This charming, naive story is the main theme of Steven Pogson's Cantata for children's choir and three voices presented by the Children's Choir of National Conservatory with three soloists on Saturday, May 26th, at 19.00, at the New Benaki Museum in Pireos street. All children and soloists are students of the Conservatory and are joined by a live band of students, playing the piano, violin, cello, flute and percussions. The part of Persephone is sung by yours truly, MarieMom, but I'm telling you, the real hit of the show is Hades, the man with a plan in tux and the moves of John Travolta!

The performance is ideal for young children and it lasts about 40 minutes. After the interval, you can also watch the show of the Musical Class of the Conservatory: prepare for decception, crime and fishnets, as the theme is Highlights from Chicago! And all this, for the modest ticket of 5 euro at the door.

And while you're at it, you can also see two very interesting exhibitions that have just opened: "Jean Cocteau and Greece" and "Antonis Kyriakoulis" (a very interesting Greek artist with a carricaturistic style). Read more about them at www.benaki.gr

"Ya banaki" is Greek (transribed in latin characters) for "for a swim". It is a sandy beach, with shallow waters, perfect for little kids, but it is also an experience. You can find restaurants, bars, cofee shops, water sports, water games, anything you might imagine for a day at the beach. With 5,5 euro per adult person (6,6 on weekends), you can find a nice umbrella and sunbeds and absorb as much sunshine as you need to get you through the difficult winter months. Children under 6 go for free, and children between 6 and 12 pay 3,5 euro entrance fee (as do students and adults over 65). Parking is ample and free, really important!

There are showers, changing rooms and lockers, and for those of you who want a really luxurious experience, you can rent a bungallow for the whole day (from 8 in the morning until sunset, around 8 in the evening) and feel like a real holiday. You can check out their website, www.yabanaki.gr, but I'm afraid it's in Greek (not much use there, eh?)

If you don't feel like driving, you can take the tram from Syndagma to Glufada and then jump on a bus heading to Varkiza, but I wouldn't advise it. Unless you manage to carry  your kids, the towels, the sun lotions, extra bathing suits, the changing bag, the floating mattress, the electric mini-boat, the mini-truck, the Barbie doll and the Action Man doll, in which case you can always join the circus and make some pocket money while you're at it!

My favorites are:
1. The three penguins whom I’m sure were in the middle of a fight over who’s girlfriend she really is…
2. The lime green frog that looks like the Gyko lizard… and
3. The giant turtle (we’ll call him Crush) with all the pretty little fish cleaning him

The exhibit ends May 13th, so grab your coffee to go and check out our little friends around the planet.

For info: www.polarisekdoseis.gr/faf

The Army has left us with one great thing though: the Army Park ("Parko Stratou" in Greek) in the Goudi district, very near the centre of Athens. This is a relatively big area, most of which remains wild, where there used to be kept military equipment and supplies, as well as where the Army bakeries were situated.

The Army Park is the closest to any decent European or American park you can find in Athens. It's surprisingly clean (no stray dogs and, consequently, no dog poo all over, for kids to touch and taste - ugh!) and very well kept. It is in fact so neat that it is irritating: it means that there are actually ways of keeping this city clean and we simply don't apply them! Anyway, there are some trees for a much needed shade during the hot summer months where you can enjoy a picnic, you will see children and adults with bicycles and skates, people jogging or playing soccer, kids playing at the see-saw or strollers and toddlers stumbling about. You can also see some old equipment - helicopters, tanks, airfighters - in an open-air mini-museum, each one labeled accordingly.

Two of the old military buildings are now renovated and host the National Sculpture Gallery, where you can see not only examples of ancienct greek statues but also masterpieces of the last 150 years (the New Greek State era), with top and foremost the works of Yannoulis Halepas. The cost is 6 Euro for adults and admission is free for children.

At the other edge of the park, you will find the Badminton Theatre, that is, the Badminton Courts which were built for the purposes of the 2004 Olympic Games, now transformed in a theatre which hosts major foreign productions (you can currently catch "Jesus Christ Superstar" there, go to www.ticketnet.gr for more information on tickets and availability).

