ENOIKIAZETAI

This is my reality check, of how bad Greece really is right now.

Really, Emma and I joked about all the 'Shop for Lease' signs in Maidenhead; that is nothing compared to Athens. All along the main road into the city, in the market, in all the arcades that used to bustle and buzz for your business, now it is quite and empty. All have the sign 'enoikiazetai'. For rent.

There are car yards with all of five vehicles for sale. There is a lot of graffiti and a lot of grime, and while Athens has never been particularly clean, now it is looking very run down.

Because of what's been happening economically, there is a lot of theft and you can almost see the paranoia on people's faces that someone's going to pickpocket them. I don't believe someone will take me on, so I don't think of these thoughts.

The weather today in Athens matches the mood of the city. It is cold and makes you want to stay inside and hibernate. Be antisocial. It's 7 degrees, but the wind chill makes this a lot lower. The cloud isn't moving, and it's very thick.

For these reasons I haven't spent much time in the city. I also didn't take many photos; even though I wanted to, it somehow didn't really feel appropriate.

It's sad to think how mighty this city used to be. I wish, hope and pray that it recovers and improves; in so many ways...