• Stay Hydrated: During a heatwave, keep your water intake to around 3 liters. Drink water regularly throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they can dehydrate you.
• Stay Indoors During Peak Heat: Try to stay inside during the hottest parts of the day, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Use Fans 7 Air Conditioning: Keep your living space cool with fans, air conditioning, or by spending time in public places like malls or libraries if you don’t have AC at home.
• Wear Lightweight Clothing: Dress in loose-fitting, light-colored clothes to help your body stay cool.
• Take Cool Showers: Lower your body temperature with cool showers or baths.
• Limit Physical Activity: Avoid strenuous activities during peak heat hours. If you need to exercise, do it early in the morning or late in the evening.
• Check on Vulnerable People: Ensure elderly neighbors, children, and those with health conditions are safe and comfortable.

• Create Defensible Space: Maintain a buffer zone around your home by removing dead plants, trees, and other flammable materials. Keep your lawn hydrated and trimmed.
• Use Fire-Resistant Materials: If you’re renovating, consider using fire-resistant materials for your roof, siding, and decking.
• Clean Gutters & Roofs: Remove leaves, pine needles, and other debris from your roof and gutters regularly.
• Install Screens on Vents: Use fine mesh screens to cover vents and eaves to prevent embers from entering your home.
• Seal Your Home: Ensure that windows and doors are properly sealed to prevent cool air from escaping and hot air from entering.
• Create an Emergency Plan: Have a fire evacuation plan in place. Make sure all family members know the plan and practice it regularly.
• Prepare an Emergency Kit: Keep an emergency kit with essentials like water, non-perishable food, medications, and important documents.

• Provide Water: Leave bowls of water outside in shaded areas for stray animals to drink. Check and refill them regularly.
• Create Shade: Set up makeshift shelters with cardboard boxes or other materials to provide shade for stray animals.
• Avoid Leaving Food Out: While it’s good to help strays, avoid leaving food out during peak heat to prevent spoilage and attracting pests.
• Contact Local Animal Services: If you see animals in distress, contact local animal rescue organizations for assistance.
• Spread Awareness: Educate your neighbors and community about the importance of helping stray animals during heatwaves.

Additional Tips

• Stay Informed: Keep updated on weather forecasts and heatwave warnings through reliable news sources or weather apps.
• Recognize Heat-Related Illnesses: Be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, such as dizziness, nausea, headache, and rapid heartbeat. Seek medical attention if needed.
• Use Curtains & Blinds: Close curtains and blinds during the day to block out direct sunlight and keep your home cooler.
• Use Energy Wisely: Avoid using heat-generating appliances like ovens and stoves during the hottest parts of the day. Opt for no-cook meals or use a microwave.

This was quite a week for Athens, indeed for Greece – for Europe! Politics, economy, business, society – every day held dramatic developments… All of this has left me rather confused – confused about the future for Greece, for Europe; confused about my own beliefs and views; confused about what to tell people when they ask me ‘What’s going on there??’ But one fact remains: Good or bad, Athens is alive.

Just think about it. Sure, the bustling streets, the open-air patios, the din of voices and cars, the music coming from cafes, the smell of food from everywhere, the sunshine and (even!) the rain – there’s something magical in the mix. But this week, we added to that the Olympic flame (and one Mr. Beckham), the Athens Half-Marathon, art exhibits all over the place, summer live music nights popping up, and ‘Tuesdays in Athens’ getting into full swing. Beyond the obvious struggles, Athens remains alive!

I choose to be positive in my outlook. I also choose to live in Athens. This often makes for a difficult combination. With all its imperfections and tragedies and frustrations, I appreciate all the city offers. I love it for what it is; I don’t begrudge it for what it’s not…

Until next week,

Jack

P.S. Wondering which restaurants and bars are participating in the ‘Tuesdays in Athens’ initiative? Check out the map here: www.cityofathens.gr/node/20050

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…

If you're hankering for an air-conditioned spot with plenty of menu choices and some very good traditional fare, then the famed, old Ideal is just that. The place looks very much like a typical New York diner on the inside, with perhaps one of the longest-serving waitstaffs in the city. The menu is vast and the place is hopping day-in and day-out, especially at lunch. It is one of Athenians' favorite midtown spots, long-heralded among loyal fans as a pillar of traditional Greek food (although you'll find no small share of foreign interlopers on the extensive menu).

46 Panepistimiou St, Athens
210-330-3000

Location - Omonia Square, Omonia Square & University Area (Near Exarchia Square/Archaeological Museum)

Transportation - From Omonia or Syntagma, take Panepistimiou (the Ideal is just outside Omonia Sq.)

