Athens under lockdown

 

We're into a full lockdown here in Greece until the first of December, but the general feeling is that it's going to be extended given that infections are still rising. What is fascinating for me, having lived under the spring lockdown in the UK, is seeing the differences, and assessing each government's priorities.

The UK's response to the pandemic has been chaotic, to say the least. The test and trace initiative has been a shambles: rather than assigning such an important aspect of eradicating the virus to the NHS, the government has given away billions of taxpayers' money to private companies, who do not know what they are doing, do not have the expertise, are completely incompetent, and the result has been a system that is not fit for purpose. Most  initiatives were implemented too late. There have been constant U-turns. Finally, messaging on what needs to be done has been vague or contradictory resulting in people not knowing what to do. 

The Greek government on the other hand, has for once, shown initiative, efficiency, competence and purpose. Consequently, the infection rate in Greece was relatively low in the spring, one of the lowest in Europe, with less pro-rata infections and deaths. 

Infection rates are rising fast this time however, as they are across Europe. The messages we are getting from the government are concise and clear. Schools have been closed as have all non-essential shops, big gatherings are banned, and we are encouraged to stay at home.

The rules we have to follow are very clear:

'Under the SMS system, cellphone users must send the toll-free 13033 hotline the number corresponding to one of six approved reasons to leave home, followed by their name and address. 

 

The six reasons are: 

1. Visiting a pharmacy or a doctor, the latter by appointment only; 

2. Doing a shopping run to a supermarket or grocery store, when delivery is not an option; 3. Visiting a bank when an online transaction is not possible; 

4. Providing assistance to someone in need or chaperoning children to/from school (schools are now closed) 

5. Attending a funeral or exercising parental visitation rights; 

6. Physical exercise or walking a pet – up to two people can engage in these activities on the condition that they maintain a distance of 1.5 meters from one another.

Written authorizations for people who need to travel for work or some other reason are available on the web.

There are two types of documents: 

Document A, which is filled out once by the person going to work, with name, home address, work address, and shift schedule. This will be provided by employers. 

 

Document B  is for trips not related to work and must be filled out every time a citizen wishes to leave his or her house, instead of an SMS. It must contain name, home address, destination and reason for circulation.

 

Anyone leaving the house will have to carry a valid identification card or document with them in case they are stopped by police'.

The police carry out random spot checks to make sure people are travelling legitimately, and there are 300-500 euro fines for those who don't comply with the rules. Fines for businesses who flout the rules start from 5000 euros. 

We can still go out for walks and swim and you can see other people as long as it's outside, you're masked and keep a distance. Masks are mandatory any time and everywhere outside the house, and there's a 9pm-6am curfew. 

Being under lockdown in Greece, feels very different to what we experienced in the UK in the spring. 

Even though under the rules it's obvious that different households are not to meet, we are not constantly bombarded with messages telling us that different households should not meet; there were no 'bubbles' of people allowed to meet once lockdown was relaxed as was the case in the UK in late spring and summer. The emphasis here is on economic activity and public life, rather than restricting people seeing their nearest and dearest.  It's a different emphasis: one government has put the main responsibility and blame on individuals: every time the infection rate has gone up in the UK, rather than look at his own failures in implementing a coherent policy, Johnson has blamed people for not following the rules.  The other government demonstrates clear, efficient leadership in administering measures to eradicate the virus. So, for instance, we are able to see my family as we all live in the same building - this would not be allowed in the UK, resulting in high levels of stress and subsequent mental health issues.

So, what does lockdown look like? On the first day, during our walk, we were able to see some of the places we had such fun in this summer - all shut down now, and looking abandoned and desolate.

Rayen 

Pennarubia - you can see both  here two months ago.

LeBon, our local, where we went for pre-dinner ouzos throughout the summer

Emagie, one of our favourite tavernas, which is round the corner from where we live

their outside space is empty and deserted, and looks oh! so small without the tables and chairs.

Finally, the whole time I have been writing this post, I could see through the glass doors of our sitting room, across the road, this man who was walking from one end of this tiny balcony to the other, performing his daily exercise. A perfect image of lockdown!

Lotus fruit

 

Lotus fruits are just coming into season and they are delicious.

In Greek mythology the lotus fruit was seen as a fruit that induces forgetfulness and a dreamy languor in those who eat it.

