Balci

Inthistwo-partseries,SimonReevetravelstoGreece,oneofthemostbeautiful,troubled,andextremecountriesinEurope.TravellingfromtheIslandsoftheAegeantotheruggedandmountainousnorth,Simongetsbehindthepicture-postcardimagetolearnmoreaboutGreeceandtheGreeks-andwhythecountryhasfacedaseeminglyendlesseconomiccrisis.Alongthewayheencountersanextraordinarycastofcharacters,fromrebelmonksandgun-totingpriests,todesperatemigrantsandaninjuredbearcub.ThefirstlegofSimonReeve’sjourneyaroundGreecetakeshimfromtheholidayislandsoftheAegeantothecapitalcityofAthens.OffthetinyislandofPserimosSimongoesunderwaterwiththediverswhostillhuntfortheseacreaturewhichmadetheseislandsrich:thenaturalsponge.Hehearshowtheisland’spopulationisstrugglinginthefaceofdecliningstocksandthewidereconomiccrisis.TravellingontoLesvos,justafewmilesfromtheTurkishcoast,Simonencountersanotherofthehugechallengesfacingthecountry:themigrantcrisis.TheislandhasbecomeEurope’sfrontline,withthousandsofrefugeesarrivingdaily,fundamentallychangingthelivesoftheislanders.OnGreece’slargestisland,Crete,Simonheadstotheruggedmountainswhereeveryshepherdisarmedandthelocalpriestisalsoheadofthelocalgunclub.CampingoutunderthestarsSimonlearnshowforCretans,memoriesofGermany’sroleintheSecondWorldWarstillcolourtheirviewoftheGreekdebtcrisis.InAthens,Simoninvestigatestheeffectsofthatcrisis.Hehearshowhardlifeisforanimpoverishedcommunitylivinginconvertedshippingcontainers,andinthecityheisconfrontedbyangryprotesters-andseesjusthowquicklytheseprotestscandescendintoariot.