I’ve arrived in Athens. Passport control awaits as I tread with spritely footsteps passport in hand. I have returned to Greece!
Wait what are three hundred people doing in a large room with lanes of people cordoned in horizontal rows? What are there so few immigration officials checking passports and biometrically imaging your eyes. Why are countless machines idle that could be speeding up the process. One moment you are far away from the golden dorado of an immigration officer then close enough to swell with hope. Like gulag prisoners we trudge slowly along.
When there is nothing much to do why not talk about Donald J. Trump with a fellow Canadian, a retired diplomat. Most Canadians acknowledge the fetor and hateful imprecations of Trump directed toward Canada. The USA is whupping Iranian asses. Lake Ontario is Lake America. Canada to be the 51st state with its Prime Minister its first governor. Russian oligarch funding of a Trump family wedding. All Americans to receive a bribe of $5,000 for voting in Republicans in the upcoming mid term elections. A preternatural President! Well at least he’s a topic of conversation!
Finally, the escape to collect my suitcase and yet another 45-minute wait. A Greek fellow flying home from Manchester, awaiting his suitcase for two hours tells me Greeks are wonderful people but its government and Athens Aiport administration are irresponsible.
Passport control at the Athens airport fails to meet appropriate international standards and is not an appropriate way to greet tourists a prime source of revenue for Greece.
This is not the way to start a Greek vacation but matters are to deteriorate further!
Photo: R. Kennedy Stephen
