Athens’ Christmas tree was lit up on Syntagma Square on Thursday, signaling the start of the holiday season in the Greek capital.

Set up by the Municipality of Athens, the tree is 17 meters tall, features 24,000 LED lights and was shipped from Karpenisi, central Greece.

Accompanied by hundreds of residents and visitors, outgoing mayor Kostas Bakoyannis gave the signal for the tree lighting and rang in the holiday season.

From December 1 until January 7, 2024, the city’s cultural venues, museums, libraries, squares, streets and neighborhoods will be filled with Christmas cheer.

This article was originally published on news.gtp.gr

The story revolves around a king who demands that everything be perfect—especially his food, which is always seasoned with his beloved spice, Berbere. But when the spice fails to arrive one day, chaos ensues. The king's servants, rather than succumbing to despair, showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills, demonstrating that there are countless ways to achieve greatness. Through the eyes of various characters, including the cook, the gardener, and the horse keeper, readers learn that perfection isn't found in a single ingredient but in the rich tapestry of experiences and solutions that life offers.

As children are gently lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the narrative, adults awaken to the deeper message that perfection is not a destination but a journey filled with variety and unexpected outcomes. This book not only entertains but also imparts valuable lessons about resilience, teamwork, and embracing life’s imperfections.

Her passion for storytelling extends beyond the classroom; Yulie has authored and illustrated two books, including The King's Special Spice, which was staged in 2022 under her direction. Her other work, The Diary of a Weird Child, has also made waves as a short animated film traveling to festivals worldwide. As an accomplished actor and member of The Actors’ Gang, she has collaborated with renowned theater productions and received accolades for her performances.

To purchase the book, please CLICK HERE!

Call me uncaring, but I find it annoying to have to dodge trains (trains!) at every corner around Thiseio, Plaka, Monastiraki, Acropolis.

And the ding-ding-ding of that bell!

I was at Moma last night (still one of my favourite places to eat and hang out along Adrianou St.), enjoying a glass of wine with 2 friends. The night was perfect – warm, breezy and relaxed. In mid-sentence, I heard the bells. The bells signalling an end to all things breezy and relaxed. The bells that are followed by “…and on your left you can see the ancient Agora…” Followed by a giant wave of people jumping out of the way so that the overloaded choo choo train can interrupt our lives for 30 brief seconds (I counted) as it makes its way around the pedestrian streets. Repeat this every 10minutes.

But it gets better. As it turns out, you can run but you can’t hide. There are multiple choo choo trains that seem to follow me around. I am dodging moving locomotives at every turn. I can’t win.

I really hope that everyone who takes those trains really appreciates the ride, really loves the commentary, and really see everything the want to see. And then I also hope that each of them experiences the ‘choo choo train dive’ as they leap out of the way of the next tour.

End of rant. Now back to summer. :)

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…