The Mayor and his deputy traveled south to Santa Cruz. Our effort was on behalf of a meeting with a distinguished professor of European Geography. Basically, our goal was to gain insight into the latest developments in southern Europe: Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and a bit of France. Our number one point was the lagging economies of these countries, especially Greece. The EU has extended the terms of the loan payments required for the continued bailout of the Greek economy, read Greek banks. The new government headed by Syriza Party has already had to back pedal on electoral pronouncements relative to the Euro and the country's continuing participation in the union.
The professor was in fine fettle, more so than on our last visit in October when he's was recovering from a bout of flu. He's added weight and had much improved color.
We talked about immigration; that is, immigration from North Africa by refugees from Syria, Iraq, Gaza, and Egypt. The war has taken its toll, and many refugees are attempting to flee the violence that has driven them from their ancestral homes. The EU has failed to adequately deal with the issue, focusing more on domestic issues and policies relative to the effects of the Grand Recession. The professor noted that it pales by comparison to WW II; but it still is a significant modern problem.
We had a nice lunch at a local bistro, and enjoyed the beautiful day. It must have been in the high 70's as Silicon Valley types flooded the beach area. Downtown Santa Cruz was hopping. Traffic was heavy no matter where you turned. The professor also lamented that his plans for a return trip to Europe this year have been postponed do to finances. Maybe next year.
We drove home north along the coast on Highway 1- a great ride, especially when warm and clear.
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