Charming Mykonos with its white-cubed Cycladic houses and picture-perfect beaches may have acquired a new reason for being known as the “island of winds” as international visitors throw caution and money to the wind. The dry, wind-swept island that has come to be known as an Aegean playground for the world’s most wealthy is a financial oasis in the middle of cash-strapped Greece that has been plagued by an economic crisis for the last five years.

Some examples:

Julio Iglesias Concert

Coveted tickets for Latino crooner Julio Iglesias are available at 1,000 euros per person to cover the total cost of the event that comes to over half a million euros (335 million euros just to get the singer and his associates to the island)! The Spanish singer and songwriter whose songs have sold more than 300 million records in 14 languages with more than 2,600 gold and platinum records will take the stage at Nammos beach bar-restaurant located at Psarou Beach on July 30 where he’ll also sing four duets with local singer Antonis Remos. And that’s just a small preview of what’s in store at Nammos with rumors that Kylie Minogue will also visit the venue this summer.

Anna Vissi – Conchita Wurst Concert

Just a few days ago at the early hours of July 26, celebrated Greek singer Anna Vissi celebrated four decades in the music business at the Jackie O Club at Super Paradise beach. Also appearing with her onstage was Austrian Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst who treated audience members to a duet of “Everything”, the song that represented Greece at the 2006 Eurovision contest that was hosted in Greece. Fireworks lit the sky as guests cheered on. The club was filled to full capacity by guests paying tickets from 250 to 500 euros (VIP), 100 euros just for standing room.Those who wanted to accompany the music with champagne forked out 1,400 euros for a Dom Perignon Rose 2003 or just 220 euros – the very cheapest that money can buy at the Jackie O Club.So just to draw a comparison – someone attending a Conchita Wurst concert on Mykonos would have to pay the same amount for standing room tickets as a Rolling Stones concert-goer sitting at VIP seats.

Popping Corks

A group of Lebanese tourists decided to pop the corks of 208 ottles of champagne at the Nammos Beach bar-restaurant on the afternoon of July 10. The eye-popping bill for the serenade of popping corks from Veuve Brut, Armand De Brignac and Veuve Rose amounted to 57,175 euros. It all began with a Lebanese and a Russian businessman who live in Dubai asked the waiters to give them something to wash down the 10-euro tzatziki with.

And the bill amounted to…

French football escapades

French World Cup footballer Mathie Valbuena was just one of the stars who visited Mykonos this year. He celebrated his great performance in Brazil by treating himself to seven days on Mykonos with six friends and 15 stunningly beautiful escorts away from their wives and families. Altogether they stayed at the nine suites of the 830 sq. meter Alegria Villa (pictured above) paying 5,000 euros per night to enjoy the deep blue Aegean. The villa was outfitted with a booming sound system particularly for their stay whereas the cellar was packed with Dom Perignon and bottles of Grey Goose. Their antics at the “Tropicana” club ruined the privacy of their stay showing that – unlike Vegas – what happens on Mykonos doesn’t always stay there.The wives recalled the men a day early leaving the 15 beautiful girls behind to the enjoyment of Alegria Villa’s two security guards.