You can access the Army Park very easily by metro. Just get off to Katehaki Station, go up to Katehaki Avenue for about 300m and you'll find the gates at your right. Parking is ample and free, in case you want to go by car.

So, I shall take you today to the spring/summer playground of the weekend adventurer from Athens to a place merely one and a half hours from the bustling city called “Nafplion”. This is an ancient Greek port once occupied by Venetians and the aura of which still lingers behind in the architectural style of the old town. Drive over for the day and enjoy an iced coffee (frappe) with friends, hike up to the castle (it’s on a hill; you can’t miss it) and revel in the ancient times, or just stroll around town with an ice cream cone from “Pagotomania” to work up an appetite for dinner. There is a great little place called “The Koutouki” which has great traditional Greek food, or you can just pop into one of the many taverns for fish or meat.

To check out the fabulous view, go to the Nafplion Palace, which is up the opposite hill from the castle. This is a glamorous hotel built in the wake of the 1960’s and even has an elevator system to take you up so you can arrive in style. Have a drink on the patio and watch the sunset.

Don’t forget the great shopping around town and check out “The Art Shop” for Modern Greek art and the National Gallery Alexandros Soutzos Museum or the Nafplion Art Gallery for all types of art.

So, step out of Athens for the weekend on the road to Corinth and enjoy the drive.

In case you find that your baby is soiling clothes at a speed rate you can't follow, you may find yourself needing to do some baby shopping. In the center of Athens, you can find many stores devoted exclusively to baby clothing and accessories. Number one, Mothercare. With stores in Kolonaki (Omirou street), Ermou street (off Syndagma square) and inside Attica Department Stores (Panepistimiou sreet)  and Notos Galleries (Stadiou street, off Omonoia square), it promises to supply you with fairly well-priced, excellent quality clothes and accessories (virtually for all baby activities: bath, meal, stroll, play, sleep). You can also check out Prenatal (Nikis street, Syndagma square) for a similar, although smaller selection. The great thing about Mothercare stores is that they also have a changing and breastfeeding room, where you can wash, change and nurse your child in peace. Check out www.mothercare.gr for more information.

Inside Attica Department Store and Notos Galleries, you can also find designer clothing for babies (such as Lapin, Alouette, Gant, Ralph Lauren, Benetton, Marasil), as well as Chicco products (in Notos Galleries only), who specialize in strollers and meal-related products (bottles, warmers, carriers, etc).

If what you need is more on the entertainment child, if suddenly baby is utterly bored with everything you have brought (they tend to do that!), you can find baby toys in both department stores mentioned above. However, if you are looking for more unusual things, try Imaginarium (Kifisias Ave, Ambelokipi or Stadiou street and Korai). We're talking about really original and creative stuff, specially labeled according to age but also according to different skills they require, you can see the collection at www.imaginarium.gr Also, if you're in The Mall (Neratziotissa train station, Maroussi), don't forget to visit Early Learning Center at the 3rd floor. Toys that teach and entertain, following the "let's pretend" philosophy, great quality but slightly overpriced. Who said kids come cheap?

The museum hosts a very wide selection of exhibits from both ancient and modern times, with a special focus on folk art (which includes everyday utensils, dresses and clothes and embroidery). Here the visitor can get a very good idea of everyday life in ancient greece, the hellenistic years, the Byzantium as well as the modern era, which followed the Revolution of 1821 against the Ottoman Empire and marked the creation of the Modern Greek State. Moreover, in addition to the permanent collections, one can catch many different exhibitions ranging from photography and visual arts to music, dance and biographical themes.

I strongly advise to check out the museum store, where you can find replicas of many of the museum's exhibits as well as a huge selection of gifts.

On the top floor one can have a drink, a snack or lunch at the very elegant restaurant, which also serves a buffet menu on Thursday evenings, when the Museum remains open until midnight with free admission. The rest of the week, admission fee is 6 euro (3 for discounts); opening hours are from 9am to 5pm on Monday, Wednsday, Friday and Saturday and from 9am to 3pm on Sunday. Watch out, it's closed on Tuesdays!

The Benaki Foundation has two more spaces, the New Benaki Museum at Pireos Street and the Museum of Islamic Art (more on those on a future post!)