November 24th 2013
Well….it rained on our clean-up! Despite this, it was a success after all.
This was a rather official event: organized by the Region of Attika (analogous to District, County, Department – the “Government”), by the local municipality of Spata-Artemida, the Ornithological Society and a few of us softies at HCMR (another “Government” facility). So we met the “wetland”. The marshes, beach, the skies were full of water…raining off-and-on, changing colours, big storm clouds building, moving above us.
The Regional Government brought a half bus-load of people and the local volunteer forces showed up; and the SKAI TV station came – boy it was getting serious… Then the wind started to blow – the mountain-sized storm-cloud opened up – sun beams blasted through, a rainbow glittered in the distance.
God it was beautiful.
And yes we picked up some trash.
But most of all we talked – all supporting the wetland. WE can do it, we can protect it as a “nature park”. We believe in this.
A vote for the wetland.
Then torential rain started and we went off for “tsipoura” (really strong greek spirit); courtesy of the “Crazy Chicken Restaurant” on the beach at Loutsa. We drank, smoked, ate together. New friends. A community…In support of a wetlland.
Thats all it takes.