In the Odyssey the Lotus-eaters were a race of people living on an island dominated by the lotus tree. The lotus fruits and flowers were the primary food of the island and were a narcotic, causing the inhabitants to sleep in peaceful apathy.

This is how Odysseus, describes his encounter with the Lotus-eaters:

'I was driven thence by foul winds for a space of 9 days upon the sea, but on the tenth day we reached the land of the Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a kind of flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our crews got their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships. When they had eaten and drunk I sent two of my company to see what manner of men the people of the place might be, and they had a third man under them. 

They started at once, and went about among the Lotus-eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and did not even want to go back and say what had happened to them, but were for staying and munching lotus with the Lotus-eaters without thinking further of their return; nevertheless, though they wept bitterly I forced them back to the ships and made them fast under the benches. Then I told the rest to go on board at once, lest any of them should taste of the lotus and leave off wanting to get home, so they took their places and smote the grey sea with their oars'. (The Odyssey, Book IX).

Chrysanthemum

 I just love the shape of it.

The art trail, October 2020 - part 2

The art trail continued, a week later. First stop, Nitra Galery where the paintings and one sculpture  of Alexandra Roussopoulos are exhibited.

On our way to the next gallery, we walked past this restaurant, which I think looks very inviting.

Next stop, Gallery Genesis. No write-up on the artists yet, as they just had mounted the exhibition, so I don't know who the artists of the art works we saw were, but here are some images anyway.

Ceramics sculpture by Iosifina Kosma.

Indigo is must across the road from Genesis, it's a shop, rather than a gallery but they sell interesting ceramics so we stopped to have a look.

Ceramics produced on the island of Sifnos.

A bit further down the road, Kalfayan Gallery.

They always seem to exhibit very small paintings or artefacts, which exaggerates the space - I don't think  this is intentional. but it seems to be the case every time we visit.

Aporia by Antrea Tzourovits was on display. Small, highly polished wood artefacts, very beautiful.

This is not wood, but actual washing-up sponges. Ken said he could not wait to get home and reproduce this! Not.

It was all uphill from now on

We paid a brief visit to Home Service,  a household item shop that sells a few pieces of studio pottery. I particularly liked these two bowls

On our way, we walked past Dexameni, 

and had a look at the reservoir that provided water for most of Athens in the 20th century.

and then it was time for lunch. We stopped at Philippou 

and sat outside in a small terrace on the side of the restaurant.

I like what they've done with that wall.

Re-visiting Exarheia

I have written before about Exarheia, here and in other various posts, about how it's seen as a hotbed of radicalism, the source of trouble and riots, the place where resistance starts and spreads. I have also written about how it has a very real sense of community, and about how the majority of the shops in the area are bookshops, printers or bookbinders. 

One of the first things we noticed during our last visit was the police stationed in a corner, a very common sight in the area. In this instance they were wearing army gear rather than the usual blue uniforms, I am not sure what that means.

We were looking for a gallery that exhibits ceramics, but it was closed when we eventually found it - apparently it only opens in the evenings.

But, we enjoyed our walk. As always, the streets were full of graffiti and street art

and posters, most of it having a political content.

In our search for the gallery we came across this pedestrianised street, and I have to say, even for Exarheia, it is extraordinary.

Every wall, every window, every doorway is covered with graffiti or posters

there is an abandoned, neglected feel to the whole area

We were lured to a side street by this banner hanging from a window

It says: Ebru Timtik, Eternal. The people's lawyer fell martyr after 238 days of hunger strike, until death. Even if Death collects all the flowers, their seeds will remain... Popular Front.'

Back to our pedestrianised street.

This poster says: 'The State and Capital give rise to Fascism'.

'Anti-fascist September, 2020', and a picture of Pavlos Fyssas

and then suddenly, it all changed: no more wasteland, but a nice looking cafe, with lots of people

and another one.

Contradiction? Nor really, not in the context of Exarheia where opposites happily co-exit and this is what makes the area so interesting.

We came to the end of the pedestrianised street, found this iNO mural - you can see more of his work here  and here

graffiti taking up the whole side of a building

Stopped to have a look at this bookshop

amazing variety of book titles

and ended up at Rosalia for our lunch.