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Guide to Punting in Greece

2,537 bytes added, 14:38, 19 July 2023
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SOURCES: The major internet resource(s) are in Greek, but can usefully be followed using the Chrome browser with automatic translation. Bourdela.com includes details and ratings for hundreds of brothels and paid sex opportunities. It can be slow on a mobile phone due to the large amount of advertising. There are different English versions of things like street names so you might want a window open with each in Chrome to make sure links work but most will take you to a Googlemaps location. (It's easier to use than it sounds)
GETTING AROUND: For punting in Greece, it is also helpful to have a map (eg Athens) that shows both Greek and English, and at least the Metro stations. The Metro is considered mostly safe apart from pickpockets, easy to use and very cheap. (Buy a single trip bus or Metro ticket from the airport then get a 5-day city pass once in town — covers metro, train, tram and buses and only costs about 8 Euros. ) Technically-minded punters may wish to make a kml (private google map) to navigate locations easily.
COSTS: Greece is thoroughly European but also quite chaotic. Some things are the same price as at home whereas others are ridiculously cheap. Short-time sex is easily among the cheapest in Europe, starting at 10 Euros. Three cambios next to each other (eg next to Omonia station, Athens) can give different exchange rates. Taxis and Ubers are mostly honest and cheap to use just around town. There are express airport buses at Athens' Syntagma Square (6 Euros), or a Metro from the airport (10 Euros), or the standard taxi fare is about 46 Euros (it is quite a long journey from the airport.) Many things, even in shops, are price-negotiable.
LANGUAGE: A lot of signs and street names are in Greek and English, but it will be helpful to know or get an idea of the Greek alphabet, quite straightforward, so you can understand place names in Greek. Street and place names may have more than one English translation. In restaurants, ask for an English menu. Many people speak at least a few words of English. Using a few basic Greek words like Hello (Yassas, or Yassou just to one person), Please (Paraklou) and Thank you (Efkaristo) will be appreciated when getting about. “Nai”, often pronounced “ Neh” means yes, …not No! The word for No is oxi.
WEATHER: It can be ridiculously hot in summer and ridiculously cold in winter. Plan accordingly.
==='''THESSALONIKI'''===
The RLD district, a collection of studios, is centred on the junction of Frixou and Nikiforos Ouranou, and up to Empedokleous. Rates vary from 30 to 40 and above. Haggling down by 10 Euros is possible in some. This is slightly away from the centre. The easiest way to get there is by a No.31 bus, taxi or Uber. Contrary to some reports it is NOT close to the railway station. These are brightly lit, obviously sex establishments with names like Golden Lips. Most are enormous inside but generally only one girl working. (GoogleMaps tends to show both the old and the new railway station: the RLD is close to the old one, but a considerable walk from the new one.) Most Many of the studios are listed on https://findgirls.gr
If you visit at night, the RLD looks hidden from the main road (called 26th October) which is where the bus drops you. The immediate end of Frixou is in darkness but not dangerous. If you try to walk from the SW area along Kolotti, the road off Monostiriou half a mile to the north, you will go through a short unlit road just after McDonalds. Again, safe enough though it looks dodgy.
The SWs, starting from Monastiriou, are few and far between and mostly unattractive. They can be found on the northern half of Kolotti and the roads parallel, as well as Giannitson, which intersects Kolotti.
 
MYTHS: Let’s get rid of a common fairy tale which has been endlessly repeated. It goes along the lines of, “walk directly out the main door of Train station, cross main road outside, turn to your left side, maybe take the first or second turn right after that. From the main road looking down you will see even in the day time some slightly faded Red Lanterns turned on outside some houses. If you walk down the street you can almost follow the circuit of them Clockwise back up to the Train station street where you started.” THAT IS ABSOLUTE BOLLOCKS. The directions probably originated from the time of the old railway stations which, from the train tracks, would have been somewhere to the south and would have been a convoluted way of reaching the Frixou area described above. The present editor checked out the old directions just in case.. out of the main station door and cross the road turning left…brings you to a trio of coffee bars. Then a dirt track leading to nowt but a parking lot. The first road off to the right is Tantalou. Tantalou is a shopping area, nothing that could be a red or white light, on or off. A street that crosses at the right is called Sapfous. No RLD. The second street coming down from the main road is Prometheos. It’s also a shopping street. The area is mostly rebuilt small shops. Nothing special. If you go the end of Tantalou or Prometheos it simply takes you to a main road, Anagennisseos. It’s a main road fenced walled up on one side, shops on the other. A couple of places in a small street called Daimonos did could vaguely be described as a white light over them but they were multi-story occupied by multiple businesses, not PFP. So if you see the above quoted misdirection anywhere, please ignore.
 
STRIP CLUBS: there are many, mostly with a poor reputation and often empty until some sucker walks in. Open at 11pm or, one or two, at 10pm.. Fairly central to the east and south of the station (Rather than the southern tourist district). see GoogleMaps.
Getting around: GoogleMaps is ok but doesn’t seem to give public transport routes. The iPhone Maps app is somewhat better, for routes, not for times. To use a bus, just get on and stick a one euro coin in the machine (it’s actually 90cents but the machine doesn’t give change). It’s an honour system, so try not to look like a cheap tourist over 10 cents. There’s one central street starting as Monastiriou, which runs from the station, and changes its name as it curves round into the middle and lower part of the town. Thessaloniki doesn’t have a proper Metro, but one is being built and is scheduled to be operational some time in 2024.
 
===''SOME OTHER PLACES IN GREECE''===
* '''Thessaloniki:''' others have said try the Kamara district (historic area). The , suggesting ‘white lights’ tend there, tending to be a bit more expensive than Athens. Any personal updates please let me know on the wiki. Vadaris area has also been mentioned for white lights; again walking through this area I’ve seen no evidence of such.
* '''Rhodes:''' about three blocks from Athanasiou Gate.
* '''elsewhere:''' Outside of Athens and Thessalonika, punting opportunities can be sparse or non-existent. The one exception is Crete.
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