Greece is having quite a hard time.
We’re coming back from our recession in the USA. These things happen from time to time and we have short memories.
But Greece is still on the way down.
A place with such extraordinary history, you’d think they would have figured out how to deal with all that ails it.
The struggles continue.
Downtown Athens in the tourist areas looks fine still.
Just a few blogs outside that, though, the graffiti grows thick and the dark corners are darker.
I’d even go as far as to say that half of the storefronts I remember just a few years ago are all shuttered. It just looks closed – some have merchandise still in the windows covered in dust and last year’s styles.
And for what ever reason, the balloon sellers are out in force. I don’t remember this from a few years ago. Now they’re everywhere.
And they have aggressive moments.
And the tourists are mostly oblivious.
Why would you come to a place more than once? Why would you want to see it again? How different can the restaurants be? The only reason we are there is for the souvenirs and the photograph, after all.
Stay tuned,
-Noah D.
