IOS PREPARES FOR 2008 SEASON

BUSINESS OWNERS AND ISLAND RESIDENTS ALIKE PREPARE FOR A BUSY SEASON AFTER SUFFERING LOSSES FROM SLOW SUMMER SEASONS DUE TO THE POST 9/11 TOURIST DEPRESSION AS WELL AS THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES AND 2006 WORLD CUP.

YOU’D FIGURE THAT SINCE THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES WHERE HELD IN THE GREEK CAPITAL OF ATHENS, IOS SHOULD HAVE MADE PLENTY OF CASH..RIGHT? WRONG. A MAJORITY OF OLYMPIC SPECTATORS WERE EITHER FAMILY OF THE ATHLETES OR JOURNALIST REPORTING ON THE GAMES. UNLIKE THE USUAL TOURIST WHO VISITS GREECE, THEY SKIPPED THE BEAUTIFUL GREEK ISLES AND WENT BACK HOME.

TO TOP IT OFF, ALL OF THE USUAL VISITORS WHO CAME TO IOS YEAR AFTER YEAR WERE AFRAID OF THE OVERWHELMING CROWDS, THE HIGH PRICES, AND THE THREAT OF TERRORISM THAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT FROM THE FIRST GAMES SINCE THE SEPTEMBER 11TH BOMBINGS. WELL, ON ALL OF THE ISLANDS, THERE WERE NO CROWDS, NO HIGH PRICES, AND NO TERRORIST ACTS EVER MATERIALIZED.

MANY CLUB OWNERS WERE DEVASTATED BY THE RIDICULOUSLY LOW NUMBER OF TOURISTS. SOME THREW IN THE TOWEL AND WENT BROKE. THEY WERE HOPING THE 2004 SEASON WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST SEASON EVER. SOME NIGHTCLUBS GOT SO DESPERATE FOR CUSTOMERS THAT THEY PRACTICALLY GAVE DRINKS OUT FOR FREE.

THE 2005 SEASON WAS MUCH BETTER AS PEOPLE WHO WATCHED THE GAMES ON TV DURING THE 2004 SUMMER NOW WANTED TO CHECK OUT THIS ANCIENT LAND AND IT’S HAPPENING ISLANDS.

BUT THE 2006 SEASON TOOK A SLIGHT DIP THAT WAS NOT AS BAD AS THE 2004 SEASON BUT NOT AS GOOD AS 2005. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE USUAL VISITORS WHO COME EVERY YEAR WENT TO GERMANY INSTEAD TO WATCH THE WORLD CUP.

WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS SEASON..THERE IS NO OLYMPICS IN EUROPE, NO WORLD CUP (THOUGH THERE IS THE EURO CUP) AND THE HOTELS ON IOS ISLAND ARE REPORTING UNUSUALLY EARLY RESERVATIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE PUBLICITY FROM THE OLYMPICS IS REALLY GOING TO PAY OFF.

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF SEEING HOTELS WITH NO OCCUPANCY SIGNS OR HIGHER PRICES FOR ROOMS, FOOD, DRINK, ETC. IOS IS STILL ONE OF THE LEAST COSTLIEST ISLANDS AND HAS ALSO BUILT MANY NEW HOTELS.

FRENCH DEEMED WORST TOURIST

It's a debate that will never be definitively decided, but for the time being, the French are officially the worst tourists in Europe according to a 2007 survey of 15,000 European hoteliers.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the same survey has determined that the very best tourists are the Japanese. Americans, despite the bad rap they usually receive, were deemed the second best--although this was a hollow victory as the Americans were also voted the worst dressed tourists according to the same survey. But everyone loves a big tipper and the Americans always tip big when they come to Ios!!

The five worst tourists according to the survey come from the following countries:

1. France
2. India
3. China
4. Russia
5. Britain

PS: The Brits on Ios rock!!

DRUGS AND IOS

MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO IOS WONDER IF THE RUMOURS OF IT BEING A WILD AND CRAZY PARTY ISLAND ARE TRUE. WELL, IT IS DEFINITELY A PARTY ISLAND BUT DUE TO THE CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL DRUGS MANY YEARS AGO...IOS WENT FROM AN ISLAND WITH DRUGS SOMEWHAT AVAILABLE TO A PLACE THAT IS ALMOST TOTALLY DRY OF ANY PILLS, POT, OR POWDER. EXCEPT FOR THE TOURISTS WHO RISK SMUGGLING IN STUFF THEMSELVES; MANY PARTIERS ON THE ISLAND HAVE TO STICK TO ALCOHOL TO GET WASTED. HERE IS AN EXERPT FROM NORML.ORG:

Greek law makes no distinction between hard and soft drugs, although an interesting distinction that the law does make is between addicts and non-addicts. Drug use is only an offense when the user is a non-addict. Addicts obtaining drugs for personal use are compelled to treatment. An addict is defined as "any person who, having succumbed to the habit of drug use, is incapable of overcoming it without the help of specialized therapy." A specialist is enlisted by the court to draw up a report on anyone accused of or claiming to be an addict. Dependent users cannot be criminally prosecuted, but they are mandated to treatment for up to one year at a detoxification center. Non-addicts acquiring drugs for personal use is a crime punishable by two to five years of prison. The length of the sentence depends on the amount of drugs obtained and/or possessed. Possession by non-addicts with a view to use is not a specific offense, but it is covered indirectly under the laws of acquisition. Trafficking through negligence results in up to one year imprisonment while trafficking given aggravating circumstances carries a penalty of up to eight years in prison.

SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER YOU CAN GO TO JAIL JUST FOR SMOKING A SPLIFF WITH YOUR MATES. I RECOMMEND THAT YOU STAY CLEAN WHILE YOU ARE IN GREECE. BUT IF YOU HAVE TO DO DOPE, PLEASE TRY AND KEEP IT OUT OF VIEW. I SEEN SOME KIDS SMOKING POT AT FAR OUT BEACH IN FRONT OF EVERYONE WITH BIG, DUMB SMILES ON THEIR FACES. LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THAT AN UNDERCOVER COP THAT LOOKED LIKE A 17 YEAR OLD BUSTED SOME BLOKE DOING THE SAME THING THE WEEK BEFORE AND THEN RAIDED HIS ROOM AND CONFISCATED A WHOLE KILO OF LOW GRADE SMOKE.

IF YOU SMOKE POT, DO IT ON YOUR BALCONY OR EVEN BETTER INSIDE YOUR ROOM. CHANCES ARE, THE HOTEL OWNER WANTS YOU TO HAVE FUN AND WILL NOT SNITCH ON HIS CUSTOMERS ANYWAY.

IF YOU DO HARDER DRUGS, MAKE SURE YOU DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND HAVE THE EMERGENCY ROOM PHONE NUMBER ON YOU AS WELL. TRY NOT TO CARRY STUFF AROUND THE ISLAND AS YOU PARTY. BELIEVE ME, THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS CALL YOUR PARENTS TO TELL THEM YOU ARE SPENDING THE REST OF YOUR VACATION IN JAIL. REMEMBER, UNDERCOVERS AND THEIR INFORMANTS ARE ON THE PROWL.

IOS COUGH: FACT OR FICTION?

MANY PEOPLE COME TO IOS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO EITHER PARTY OR TO WORK ON THE ISLAND AND PARTY. THE ONES THAT COME TO WORK USUALLY STAY ON THE ISLAND FOR 4 TO 12 WEEKS. IT’S FUNNY HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE DEVELOP A COUGH AFTER ABOUT 3 WEEKS OR SO. EVERY ONE SEEMS TO KNOW ABOUT THE INFAMOUS “IOS COUGH”.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BACTERIA SOUP MANY BARS WASH THEIR GLASSES IN. ONCE AGAIN, RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTCLUBS ON IOS WASH THEIR DISHES AND GLASSES IN STEAMING HOT DISHWASHERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR CUSTOMERS DO NOT CATCH A BUG. BUT MANY BARS IN THE VILLAGE PRACTICE THE AGE OLD PRACTICE OF WASHING THEIR GLASSES IN COLD, SOAPY WATER OUT OF A BUCKET WITH BRISTLES. NOT ALL OF THEM BUT MANY OF THEM.

IF YOU SUSPECT THAT A BAR YOU ARE VISITING DOES NOT HAVE A DISH WASHING MACHINE, I RECOMMEND STICKING TO BOTTLES OF YOUR FAVORITE BEER OR BREEZER RATHER THAN DRINKING OUT OF THEIR GLASSES. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!!

ALCOHOL OR GASOLINE?

HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO A NIGHTCLUB OR BAR AND HAD A FEW DRINKS ONLY TO WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING WITH THE FEELING LIKE YOU WERE POISONED? WELL, ON IOS SOME OF THE BUSINESS’ THAT SELL ALCOHOL EITHER SUBSTITUTE THE GOOD STUFF WITH CHEAP WELL BOOZE OR POSSIBLY EVEN HOME MADE MOONSHINE.

THE AVERAGE PERSON CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. A GOOD WAY TO GET THE GOOD STUFF IS TO INSIST THE OWNER OR MANAGER HAS A SHOT WITH YOU. IF HE PULLS THE BOTTLE THAT IS BEHIND THE FIRST BOTTLE, THEN CHANCES ARE THE BOTTLE THAT WAS IN FRONT OF THAT ONE WAS THE CHEAP STUFF. USUALLY IT IS THE SMALL BARS THAT DO THAT. THEY WOULD RATHER MAKE A QUICK EURO OR TWO OFF OF UNSUSPECTING TOURISTS RATHER THAN TRY FOR RETURN CUSTOMERS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE BIGGER NIGHTCLUBS ON THE MAIN ROAD ALREADY MAKE MONEY AND WOULD RATHER GIVE YOU THE GOOD STUFF SO YOU COME BACK AGAIN EVERY NIGHT. IN OTHER WORDS, TO MAKE A FEW EXTRA EUROS, SOME PEOPLE DO NOT CARE IF YOU ARE TOO SICK TO PARTY THE NEXT DAY.

ANOTHER THING TO WATCH OUT FOR IS BOTTLED WATER. I WENT TO SCORPIONS 5 YEARS AGO AND THEY PRETENDED TO OPEN A FRESH SMALL BOTTLE OF WATER FOR ME. ACTUALLY, I NOTICED THAT AND ASKED FOR AN UPOPENED ONE. HE ADMITTED TO ME THAT THEY RAN OUT AND HAD TO FILL EMPTY BOTTLES WITH TAP WATER. I WAS WASTED AND JUST LAUGHED. BUT THE NEXT DAY I WAS WONDERING WHO DRANK THOSE BOTTLES BEFORE THEY WERE REFILLED. IF YOU ARE BUYING WATER, INSIST ON A FRESH BOTTLE.