Navarino dreams

By the beach of our hotel

Place: MESSINIA

As I write this, the peak tourist season is just beginning in Greece. A country riddled with economic crisis, Greece nevertheless is the amongst the top choices to visit for many around the world. Tourism contributes about 15% of its GDP. Yet when I went last October, every person we spoke to was a little down, unsure of how they would sustain themselves. The intervening winter has only helped in minute doses. Somehow, I found Greece itself will have to shake things up a little. Wherever we did go, in Athens, or beyond, people are clearly worried – at the Plaka bars, in souvenir stores, by the Acropolis, cabbies in their taksis, in hotels – and it was a bit of a dampener.

Part of the common area between the hotels.
On the left is a restaurant

It is such a beautiful country, and I was fortunate to experience the countryside as well due a longish drive, and every nook and cranny seemed alive to possibilities of people wanting to come and spend time to relax. With its sumptuous offering of world shaping history, ancient cities, exotic architecture, pristine beaches, magical islands, Med cuisine - the landscape is just what the traveler wants. It would be shame if it fell into disarray due to economic hardships.

Here are a few pics of a brief but extremely enjoyable stay at Costa Navarino, the new luxury resort that has been highly recommended by travel experts and might just be able to energize tourism into Europe again. Unfortunately I lost my camera midway, so no pics of Athens, but of course I am really glad to have seen it. Hope many more see it this season, contributing in their own way to reviving the economy, and bringing some smiles back.