We got lucky and happened upon a peaceful protest in front of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. This was one in a long series, many not so peaceful (with arrests and injury), all about trying to unseat the current government. The country is in financial trouble and has already been bailed out by the European Union but is in danger of losing its ability for another loan unless the government changes its policies. Greece's financial rating has dropped from B to CCC (Standard and Poor) and there have been strikes among hospital and transportation workers. According to one local source, the people feel that the government has used the EU bail out and other funds improperly and they want change because there is high unemployment and many problems in the country. It is not getting better and there is likely no more money forthcoming from the EU. In these pictures you see a fish, with the head of Prime Minister George Papandreou, eating an artist. This protest is all about how the policies/actions of the government are killing the arts. A shame because Greece was the birthplace of art. The man we spoke to thinks that Greece is in danger of developing into an Egypt-type scenario, with escalating trouble. Sad.
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