Northern Irish expat who owns a bar in Greece warns tourists to stay safe amid European heatwave
Jordan Moates reports.
A Northern Irish expat who owns a bar in Greece has warned tourists to stay safe amid soaring temperatures as the heatwave sweeping Europe continues.
Cavan Ferrie, who is originally from Bangor, lives on the Greek island of Crete and owns Peggy Gordon's Irish Bar in Sissi.
"Normally in the shade the thermometer reads 32 degrees and that's with a cool breeze coming up the street.
"I put the thermometer outside and in the sun the temperature is about 44.
"There aren't an awful lot of people on the street right now as a lot of them are staying in.
"They're having a nice cold drink which is exactly what you should do on a hot afternoon.
"The locals will tell you that it's actually too hot for them, they're born here, they live here, so therefore no you don't actually get acclimatised to it.
"You know it's going to happen, you just have to bear it drains the energy out of you, luckily you're not here in it while it's too hot."
The 'Cerberus' heatwave is already scorching European tourist destinations but it's set to get hotter with the mercury forecast to top 40 degrees celsius in the region.
On Saturday, Greek authorities shut the Acropolis in Athens for the second day in a row between midday and early evening.
Travel expert Simon Calder spoke to UTV.
Red Cross staff handed out bottled water to tourists wilting in long lines hoping to beat the closure and scale the steps up to the gleaming Parthenon temple as temperatures were expected to peak above 40C in the Greek capital.
"There are some people here from Northern Ireland right now, they've all coped quite well but I'd like to advise them if they are coming out here or anywhere else that it's as warm as here, to make sure you wear at least 30, 50 factor suncream because it is hot.
"The breeze makes it seem less dangerous but it makes it more dangerous as you'll get burnt before you know it.
"So if you're coming out to a place like this have a happy holiday and stay safe."
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