Trains in general are poor in Greece. I usually travel second class on European trains but in Greece I go first. Even that is no treat, particularly on the shorter runs. Buses are somewhat better but roads are so poor that these too are no treat. Driving to Greece is absolutely not recommended. Greek roads are poor enough but Yugoslavia ones are unbelievably bad especially in the Eastern parts of the country. Best bet, probably, if you have your own car and want to take it to Greece would be to drive down to Brindisi, Italy, and ferry it over to Corfu. § THE GREEKS. The Greeks will tell you that everyone in Greece would like to immigrate to the United States, including the king. And they aren't joking. I doubt that there is a family in Greece that doesn't have more than one close relative in the United States. It is a regular tradition with them to go to America, make their fortunes, and possibly even take out citizenship and then to return to their own country in their old age to live out their lives. A fortune to a Greek can be pretty small potatoes since even a Social Security pension is a lot of money in Greece. I knew quite a few women in Rhodes whose husbands had gone to the United States figuring on staying twenty or thirty years and then returning. The wives were patiently sitting out the time. Each month a check would come from America to keep them and the children. With all this it becomes obvious that America and Americans are well known and well liked by the Greeks. A great deal of English is spoken and you have no difficulty in making your wants known. This is one country in which it seems almost impossible to learn even the few words needed for shopping and the conduct of every day life, but it's not too necessary to attempt to learn Greek since so many of the people speak your language. MONEY. One hundred lepta make one drachma and a drachma is worth almost exactly 31/3. Coins run from 5 lepta to 5 drachma and banknotes go up to 1,000 drachma.
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