Thessaloniki, Greece's second city.

Larry and I with the interviewer/director (centre) of TV3, plus his assistant.  We were interviewed about co-operatives and social change in Canada and Europe, on Panos' TV program.  This is one of three government owned TV networks,

This is the TV 3 building, the interview took place across the street in this lovely park.  

 I like these before and after photos.  The first is from the 1880s, with the monument and there is no ABC Hotel.  The ABC hotel is a landmark and a meeting place in downtown Thessoloniki.  Look at what I took today-- the way it looks. The top photo I lifted from a placemat!

Here is the sign for Viomeh -- this is a recovered factory -- like something out of Avi Lewis and  Naomi Klein's movie, The Take.  We visited to talk with the  main organizers of this plant which used to  produce metal products and now makes organic soap. 

Here is wall cartooning at the Viomeh factory.

 In the office there are many posters from solidarity activists. I liked this tee-shirt!

At our trendy hotel apartment this lovely appliqué was on the wall. Note the Canadian maple leaves! 

Here is one of the minimalist furnishings in our trendy hotel/apartment, called Colors.  A tiny shelf with these toys on display! 

And in the front lobby, is a bike just there for show, and a red cardboard bookcase, where visitors leave the doorstoppers they never read.  I found the novel 2666 by Roberto Bolano (from Mexico, a classic), in English. Some weary traveller left the 1500 pgs -- albeit in paperback -- behind.

We spoke at Aristotle University about co-operatives and unions. Here I am  speaking the audience below. It was fun and the audience was great. The one asking the question is from the Viomeh factory (above).  More than 60 people came out to hear us! 

Here we are in front of the Jewish Museum (which we visited) in Thessaloniki.  Before WWII half the city's population were Jewish -- 50,000 people.  Now the city is 200,000 and there are about 1200 Jews.

Streetscape.  And below my cappuccino. Larry thought I'd like an ersatz bagel  with it. I didn't.

This is ugly, the many 8 story apartment buildings which line the lovely U shaped port. Below is the container port, looks like home a bit.