounger though, and do different things every time we go. Ziplining this year and the naturist beach. No naked ziplining though. "shivers at the thought"

I'm actually on holiday in Kos at the moment, and we are staying at the same place for the second year in a row. We've never gone back to the same place twice before but we came here with our 3 kids last year, and they loved it. Our dd is severely autistic and so thought it made sense to go back somewhere she knew and liked. When we got here and checked in we heard someone call our names out - a lovely couple we met here last year! Everyone we've spoken to has been here before. It's not that they consider the owners 'friends ' (although that is how they make you feel )
It's just a lovely, family friendly place to stay. The Greeks are very appreciative of you visiting their home and shop owners have recognised us this year from last year. We won't come here every year but my mum and her husband have been coming here for 9 years now and actually got invited to the owners sons wedding a few years ago and a family christening this year! (They are here with us)
I don't think it's weird at all.

Limpo - having lived in the US for years, I find it hard to believe you got good food at a Wendy’s 😂

I don't think it's any different to people who say things like "people are much friendlier up north" to be honest.

I think if you are friendly and chatty to people anywhere in the world they will reciprocate in kind.

We've been going back to the same place in Greece on and off for years. We stay in a small family run hotel, and most of the staff, and guests for that matter, have been there/going there as long as we have.

It's relaxed and comfortable, which is what we want, and we feel instantly at ease as soon as we step off the plane, let alone when we get to the hotel. We've got to know lots of the bar and restaurant owners as well, who have also been there long term, and who recognise us when we go back, even if we've missed a couple of years and gone elsewhere. We catch up on news about families, what's happening in the village etc., and it makes for a lovely easy holiday.

It may not suit everyone to do what we do (particularly judging by some of the comments on this thread) but it suits us.

Well this has been a very interesting read. Just to be clear, I’m not criticising the Greek people. They mostly were very friendly and I enjoyed it. But it’s the difference between friendly and excellent service and being actual friends. I thought the owners of the bars I drank in were masterful in their ability to give us a free shot one night and probably got in return several extra rounds of drinks when we might have moved on quicker, and he remembered our faces the next night and it was pleasant, but I can’t imagine saying we’d made friends with the bar owner.

He did ask me and my friends who was wearing the Chanel perfume, and as it happened I was and was impressed he recognised the scent. Then 10 minutes later the bar man served us and asked the same thing . Either there are two men who are experts in women’s perfume working in the same bar, or it’s a line to flatter...

I thought the owners of the bars I drank in were masterful in their ability to give us a free shot one night and probably got in return several extra rounds of drinks when we might have moved on quicker.

Maybe, but it's very normal where DH comes from to sit for several hours in the same place having ordered only one coffee or drink, without anyone even asking if you want another. They're not business minded pushy at all. (I don't personally like doing this as I think it's a bit rude, but Greek people are completely comfortable with it, in my experience.)

When we’ve stayed in larger hotels abroad I’ve noticed this. Super friendly bar staff and Brits glued to the bar same time every day. Then one Brit asks the dreaded question “So what do when you go off shift?” Eye contact is always broken and the staff member mumbles about always hurrying back to feed his asphidystra or something vague. So uncomfortable! How can they be so blind as to think that after 8 hours on their feet serving foreign guests, bar staff would jump at the chance to hang out with them in their spare time? Instead of partners, friends or family?
Some people really lack awareness. Don’t get me started on the older men who interpret the polite smile and “interest” of women in service roles as signifying they’ve not lost it yet! This despite the fact that the woman’s demeanour is equally friendly towards female guests/ customers.

I'm one of those people that tends to go and stay at the same place on Crete every year, as well as other places. I'm sat here wondering if any of the other folks who've posted about Crete have stayed at the same place! A lot of their guests are repeat visitors which speaks volumes about the hotel owners. Everyone is treated like family and they can't do enough for you. All the Greeks I know here are the same.

I dont really care what other people think about where I'm going on holiday. It's none of their business! It's my holiday and I'll go where I want!

Limpo - having lived in the US for years, I find it hard to believe you got good food at a Wendy’s

Well you know, im not saying it was haute cuisine or anything. I was crossing the desert and was getting worried about my fuel level and thankfully came across a turn off into this small town so was just grateful to get some fuel, rest for a while and get something to eat before moving on.

Why would "all Greeks be friendly". When I lived there some were and some weren't. The men were friendly because there was very little in the way of romance available unless you wanted to pay for it or provide a dowry and marry.

The economic situation is dire so it is in their best interests to charm the tourists.

Oh god we had this on a holiday in Greece once too. Same kind of set up as you describe. We were only in our 20’s at the time and the other couple were around our own age. I don’t think they left the small apartment complex once. They drank at the bar all day and night and boasted how the family ‘put them in the pot’ for dinner as they knew them so well - they were there the year previous too. They literally didn’t go for one meal out on their holiday.

On the last day they made a big show of presenting flowers etc to the owners with lots of tears and don’t worry we’ll be back again 🙄

‘Congratulations. You are so truly British that you find it hard to believe that other people would learn a second language.’

I speak fluent Greek you numpty. Would you like a conversation in Elinika?

The free drink is a huge part of hospitality (could also be a free desert, usually home made). It’s called ‘kerasma’ and if you don’t get one then your Greek host really didn’t like you!

See, I’m not bothered whether they like me or not. I don’t really want to speak to strangers on holiday other than the polite pleasantries. Hence the eavesdropping on people rather than joining in with the conversations. It was just so strange how almost besotted some of the holiday makers were.

I think part of it is down to bragging rights and ownership, oneupmanship over other regulars iykwim, i.e. more regular than thou therefore we're so much closer to 'the man' we practically are 'the man'. I see the same phenomenon among fans of certain artists and bands I follow; lots of jostling for elbow room re who's in the inner circle, who's the biggest fan by virtue of been to more shows, got more autographs, been backstage, met band members and know the road crew.
People are funny.

ElementalHalfLife

I agree, I have met these types on holiday.

When we arrive on holiday the first day or two can be a little disorientating. Yes it's fun to explore, but just getting your bearings leaves you wandering around feeling a little lost for a bit.
OH and I joke about it- he will be the one to do a " recce" on the first morning, he will come back from a short walk around having found the restaurant, the nearest bus stop, direction to the beach, where the pool toilets are, times for dinner any other information.

Some people like to be "know it alls " though- having been there 5 times before, "friends" with the owner, "knows" all the local restaurants, the best beaches, the best trips.
And usually wastes no time in "helping " other people by sharing this information- who he sees as newbies and wet behind the ears.

Meanwhile he casts himself in a situation of being wise, important, seasoned , popular.

Except everyone can see him as it is- a dickhead.

My friend goes to Greece about four times a year to visit all her Greek friends who she met while on holiday. I often wonder if they're genuinely pleased to see her or think 'oh shit she's here again'
The Greeks are very hospitable people, my friend is very needy.

I often wonder if they're genuinely pleased to see her or think 'oh shit she's here again'

DH and I spoke to a dad in the park once and when he realised DH was Greek, he told us about his honeymoon in Greece, during which he and his DW didn't pay for a single night in a hotel as they had "stayed with locals the whole time!"

We were a bit . How did that work, exactly?

We are friends with various people on a Greek island where we holiday every year. They don't rely on our custom as we don't always stay in the same place, but we always go see them when visiting and we stay in touch via Facebook all year round. I stay in touch with them more than I do with people I know in the UK. I even got a friend request a few days ago from a waiter we met last year and the year before. We have no plans to go back again this year either.