"Destinations with a good safety image will once again take more advantage," Rolf Freitag said while presenting the findings of IPK's World Travel Monitor at the ITB Berlin 2019 exhibition.

"The forecast this year for Greece is good because it is seen as a safe and wonderful place, an ideal holiday country with a fantastic climate," he added.

My nephew is cute, he is very active and he is in many ways a ‘typical’ boy – fascinated with dirt, rocks, animals and throwing things – often in combination.

I was given certain instructions: Bedtime at 9:30, no shoes on the couch, no snacks before bed, etc etc.  No problem.

So we spent the evening playing and running around and making a tent and putting stuff in boxes and then emptying those boxes all over the house and learning to make funny sounds – after all, isn’t that really my job?  And then, as 9:30 approached, I (naively) said to him, “Ok, sleepytime”.

Well, as it turns out, my nephew also has a very strong set of lungs.

I needed a compromise. In a moment of genius, I decided to take him for a walk in his stroller – this would surely work to put him to sleep, as it had many times before.

1 hr later, after walking in circles around the streets of Thiseio, he was still awake. I recalled the many times I told my friends “I love living in the centre – there is always so much action.”  Well, yeah, so much action and so little sleep for a toddler who is fascinated by anything that moves. Including cars, trains, bicycles, and all cats.

Eventually he was asleep. And eventually we were back home.  When his parents returned a while later, we called the evening a success and I offered to do it all again ‘anytime’.  (Did I really say that?!)

It was definitely a lot of work, that much is clear. But it was also tons and tons of fun!

Sunday morning came too soon – but it also brought Sunday shopping and autumn sales. The perfect reward for my ‘Saturday night’ adventure. I must say I was shocked by the number of people out in the city centre – it was beyond busy – and I was so glad about that. 

Saturday night babysitting - a not-to-be-missed adventure ;)

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Babis, the chef/owner says that during World War II people would go down there for shelter, good food and wine. The taverna upstairs often featured a famous singer, and a lady would play piano, which you could hear downstairs. Babis specializes in Byzantine style food of which the Politiki Salata (salad of The City/aka Constantinople) is a sublime mix of aubergine, garlic, olive oil and sour cream however it is advisable to try absolutely everything. There is no real menu, however dishes that feature include slow roasted baby lamb cooked en parchment, meatballs with stewed scallions & artichoke hearts, mashed fava beans with diced red onions, lemon juice, olive oil, and capers, a tostada-type of treat with ground seasoned meat on one half and aubergine, tomato, and a mild white cheese on the other. They only serve barrel wines but you really shouldn't be drinking anything bottled with food like this; get it by the kilo. The whole meal is so cheap it will blow your mind. So, if you can find it and manage to get a table, seek out the secret taverna that has no name but doesn’t seem to need one.

Do you have a recommendation or recipe to share? Send it to us at ideas@xpatathens.com!