Hours - Mon-Sat noon-midnight 

Alcohol Served - Beer, Liquor, Wine

Ambiance - Fun / Festive

Cuisine - European, Greek

Dress - Business Casual

Meals - Business Lunch, Dinner, Lunch

Reservations - Recommended / Suggested

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

In contrast to other Cycladic capitals, the capital town (Hóra) of the island is not built in the shape of an amphitheatre but instead spreads out over a wide area. It is one of the best examples of Cycladic architecture and a spellbinding attraction for visitors. Stroll around its narrow marble streets and admire whitewashed houses with colourful doors and window frames, bougainvillea trees in purple bloom and hidden churches. Pay a visit to the church of Panayia Paraportiani, the Town hall and the castle situated above the harbour. Don’t forget to visit the Archaeological, Folklore and Maritime Museums to take in a little history. Wander around the pedestrian shopping streets of the Hóra, always colourful and busy. The most glamorous of all is Matoyánni Street, lined with brand name stores, charming cafés and stylish restaurants.

Soak up the atmosphere along the lively waterfront and admire a fleet of fishing boats casting colourful reflections in the azure waters. This is where you will find the Kazárma building, which served as accommodation for the soldiers of Manto Mavrogenous, a heroine of the Greek Revolution. The first floor served as her personal residence. While you’re out strolling, don’t be surprised if you come across the official mascot of Mykonos, which is nothing other than a... pelican! Pétros the Pelican was found by a fisherman after a storm in 1954, and eventually became the locals’ companion. When he died, the grief for his loss was so deep that a replacement was soon found. In honour of Pétros, the locals have established a long tradition of pelicans wandering around the waterfront as an essential part of everyday life. So, whatever you do, don’t forget to take a picture with the successor of the famous pelican Pétros!

One of the most scenic corners of the island is Alefkántra or “Little Venice”, an 18th century district, dominated by grand captains’ mansions with colourful balconies and stylish windows. With balconies perched over the sea, pictures of the famous Italian city spring to mind. Relax at a waterfront café and admire the view of the quaint windmills standing imposingly on the hillside above, set against a luminous blue backdrop.

The second traditional settlement of Mykonos is Áno Merá, situated around the historic monastery of Panayia Tourliani (a 16th century church with a brilliant carved wooden iconostasis). To the north, in Fteliá, lies an important Neolithic settlement, and a 14th-13th century BC Mycenaean tomb.

Using the Hóra as your base, set out on a trip to discover the beauties of the island, in particularly its sun-kissed beaches. Along the southern coast you will find a great selection of the most cosmopolitan ones. Here, wild parties keep the crowds rocking day and night. Paradise and Super Paradise may already be familiar to you. Órnos and Psaroú are favorite spots for families. Try a visit too to Platis Yalós, with a well-organized beach where you can soak up the sun lazing on a sun lounge. However, if you are looking for a serene beach to unwind with a book, pick a less organized one on the northern coast of the island, like Ayia Ánna, Houlákia, Kápari, Agrári and Ayios Stéfanos.

• Need an adrenaline rush?

The island is a paradise for water sport enthusiasts! It is only natural that the “Island of the Winds” should attract surfers and sailors from all over the world! There is a great choice of beaches for windsurfing; however, the most secluded ones are considered to be the best. Choose from Kórfos, Fteliá, Meyáli Ámmos and Kalafátis, where surfing lessons are also available. Play tennis or mini golf at Ayios Stéfanos, beach volleyball at Ayia Anna or try sea parachuting or jet skiing at Eliá or Kalafátis. Diving fans can do a little exciting exploration of the underwater magic of Mykonos. September is thought to be the best month for diving, as the water is warm and visibility is good down at the seabed.

On the island you can find many well-organized diving centers (some of them also offer snorkeling lessons) and stores specializing in diving equipment. Explore the island on a caicque or a boat and discover secluded beaches, or take a boat tour around the nearby islets, which are also ideal fishing spots!

• What about food?

Don’t miss the opportunity to treat yourself to some local Aegean specialties! Pepper flavoured kopanistí, a soft cheese seasoned with pepper, is the island’s gastronomic trademark. Try it as a topping on a round rusk spread with grated tomato, a favourite local mezés (appetiser). Meat eaters can sample “loúzes” (cooked pork filet with spices) and tasty local sausages sprinkled with pepper, and local oregano that has been caressed by the sun and dried in the north wind. To finish off your meal you can sample two exceptionally good local pastries, “amigdalotá” (small round cakes with ground almond, rosewater and caster sugar) and honey pie.

If you find yourself in Mykonos take the opportunity to explore the tiny archaeological gem of Delos, just a short boat trip away. Delos was a sacred island in ancient times, and according to mythology was the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis.

Source: Visitgreece.gr