Wednesday 18 March 2020

Commandos on Duty


I wrote this post a few days ago about a visit from the armed forces but didn't post it because suddenly I found other things more topical to comment on.

On their visit the commandos sat in the coffee shops. Coffee shops now closed and if they re-patrol  they will not want to come into contact with anyone on the island and vice versa.

Cruise ships were still coming in daily up till a few days ago, off-loading tourists for a few hours. The Mayor had to make a complaint and threaten to cut mooring lines before they stopped. Actually what surprised me most of all was that there were still enough tourists to make the daily cruise worthwhile.

The ship made a daily cruise of three islands, Aegina, Hydra and Poros.  No more cruises, and no more unnecessary journeys of any kind

Last week though.........



 The island was visited by a couple of boats of special forces (commandos?)




Whether they were looking for illegal refugees, drug smugglers or our local plantations of cannabis we don't know.  They all went off for coffee at a waterfront cafe so it couldn't have been too serious


Now we can all sleep soundly knowing the boys are on patrol

So
Next time their boat appears in the strait it will probably be to stop the locals escaping the quarantine. Or more likely to stop Athenians trying to join our island quarantine 'paradise'

On the northern border with Turkey European countries have contributed troops and equipment to put a halt to the influx of illegal migrants.  The young, aggressive 'army' of young migrants are still there on the other side of the fence, urged on by Erdogan to rush the barbed wire, even aided by Turkish troops who with armoured vehicles attempted to push through the barriers and uniformed Turkish police were photoed firing tear gas and fire bombs over the border fence.

Bulgaria who also has a close-d border with Greece and Turkey flooded the river Evros, making it more difficult for migrants to cross by boat or swim across. 

Greece is sending  an obvious message that Europe has united to defend it's borders.  

Europe elsewhere has returned to a continent of individual countries each closing their own personal borders. 

United we stand, divided we survive

12 comments:

  1. And if European countries, had cut off travel from China, months ago, like we did, they would not have as many cases.

    A crisis, shows how *Pie-in-the-Sky*, is the European Union, and *you-call-come-in* rules.

    As does the crisis, of one bad guy, sending armies of angry young men, across boarders.

    EU is *Pie in the Sky* thinking. Like so much of the Liberal Push.

    Takes a couple of crisis' to show it.

    Stay calm,
    With common sense,
    Courage!

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    Replies
    1. China handled the crisis very well and are coming out the other side now.

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  2. In a crisis it often degenerates into every man for himself. Small communities though are pulling together and looking out for each other - for the time being anyway.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, that is what's happening here. Patience is what we need now.
      She's jake, mate, as they used to say 'back home'

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  3. Flipping heck! The world is changing has we speak. The tourist industry is in serious trouble.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Greece's economy is going to take another dive, damn it

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  4. I would guess that they were looking for illegal migrants given the Turkish border problems. It would feel good to me that the commandos are present.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, it is good to know they army patrols here and not only in obviously threatened areas

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  5. The whole world seems to be shutting down. It is like we are in a global war - which I suppose we are in a way, against this coronavirus. Take care, Mxx

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  6. All you need is a few shots to be fired, and it could end in chaos.

    We now have Parisians leaving for their second homes out in the countryside. I hope they don't come anywhere near us!

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    Replies
    1. Athenians have been moving out of the city too. Those in the villages are too happy to see them this time

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