Many delights await the visitor to the Greek islands. The wonderful light, the emerald seas and densely wooded hillsides have been praised in many a travelogue and tourist brochure.
But there is another side to a country. Until relatively recently the standard of living was well below the European average and the culture shock was significant. In the last 20 years though, and particularly since Greece joined the European Union and, even more importantly ditched the drachma for the euro, things have changed.
Gone are the days when you could dine out for few drachma. Now prices are on a par with the UK. Your room may still be "basic Greek", with little in the way of luxury, but hotels have now gone more up-market and you can expect extras like daily linen changes and air conditioning to be included in the price.
Greeks have faced huge rise in prices themselves. It's a pity perhaps for tourists who remember the good old days of cheap food, cheap wine and cheap rooms. But there's a lot to be said for a little luxury, both for visitors and for the Greeks themselves.
