My last night in Greece wasn't any less eventful than the weeks leading up to it, which were always seemed to be peppered with street riots and protests of Parliament.
We had decided we wanted to go out for a nice dinner since it was our last chance in Athens to get some really good food.
We knew there were protests going on just a couple blocks east from our hotel, but had the intention of going to a restaurant behind our hotel to the south.
As we turned down the street, we saw all the restaurant owners hurriedly pulling in all of their outside tables while a group of people were standing around watching. A number of people had been walking behind us, all with white gel on their faces and surgical or gas masks hanging from their necks.
We quickly went back to the hotel to avoid whatever was about to occur only to hear the sound of rubber bullets and tear gas bombs going off. We could see the smoke and hear the crowd as we stood in front of the hotel.
After only a couple minutes, we witnessed over 100 cops leave the square on motorcycles as protesters cheered and threw trash at them. Another minute or two later we felt the tear gas begin to burn our eyes and noses as it wafted towards us.
The protests escalated last Tuesday and Wednesday because Parliament voted on austerity measures, meaning there was doubt that the government couldn't honor its debt.
The policy allows Parliament to receive more aid in addition to the €110 billion it has already received. These measures include increasing taxes — which many Greeks do not actually pay — and cutting spending.
The two-day protests practically shut down the city. Many restaurants and kiosks near the protests closed to avoid damage and theft. Public transportation was at a virtual standstill including taxis, ferries and airplanes.
Although I am home now and not in the heart of what is going on, being there sparked my interest. I plan on continuing to follow what is going on in Greece's economy and how the people of the country are handling it.
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