Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

We got 2 nights in a double bed B&B this month at a quite nice hotel for €78 with the government subsidy offer.

They’ve obviously been tipped off about your Solomon-like wealth Milti. I can see them rushing to change the price tags as you walk down the street.

See that’s the thing.

Usually real wealth is hidden and the real well off hide their wealth in trusts and companies in a corporate structure both for tax minimisation, protection and cash distributions in fully franked dividend payments, management fees and directors fees as well as beneficiary distributions.

I know many wealthy people who are under the radar. And they look like bums.

The only hint of wealth is their house as some don’t live in humble houses, but they do drive beat up utes.

[Paphitis]

Here was I thinking I arrived in Cyprus with a few quid on my pocket !! Each morning o go to the cafe at ENAERIOS and hav3 my espresso before going fishing. A large Espresso costs just 1.60 es.Next there is the ....up market ( my arse) Starfucks, they charge 2.95 euros !.Cypriots being by ....nature ...pretentious, happily sip their drink and look down at the ....poor sods next door !!
In fact one of my relatives enquired as to why I socialize at he ....poor man's Cafe I responded by telling her in my usual style, fuck off Im not a ....ttoppouzokipreos

Starbucks is a New Yorker company. It’s an image thing. But the Barristas are no good and the coffee is average at best - but the prices are high.

You will find better coffee elsewhere. And cheaper.

That’s the same everywhere.

Starbucks will always charge a premium because that is what the market dictates they can get away with. Mind you, their costs are higher too, being a franchise and part of a global corporation that undertakes all marketing. The franchisee has to pay fees. And they are big fees too.

[Paphitis]

What I find particularly annoying is that Limassol 5 star hotels cost almost twice the cost of Paris and Park Lane Hilton. It seems to me that the mentality is that since we haven't been earning over the last 18 months or so let's charge the earth for it. I mean 412 euros for a one night's stay is fuvking daylight robbery.

Maybe. But yet again, I bet they wouldn’t be charging that if their occupancy was low.

If they are charging this, it means they must be getting the occupancy. Which amazes me in this Covid reality.

When I come to Cyprus, I have had many great deals staying in hotels. Well appointed, with resort swimming pools and a few bells and whistles, but I don’t pay anywhere near that much. More like well under 100 Euros.

The most expensive hotel I always go to is in Greece. Yes extremely expensive at 750 euros a night but it’s my escape. And what an escape. It’s a hotel on the caulkers of Santorini, overlooking the blue sea right on the edge of the cliffs with a great patio. It’s my go to. Also good friends with the staff there now. Even got invited to the receptionists wedding. A very sweet girl from Athens who works in Santorini for 6 months. Not lately though.

These prices have dropped drastically now. But I don’t know how much. I can’t go.

I also go sailing a lot on a yacht - a business owner who married a Russian lady from Adelaide. Whom we are close friends with. Yes I always pay even when they don’t want to charge me.

I am hoping to go back there again as soon as possible.

I rate Greece very highly. Cyprus is more of an annoyance to me.

Market always dictates what businesses can charge. Fact! If they offer something rare, the price is high. And we all have an opportunity to make money. You can work as a police officer or school teacher and earn crap, or you can open a kebab shop and earn as much as executives do if not more. But we always glorify the school teacher or copper. Not the kebab business owner. We frown upon them. He is just a kebab fast food store. But what counts is the money. That’s the way I see it. We educate ourselves because we want to earn more. People forget about that. And the more money the more power you have to do other things. No one becomes wealthy from a wage.

The bottom line is always the dollar. Nothing else. More money means borrowing worthiness too. Critical in creating residual income.

In Australia, most Greeks had to think outside the box to make a living. That’s because, Australians can be racist. You look at who are on boards. Races and people of colour are not well represented. So we all had to do things on the side. So we became their landlords all from cafes, milk bars, restaurants, construction and so on and so on.

And when you go into business you charge what you want as per how the market dictates. No one is going to make their prices cheaper if they can get away with charging a premium.

Now, if you are stupid enough to buy your coffee at 4 euros, that’s your problem.

If I am stupid enough to pay 750 euros for 1 nights accommodation, that’s my problem. I don’t complain about it. I don’t enjoy paying high prices like that. But when I’m sitting at that patio I feel like I’m in heaven so I pay it. You can’t take it with you. And if I don’t pay, there will always be someone else who will.

[Paphitis]

What I find particularly annoying is that Limassol 5 star hotels cost almost twice the cost of Paris and Park Lane Hilton. It seems to me that the mentality is that since we haven't been earning over the last 18 months or so let's charge the earth for it. I mean 412 euros for a one night's stay is fuvking daylight robbery.

Its not that at all. You don't understand Capitalism and Ellitism all in one.

