DUTY IN GREECE

[Diana]

Hello All! Greece sounds like a wonderful duty station. Is anyone familiar with the area? Do they speak English off base? Barracks or apartments available? Can you bring a car? How is the food and water and TV? Is it expensive? Anything to beware of? Any must sees on the weekend? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[PhillyBeth]

Hi Diana - you should be excited!

If I'm not mistaken, the Navy base is on the island of Crete on Souda Bay. This link answers a lot of your questions:
http://www.cnic.navy.mil/soudabay/index.htm

We've vacationed in Greece, though not Crete, so I'll take a stab at your questions:

1) English - yes and no. In the touristy areas, and anyplace young people hang out, yes. Other than that it's pretty spotty, much more so than in Italy or France. I would imagine that around the base and in the housing areas plenty of folks speak it well enough.
2) Housing - see link
3) Car - see link. Be aware that gas is like $9 a gallon so if you have a big car it could get expensive fast.
4) Food - If you like grilled chicken, lamb (and goat), fresh cheese and yoghurt, fresh local produce, olives, and wine and some seafood (it's amazingly expensive) you'll do fine. Locals eat a very healthy diet but it may seem strange to some of us.
5) Water - fine. no problems
6) TV - Never watched any - but be ready to get into soccer!
7) Expensive. Yes and no. It's an island so anything that doesn't grow there or is made from local materials is expensive. Based on the markets we saw on the mainland, local produce and wine are very inexpensive.
8) Beware of - Greece is flooded with tourists in the summer so the usual petty crime that comes with crowds will be found. There are likely a few who prey on new sailors as well - your sailor's sponsor will be able to clue him in on what to avoid.
9) Must sees - Some hints at that link. Crete is the home of Knossos, the largest of the Minoan Palaces. The place is absolutely littered with history. From 1800 BC right up to the present. One of my husband's Classics professors used to do a summer program there and still raves about hiking - obviously, the views from the mountains are incredible. Also obviously, there are beaches!

Greece is the birthplace of our civilization - if your sailor has the time and opportunity, nearly every island has a story to tell and he could spend a decade doing nothing but visiting famous spots on the mainland! Heck, just the looking over the sites of famous ancient (let alone medieval and modern) naval battles could take a couple years!

[Diana]

Hello PhillyBeth! Thank you so much for the great information. I appreciate your taking the time to help me.