Peaceful and behaved - just like Guernsey in 60s

RHODES is struggling to generate the famous Island Games buzz at the start of a week when thousands of sports competitors will converge on it. And many Rhodians have not ever heard of the Games that are generally considered to be the largest in the world after the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

'The Island Games has nowhere near the same interest as it had in Guernsey,' said former deputy Kevin Prevel, who now lives on the Greek island.

There has been some TV coverage on the build-up as there are three local TV stations with lots of time to fill and there are 15 Greek stations in total so the local stations don't get many viewers.

'There are also two local newspapers but again little real coverage. They cover national news as well as local news so Greek politics are the predominant stories.

'If you ask locals about the Games many still don't know what you are talking about but you have to remember this is a busy time for Rhodians as tourism is the main source of employment.'

He read recently that Guernsey had 220,000 visitors last year but stressed this is not even one month's visitors to Rhodes, where there have been as many as 10 cruise ships in the harbour on one day.

The Games Village is located in three hotels at the far end of Faliraki beach.

'Given that there are about 10 such hotels in this stretch it shows you how little impact the games is having on visitor numbers. However this may well be the first games where all competitors have the opportunity to stay in good hotel accommodation,' he said.

'Like all islands who stage the games for the first time Rhodes has had to update and build some new facilities to accommodate the games. As in Guernsey the people of Rhodes will benefit from these facilities once the games are over,' he said.

Prevel moved to Rhodes with his partner Sally Morrison in June 2004.

They went there as a direct result of the Island Games in Guernsey as he was attache to the Rhodes IGA delegate.

After numerous e-mails to visit they did so in September 2003 and fell in love with the place and its people.

The couple now run their own self-catering apartments which they have created themselves.

'Rhodes is like the Guernsey of my youth in the 1960s, a place where they are still allowed to sell mackerel out of the back of a van, children play football in the street and people leave their doors unlocked as all guests are welcome,' said Prevel.

'You will not see a Greek drunk as they mostly drink coffee and there is little or no crime. The people are extremely friendly.'

They are living in the village of Afandou which is on the east coast and is hosting the golf tournament and the clay pigeon shooting.

A new range has just been constructed as Rhodes didn't have one, and some of the women's football is taking place at the Afandou football stadium.

Prevel supports Panathinaikos as they are the only team in the greek league who wear green and white - maintaining his Guernsey affiliation.

The top team Olympiakos wear red and white so that was a no no - with the Jersey colours.

'Unfortunately our local team AERA Afandou are red-and-white. We go to watch most of their home games and many of the away matches as the pitches are in stunning locations,' he said.

Should any Guernsey competitors venture into Afandou village they will find the only Guernsey flag flying in Rhodes located in Mikes bar in the middle of the square.

This is the couple's local and owned by their good friends Irene and Dimitri.

'It was a great coincidence that our neighbour is Dimitri Vlakos, the Rhodes golfer who scored a hole in one at the Guernsey Games. We have fantastic neighbours who are all so amazingly friendly,' he said.

Faliraki hit the headlines a few years ago with TV coverage across the world showing British youths up to unsavoury antics.

'It is nothing like the TV programmes portrayed, just typical media hype. It is quite a small place with a few lively bars and lots of tourist shops. You will see people of all ages strolling around,' stressed Prevel.

He was aware of last week's Guernsey Press article about the island's endurance athletes training in a glasshouse, with temperatures reaching 48C.

But that is nothing compared to the shade temperature of 38C in Faliraki last week which in the sun was mid 50C.

'Having said that the temperatures at the moment are a little higher than normal and according to the long range forecast are likely to drop back to the usual 34C to 35C by the time of the games.'

He has been asked several times to be an attache for the Guernsey teams but has declined as all the volunteers who helped in the Guernsey games will know that you get to see very little of the sporting action. This time he will be able to see a lot more and is looking forward to meeting old friends, particularly from the GIAAC. His partner has a friend participating in the archery.