<div>If criminality is your concern (which is reasonable) we are still close to european capital levels perhaps even safer than some.<br></div><div><br></div><div>About riots:</div><div><br></div><div>While you will not be in any danger from the protesters, in case of riots police makes excessive use of tear gas, flashbang grenades</div>
<div>and sometimes they blindly storm groups of people that may happen to be in their path.</div><div><br></div><div>HOWEVER most of the protests/riots take place at the central square of Athens( Syntagma sq) and the surrounding streets AND they are not (YET) a daily event.</div>
<div>Also note that the battlemesh event site (The Old Polytechnique University) used to become 'active' during riots serving as a basecamp. This is no longer the case. It is also very near the 'Exarcheia' district </div>
<div>which is a neighborhood with strong political/liberal/leftist scent, and is sometimes place of clashes with the police (but is nice to visit when calm)</div><div><br></div><div>Strikes are another concern, especially public transportation but if you are walking distance from the site you will be ok.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Finally I dont advice to do this path by bicycle! Patra- Athens is a narrow 2-way highway with no middle bars, very narrow side road and no sidewalks / resting places. It is also the highway with the most deadly traffic accidents in Greece. (there are also construction works to build a new road which in some parts make the situation more difficult)</div>
<div><br></div><div>P.S. as far as services are concerned, there is nothing you will not find in Greece (yet:S)</div><div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote">2012/2/13 Joseph Bonicioli <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:nettraptor@awmn.net">nettraptor@awmn.net</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi,<br>
<br>
All this is bad media and over bloated war zone like info.<br>
<br>
The situation is bad as it is and they do their best to make it worse.<br>
<br>
Saverio the picture you got is blown out of proportion. The situation is<br>
really bad economic wise but we are nowhere near a war zone :) Basically<br>
they created a nice atmosphere to force ridiculous measures down our<br>
thoughts.<br>
<br>
Let's hope that on the dates you are going to be here there are no riots.<br>
The location of the university is close to the epicenter but I am sure the<br>
organizers will make sure you are safe. After all Violent guys causing a<br>
havoc are a minority and things are not always as they are presented to you.<br>
You should know better after all since you shared your time with another<br>
media king in Italy.<br>
<br>
But to answer your questions, no you will not have problems traveling here<br>
by any means unless you are lucky enough to get caught in a transportation<br>
strike. Stating that, strikers do make sure you will get where you want at<br>
some point. They will not leave you in the middle of the desert with no<br>
water :) Even if they do, we will come to rescue :)<br>
<br>
To cut the long story short, you can shop, you can travel, you can visit<br>
places, sleep in luxurious and not so luxurious hotels, have fun and you can<br>
easily pretend nothing is going on. There is no danger in visiting Greece<br>
what so ever. I guess it probably is the most interesting time to visit<br>
Greece. It can be both entertaining and educational if you get my point! An<br>
eye opener so to speak!<br>
<br>
Don't worry! People here are well known for their hospitality so in any kind<br>
of situation you will be in safe hands!<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
JB<br>
<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:battlemesh-bounces@ml.ninux.org">battlemesh-bounces@ml.ninux.org</a><br>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:battlemesh-bounces@ml.ninux.org">battlemesh-bounces@ml.ninux.org</a>] On Behalf Of ZioPRoTo (Saverio<br>
Proto)<br>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 12:28 AM<br>
To: Battle of the Mesh Mailing List<br>
Subject: Re: [Battlemesh] Situation in Athens<br>
<br>
Hello,<br>
<br>
first of all I want to say I feel very close to Greek people tonight.<br>
Big changes are going on there. Good luck !!<br>
<br>
sorry Marek. I think the problem is my English. I am not speaking and<br>
writing in English too much lately. I think "danger" is not the correct<br>
word.<br>
also I missed very important information in my email.<br>
<br>
My first concern is about transportation and hotels. I consider my self some<br>
sort of tourist going to the battlemesh, and our western minds are used to<br>
think that some essential services are just matter of money. This is not<br>
always true.<br>
<br>
Me and two other crazy Ninux guys were thinking of coming to BM riding<br>
bycicle, on this path<br>
<br>
<a href="http://g.co/maps/9v3jf" target="_blank">http://g.co/maps/9v3jf</a><br>
<br>