Survival Guide - Athens - page 317

› Some bars lure intoxicated males with talk of sex and present them with outrageous
bills.
› Some bars and clubs serve what are locally known as bombes , adulterated drinks diluted
with cheap illegal imports or methanol-based spirit substitutes. They leave you feeling de-
cidedly low the next day.
Telephone
Top Tip In Greece the area code must always be dialled when making a call (ie all
Greek phone numbers are 10-digit).
› All payphones use OTE phonecards, known as telekarta - widely available at periptera ,
corner shops and tourist shops. A local call costs around €0.30 for three minutes. It's also
possible to use payphones with a range of discount-card schemes (dial an access code and
enter your card number). The OTE version of this is 'Hronokarta'. The cards come with
instructions in Greek and English and talk time is enormous compared to standard phone-
card rates.
› Several mobile service providers offer data and pay-as-you-talk services: buy a re-
chargeable SIM card and have your own Greek mobile number. US/Canadian travellers
need to have a dual or tri-band system and will have to set their phones to roaming, or buy
a local mobile and SIM card.
› International access code: 00
› Greece country code: 30
› International operator: 139
Toilets
› Public toilets are a rarity, except at airports and bus and train stations. Cafes are the best
option, but you'll be expected to buy something for the privilege.
› The Greek plumbing system can't handle toilet paper: the pipes are too narrow. Toilet
paper etc should be placed in the small bin next to every toilet.