How Mamma Mia!'s Success Has Spoiled Greek Island Of Skopelos

Mail Online:

From a distance, everything looks just as it should. The teeny, white-washed Agios Ioannis chapel is perched 202 steps up a winding path on top of a rocky outcrop that juts into the sea. It appears windswept, isolated and beautifully peaceful.

But close up, things aren't quite so tranquil. For starters, the concrete car park below is overflowing. Cars are backed up down the dusty lane and the nearby cafe is doing a roaring trade.

The steps are alive with a constant stream of visitors, huffing and puffing, and singing Abba songs rather badly.

Read the whole story: Mail Online

Comments

[CAMBEL]

Ahhhh, the arrogant lament of the elitist traveler. They want to go everywhere but then complain when anybody else travels to the same place.

[MarkBoston]

how horrible for them having to put up all that income in this harsh global depression !!

[jesuslovesObama]

I remember travelling in Europe when the TV show "Dallas" was big. I was asked numerous times during this trip if I too had an oil rig in my back yard. And they were not joking.

[bunnyv]

Trust me, Americans ask their fair share of stupid questions to foreigners.

[skymuffin]

They lack the imagination to create their own paradise.

[AuntiepoppyCock]

Greece is one of the most beautiful places on this planet.

We all know money talks.

[Truye]

This is so sad. I admire the locals as well for not selling out to "Mamma Mia!". But, UGH! I live in Seattle (which sells stupid freaking Twilight shirts now, advertising for Forks, WA! gross) and I used to work at a hotel. It was so hard to explain to people that the hospital from Grey's Anatomy is not a real hospital, but the exterior is from this place called Fisher Plaza, which houses our local ABC affiliate. They would look at me like I was dumb! When really it's like, "NOTHING IS REAL ON TV OR MOVIES! There is always tweaking going on!" How do you have NO IDEA how the movie magics work? Particularly for TV shows which are almost never actually shot on location.

Makes me sad sad sad.

[TigersEye]

I wonder if Forks made a killing selling those Twilight souvenirs - even though the majority of the movie was filmed in Oregon, ha ha!

[littlepuffycloud]

Humans love everything to death. I admire the locals for not pulling an 'American' and selling their souls, along with their home, for cash.