When the city doesn’t go to the village, the village comes to the city. Greeks crowded at the inter-city bus stations in the last couple of days before Easter to receive parcels sent from the villages as the coronavirus restrictions do not allow them to travel there.
Despite the government measure for safety distance, dozens flocked to the bus station of Kifissos in West Athens to receive the parcels from the country side. A few wore masks and gloves but the majority was standing close to each other eagerly looking for the parcel full of goodies.
In nonchalance attitude, they ignored the calls from station employees to keep the necessary distance to each other.
The buses from north, west, south and central Greece had all the traditional food a Greek needs for the festive Easter table.
Lambs, eggs, sweet Easter bread Tsoureki were carefully packed and send to family members and relatives in Athens. Also cans of cheese and olive oil, locally made wine and tsipouro were sent with the bus to soften the bitterness for an Easter celebrations not compared to other.
The buses were empty of passengers and media report that the number of slaughtered lambs was so big that in some cases, the animals had to be placed on the passengers seats.
Buses from all over Greece kept arrival to the Greek capital also on Good Friday morning. But the crowding scenes were better, as authorities final took measures limiting the number of people entering the station.
State broadcaster ERT TV reported that some who do not live inside the city of Athens but in broader Attica area did not dare to go to the bus stations to receive their parcels due to the strict movement controls by the police and the hefty fines of 150-300 euros.
Lockdown restrictions do not allow traveling outside the residence areas.
The government is determined to prohibit spread of the coronavirus over the long Easter weekend April 18-20 as the time is crucial for the course of the pandemic in the country ahead of the gradual lifting of the lockdown..
Where is the Police !!! Strong messures Not as far as we can see. This is gonna be very bad , My God !!!!
Couldn’t someone offload the bus and call out the names on the packages? Hear your name, step forward, show ID and take your parcel. Orderly. But we always want to be “first “