Athens (via Domnista)

After our beach time in Afissos, we returned to Domnista for a few days. We were able to see a few more family members and said our farewells. 

We drove to Athens, not looking forward to the intense heat of the city. There is a reason people flee the metropolis for the mountains – it’s much cooler! Fortunately, we had booked an Airbnb in Glyfada, a leafy suburb in the south of Athens and just a few blocks away from D.’s aunt and uncle.   We returned the rental car (they picked up the car from in front of the apartment – great service!) and settled into our fourth floor base for the rest of our time in Greece. 

The following day, D.’s parents arrived after taking care of a few final house and car related issues in Domnista. We headed down to Syntagma Square, in front of the Greek Parliament, to watch the changing of the guards. As iconic as the British Beefeaters, the Greek Evzones stand in front of the Parliament on either side of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Every hour, the guard changes in a dramatic spectacle that attracts plenty of tourists with their cameras. D. remembered getting his own evzone uniform in elementary school and wearing it for Halloween!

After watching the guard change, we wandered through the Plaka which is the neighbourhood at the foot of the Acropolis. It is full of little shops and restaurants with its fair share of tourist traps. Fortunately, we stumbled across several unique shops that have created unique and memorable souvenirs. 

We enjoyed checking out their offering and even purchased a few small items to bring home. Our evening meal was at a restaurant that A. first found during our previous visits to Greece.

The following day was spent visiting with D.’s aunt and uncle who had prepared an enormous amount of food to eat: fresh fish, homemade moussaka, roast chicken and potatoes, Greek salad, homemade hummus and to top it all off, homemade cheesecake parfaits for dessert! It was a wonderful treat – not just for the food, but also for the opportunity to catch up and talk. 
That evening, A. and D. were able to enjoy a rare date night thanks to D.’s parents babysitting the kids. A. found a restaurant in Vougliameni (another suburb further south) along a picturesque peninsula. It turns out the restaurant – Matsuhisa – is the Athens outpost of the famed Japanese chef, Nobu. The view was spectacular as were the cocktails and food. It was a luxurious pleasure to be there without the kids and eat fresh, delicious seafood. A. still dreams about the grilled octopus with yuzu! We enjoyed our evening immensely. 

The following day, D.’s parents left Greece to return to Canada and we headed to the Acropolis Museum. The museum houses a huge range of artifacts from the Acropolis, including replicas of the Parthenon and the other temples. Before starting our tour with a private guide, we ate in the second floor restaurant. While the food was decent, the view was incredible, looking out to the Acropolis and the Parthenon. After the meal, we met our guide on the main floor and let her lead us through the museum. She wasn’t as good as the guides we had previously, but it was still worthwhile to have an expert take us through the museum, provide running commentary and show us the highlights. 

After we finished at the museum, we walked through the National Garden to the Benaki Museum. Unfortunately, the extreme heat made walking slower than expected and the museum itself was closed when we arrived. However, we were able to cool off in the air conditioned museum shop. Then, it was back to the apartment to pack and bid farewell to Greece. 

Next stop: Copenhagen!