Syntagma Square Athens 30th June

Just got back from a couple of weeks in Greece and I dedicate

this post to a local follower whom I met this morning. He said

'I knew you were away, I've been logging on and if I see that

bl---y bicycle one more time...'

Anyway, we arrived in Athens on Wednesday the 29th of

June and the apartment we were staying in was on Asklipiou

which is not at all far from Syntagma Square. The street was

full of riot police waiting for whatever and fires were burning

in nearby streets with smoke drifting around but everything

was, at that time, reasonably calm. We found a small

restaurant a couple of streets away and settled down to

our evening repast only to find that things were kicking

off and the sounds of nearby rioting accompanied our

Greek salad. By the time we reached our main course

things were definitely getting out of hand and the noise

levels rose dramatically then suddenly there was the sound

of gunfire...rather, the sound of tear gas being fired.

In minutes the rioting ceased and people scattered.

The next day we went down to see what was going on

and found ourselves caught in patches of tear gas that

had hung around. Did you know it hangs around?

Stings like hell..noses, throat and eyes. What it must have

been like to face it as soon as it's fired goodness knows.

Must say we enjoyed all the anarchist graphics.

We are told by Greek friends that on that night the police

used chemicals other than just tear gas...sounds ominous.

The Greeks are quite shocked at that. Interesting times.