The Greek Economy

I think I'm now starting to see the effects of the debt crisis on the Greek economy during my time here. I think what really opened my eyes that there was actually a problem here is Nicki and I attempted to go out to eat for dinner. When we eat out at some of the restaurants just around the plateia (spelling?) there weren't many other diners, maybe one or two couples at certain restaurants at various times. I didn't really think much of it because it had been earlier when we were eating compared to when most Greeks would eat, and most Greeks would be out way later than I normally would. When you look at the menus over here, you notice price changes on different items, just numbers scratched out and taped over on just a few items. I go out to eat with my friends and there'll be a couple of items on the menu they don't have. No biggie, menus change, they run out of something, whatever. When Nicki and I went out that night though, we checked out a restaurant we've never really been before, little German place by the college. There was no one there, not unusual because we went out to eat right after the end of siesta time, Greeks don't really eat dinner till 8 or so where I would normally eat round 6. The guy gave us a menu, a huge menu with tons of drinks and food items, and Nicki and I looking over decided to split a dish that had five different types of sausage as well as several other traditional German foods. Well, when the guy came to take our order they only had three out of the five sausages, a little weird, so I tried to order something else. They didn't have that either. So I asked the guy what they did have, and he pointed out a total of five dishes top out of a menu that originally had at least 15 different dishes. I was weird-ed out by this, why would it be on the menu if you don't have it? It was completely befuddling to me and I didn't know what to do since all of my options just dwindled completely. We just got the dish with three sausages and asked the man if the price would be cheaper since it wasn't the original advertised dish. He didn't answer, but it was on the receipt. Well this was also a German ale house and they had more beer than food on their menu so I tried to order a drink. That wasn't happening though, their vast number of beers was now reduced to about four or so. This was a major eye opener for me because this was the first I actually experience an effect of the debt in such a big way. One or two items I barely noticed, but half the menu gone and it had my attention. You can't really keep up with such a vast menu when you have so few costumers because less and less people really have the money to go out and eat anymore. The price of doing business becomes that much more expensive and cuts have to be made somewhere, and food is the easiest thing to downsize at a restaurant. Next I think might be the staff. Another thing that caught my attention, again food related, was the closing down of a restaurant near our dorms. It was a restaurant that I had wanted to try for a while to go and try out my Greek lessons on. Anytime we got the chance to go though, it was closed. I think I only really saw it open once. Then the other day when I was out shopping all the windows and door were blocked out with this green cloth. They could be doing renovation, but that might be too expensive an endeavor when there's so little money, so I think it's more likely they shut down. The weird thing about it, is that I have this idea in my head that if I had gone when I first had the chance they might still be open. It's weird to hear about it, "oh the Greeks have no money," but really mind boggling to see it happen, to see a restaurant shut down when just a few days ago it was open. Part of me hopes that it really is just redecorating, but a big chunk of me says no.