The tourism coming to those hotels are the passport needing millionaires from the criminals all over the world. They don't care how much they pay for anything and actually they feel the more they pay the better they get. In other words they are stupid fucks who made it big because they were greedy and did not care how many lives they sucked the life out of toget where they are. Where they come from they exploit the poor people by paying wages people cannot live on, so they can grab more. They are only interested to show other fucks that they can afford it.

I am glad you found yourself amongst friends.

Me? When I return, I shall return to my roots where some of the people that I went to school with are still there. Most will return there in the summer every year from where ever they are. This is home where you live like them, eating the same food same food and drinking same coffee and playing cards like before. Where banter is to live for.

I really do feelsorry for you. Where you are, you are like fish out water.

The Capitalist system has allowed us all an opportunity to get ahead. Like fir example all the migrants who came to Australia. They left poverty behind and some became wealthy because they had to think on their feet for their survival. So people worked hard and had a go.

And yes, they employed people.

If Australia wasn’t capitalist, they would remain in poverty. That’s what happens in real socialism. Everyone is just poor, equally.

It’s the British capitalist system that allows a total bum to open a kebab shop on a busy street and make more money than a Doctor.

It’s quite bueatiful. It provides everyone with an opportunity. But you have to get off your arse!

[Paphitis]

I shop a lot in little Afghanistan. Salt of the earth people and great food and continental shops.

They only fled a war zone a few years ago and today they own supermarkets.

Only in a Capitalist country can you do such a thing.

They had no choice like our parents had no choice decades ago.

They’ll be landlords soon enough too.

See in a capitalist system, you are free. You can do what you want. The money isn’t just for the few academically minded people who will get the high paying jobs. You can easily drop out of school and be richer than any of them. And so often, that is the case. It’s great. Most people are distracted with reputation and titles and that allows the few to make the real money.

But you can’t be a dumb arse. But these smarts are not taught anywhere. University professors and educators do not know how it’s done and that is a good thing to keep most people distracted with prevention so the bums can rule the roost with beat up utes.

It’s not as easy as it sounds either. It does take hard work, and you have to be clever with money. Can’t just go spend your windfalls on expensive cars and stuff at least in the early days. You got to pay wages, insurance, super, tax and the key to survival is cash flow and liquidity. It does take time to build that up. Plenty of sleepless nights in the meantime.

See, it’s usually lazy people who are the socialists. Those who are not capable of thinking outside the box. That’s because they want a hand out. And be equally poor with those who do think outside the box.

Capitalism rocks!

In our Capitalist word, an Afghan refugee who comes to Australia will own the Doctor’s Surgery or Medical Centre where a group of GP will have their consultation rooms. They will be in their pyjamas one day earning rent of 150k each year. It’s a beautiful thing.

[miltiades]

Prior to coming to Cyprus I shipped over a 40 foot container full of my personal items including enough clothing to last me for ever. As I was a regular visitor to Cyprus over many years I was conversant with the stupid prices demanded by shops who incidentally do not display prices as its consider3d .. naff. There is a Nicosia based company advertising Japanese meat on FB, costing over 200 euros a kg.!! Whwn considering that the average workers pay is around 800 to 1200 euros a month, such stupid prices get on my tits.

[Paphitis]

Prior to coming to Cyprus I shipped over a 40 foot container full of my personal items including enough clothing to last me for ever. As I was a regular visitor to Cyprus over many years I was conversant with the stupid prices demanded by shops who incidentally do not display prices as its consider3d .. naff. There is a Nicosia based company advertising Japanese meat on FB, costing over 200 euros a kg.!! Whwn considering that the average workers pay is around 800 to 1200 euros a month, such stupid prices get on my tits.

But you paid freight. In the end, you ended up paying even more.

[miltiades]

The freight cost was just over 1000 sterling. Well worth it considering all the staff I brought over.
Personally I wouldn't entertain business with either a Greek or a Cypriot unless my life depended on it. Greed culture is endemic, it is inconceivable that Limassol hotel prices are higher than those in Paris and London. Check it out. A cappuccino in one of the hotels in Limassol is 5 euros. What a fucking ripoff.

[Londonrake]

Milti. These are difficult times. Have you considered staying in a 4* hotel?

[Paphitis]

The freight cost was just over 1000 sterling. Well worth it considering all the staff I brought over.
Personally I wouldn't entertain business with either a Greek or a Cypriot unless my life depended on it. Greed culture is endemic, it is inconceivable that Limassol hotel prices are higher than those in Paris and London. Check it out. A cappuccino in one of the hotels in Limassol is 5 euros. What a fucking ripoff.

Well it could be worth it on volume.

Paris and London do have hotels that are way more expensive than those in Cyprus.

We have them in Australia as well. The sky is the limit.