Dreaming Of Drachmas — Woody's Wax Works

Ever felt a twinge of nostalgia for the hallowed drachma? Any regrets of switching to the euro € ?

Ever wondered what it used to cost for a trip to Greece? Did you get outstanding value for your drax?

Well, dig in below. I managed to find some of my notebooks where I kept records of my holiday spends - in DRACHMAS!

I have mislaid some of my earliest notes from the late 70s & early 80s. However, I have fond memories of purchasing the gyro souvlakis off Omonia Square in Athens (1977) for about the equivalent of 20p!

What a bargain!

What an introduction to the quality and taste of Greek cuisine!

In this article all the prices are from 1991 on the wonderful island of Crete.

In August 1991 you would get 310 drachmas for £1, your £20 travellers’ cheque yielding a neat 6200 drachmas. Get in!

I was sitting in the So Simple bar in Lassi, Kephalonia, this year (2024), when I got chatting to the owner of the bar while sampling the delightful local ale (pictured above). Somehow we happened on the subject of euro v drachma, when I mentioned I had records somewhere of the prices of things, in drax. He urged me to create this blog. So, to Albert, of the bar, So Simple, here are my promised costings. Enjoy!

There’s the So Simple bar, pictured next to the Butler’s House restaurant, with its performative staff and waiters.

So, what did things cost in 1990?

map - 600 DR

dress - 1600

calendar - 1100

coasters - 900

playing cards (rude) - 600

shirt - 1200

melon - 650

bottle of ouzo - 810

bottle of metaxa (essential) - 880

That’s just a selection of items I jotted down next to my travellers’ cheques budget. Remember, 310 drax to the pound!

One evening we went on a pub-crawl and managed to spend (between 7 pm & 3 am) the equivalent of £10 !

Next up is a very detailed list of meals and how much they cost, often with a breakdown for individual items.

Breakfast / Lunch

Gyro - 200 DR

1 omelette & 1 fried eggs (with bread) - 1050

1 cheese omelette & 1 tomato omelette - 1150

1 tomato omelette & 1 bacon omelette - 1145

1 strawberry milkshake & 1 fresh juice - 700

Special Greek Breakfast: 1 beans on toast & 1 eggs on toast, tea & fresh orange juice - 1000

1 strawberry milkshake - 400

1 ham omelette & 1 bacon omelette, 2 fresh orange juices & tea - 1200

2 milkshakes - 800

1 bacon & scrambled eggs on toast & 1 beans on toast, water, fresh orange & coffee - 1100

2 milkshakes & 2 gyros - 1200

1 beans on toast & 1 eggs on toast - 900

Eggs on toast & 2 orange drinks - 500

1 breakfast cost 1100, but they just took the 1000 note

1 beans on toast & 1 omelette - 850

1 honey melon - 300

1 omelette & 2 orange - 500

1 toastie - 250

Prices tended to go down as they became familiar with you!

EVENING MEALS

1 taramosalata, 2 chicken stuffed with spinach & feta (chips, rice & vegetables) - 2340 DR

1 Greek salad (choriatiki), 1 swordfish souvlaki & 1 swordfish saganaki - 2260

1 rabbit stew & 1 lamb (tomatoes, onion, feta & baked potato) - 2400

Drinks with above (incl. raki, etc.) long evening - 900

1 taramosalata, 2 swordfish fillets - 2200

1 beef stifado & 1 Greek Plate (moussaka, kalamari, vine leaves, keftedes, baked potato) & mixed vegetables - 2900

Note: mixed vegetables included carrots, aubergines, rice & green beans)

1 tsatsiki, 2 saganaki chicken (bacon, sausage, mushrooms & vegetables) - 2600

1 yoghurt Paradise, 1 tomato & vegetable soup,

1 steak Charlotte (shrimps & cheese) & 1 steak Kalinka (mushroom & cognac sauce) - 4550

1 Greek salad, 1 goulash & 1 pork with ratatouille (with a carafe of wine) - 2600

1 swordfish souvlaki & 1 flounder with spinach - 2400

1 Greek salad, 1 bifteki & 1 giovetsi 2400

1 green beans, 1 tsatsiki, 1 mixed grill (lamb, pork, steak, bifteki, jacket potato, chips, rice, etc.) - 2550

2 steaks with beans, potatoes, salad & mixed vegetables - 2800