Athens
 

Hello again. Thanks to all of you for the info.
Someone told me, that there is lot of protesting going on ,right now in Greece. Is this true?

There is a lot of protesting going on in the US as well, if the placards in front of the White House are any indication. Peaceful protests occur frequently in Syntagma Square, which is next to the Parliament building. You are unlikely to see protests anywhere else.

This month there have been two 48 hour civil service strikes, which have closed museums and archaeological sites, but apart from that have had little effect upon tourists. Flights and ferries have continued to operate during these latests strikes.

This is a good resource for information about strikes and protests: http://livingingreece.gr/strikes/

Thanks so much, I feel better now. My family was concerned. Thanks also for that web site. Isn't Internet wonderful...close and yet so far.

I was in Athens this past weekend and saw almost nothing. Yes, there are protests occaisonaly... but, seriously the media makes it sound like far more than it is. The Syntagma Square are will have occaisonal protests, but again no big deal and there is no real reason to be in that area anyway. Stay in the Plaka and enjoy Athens!

I was in Greece during the September general strike. Although the national archaeological sites were supposed to be closed, Delos archaeological site remained open. I was in Athens during the teachers strike that practically blocked off all the major roads around the Syntagma square. I was probably a poster child of what the US state department tells us not to do. I needed to get to the other side of the protest march. So I followed what other Athenians were doing; walk right through the marchers and squeezed through the police line in riot gears ready to shoot tear gasses! For non protesting citizens,it was just another day in Athens.

protesting?

well that's allowed in a democracy.

We had a teacher's strike in England yesterday, complete with marches, protests, placards, etc. I am watching on television what is going on in Washington, where WW II vets can't even get on the mall to see the memorials. It seems Athens isn't the only place with strikes and protests. ;-)

" Washington, where WW II vets can't even get on the mall to see the memorials. "
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A craven response from the Obama administration ... a crude, partisan, political tactic.

US congressman Steve Palazzo noted,
" WWII Memorial ...is an open-air memorial that the public has 24/7 access to under normal circumstances --- even when Park Service personnel aren’t present.
It actually requires more effort and expense to shut out these veterans from their Memorial than it would to simply let them through."

We were in Athens in Sept 2013 and I wasn't even aware of a strike. I guess it wasn't much to write home about. We did know they had protests.

>>A craven response from the Obama administration ... a crude, partisan, political tactic.>> tom_h, Most people see it differently and place the blame directly on the Tea Partiers.

What? I live in Athens and the protests ended 1-2 years ago. Absolutely no need to worry.

Petro

I live in Athens too, and there are demonstrations every now and then, especially at Syntagma Square.. there are no riots, which is what most travelers are afraid of.

Peaceful demonstrations take place in all democratic countries...