点评:As an avid reader of Patrick's books and an admirer of Joan's photography this was the second trip to The Mani in our attempt to visit the famous house. The website said Monday 10 am opening but it was not possible technically to buy tickets through the website - it wouodnt allow it. We arrived at 10.30am All the way from Sydney.A smatly dressed woman told us that we could not visit. she said that people were staying there. She said we needed tickets. I told her these were not available on the website. She said to return with tickets between noon and 1pm and ignored my account of not being able to buy tickets through the official website. (Menwhile another young couple arrived and also claimed that they could not get tickets from the website.) Had she been polite and sympathetic her reasons may have been palatable. She was arrogant and abrupt. She reminded me of the classic lazy Greek bureucrat who cant be swayed without a brown bag. Id not encountered her attitude in Greece since the 1980s!. As a person who regulalrly advises potential travellers to Greece through coures and presentations I cannot but relate this distatseful episode to my audiences in future. Im sure Paddy would have been much more welcoming. Pity as Benaki establishments normally shine.
翻译:作为一名帕特里克作品的忠实读者,同时也是琼摄影作品的崇拜者,这是我们第二次前往马尼半岛,目的是参观那座著名的房子。网站上写着周一上午10点开放,但实际上无法通过网站购买门票——系统根本不允许操作。我们从悉尼远道而来,于上午10点半抵达。一位穿着得体的女士告诉我们无法入内参观,她说当时有人正在那里住宿,还强调我们必须持有门票才行。我告诉她网站上没有这些票。她让我中午1点前带着票回来,完全无视我提到的无法通过官方网站购票的情况。(与此同时,另一对年轻情侣也过来表示他们同样无法从网站上买到票。)如果她能礼貌且富有同情心一些,她的理由或许还能让人接受。但她态度傲慢又生硬,简直就是那种没有“好处费”就不会通融的懒惰希腊官僚的典型代表。自20世纪80年代以来,我从未在希腊遇到过这种态度!作为一名经常通过课程和讲座向有意前往希腊的旅客提供建议的人,今后我势必要把这段不愉快的经历讲述给我的听众。我敢肯定,帕迪肯定会热情得多。可惜了,毕竟贝纳基博物馆群向来都表现出色。