Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras comes to Ithaki Tuesday 21st August 2018

Most Ithacans only heard the news that the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras would announce the end of the memorandum on Ithaki late in the day prior to his arrival. Everything was very hush hush. Not even Ithaki's council gave anything away. There were no formal announcements of his arrival from anywhere other than some blog spots from Kefalonia which started the rumour mill going. Tsipras wanted to use the Odyssey to symbolically mark the return of Greece out of debt, but the visit was very tightly regulated with no press other than Tsipras private press to record the moment. All others were excluded from the announcement. The locals and media were unaware that Tsipras was making the announcement from the Castro, which overlooks the bay and Lazareto, while we all waited below outside the Council Offices. I was there from 8am, having heard he would arrive at 7.30am. I was not alone. TV, radio and printed media were there as early as I was and we all waited in the heat until after midday to get our first shots of the Prime Minister. Press were invited inside the Council Building after about 30 minutes, to take the obligatory formal shots. I snuck in with the press and was kindly welcomed in along with them.

Before Tsipras arrived, crowds built and waned as the hours ticked by with still no sign of the Prime Minister. One girl asked how long it would be. She wanted to have her nails done if there was time. I was surprised that there were no demonstrations against the Prime Minister. For years people have been vocal about his shortcomings, yet the only 2 placards held up were those of support, not so much for him, but support for the island, although i would hazard a guess, they were one and the same. Inside the conference room of the Council Offices, the Prime Minister and Council official sat around the oval table where they had some small talk and lightly touched on some issues concerning Ithaca. nothing too serious. A spiel for the media. Once the cameras were shuffled out of the building, more serious discussions took place behind closed doors. Outside there were more police than I've seen on the island from 1983 until yesterday. Police and minders, body guards and chauffeurs. I'd like to say thanks to the journalists who let me hide among them and barge in between them so I could get some decent shots. It was a moshpit for cameramen.