In Athens this winter? The Athens Ledra Marriott and Star City Cinemas have joined forces - and the result is a rooftop skating rink with a view of the Acropolis. While, personally, the thought of putting myself on skates on a slippery surface high above the ground is not too atractive, even in a safe, contained area, it looks like a lot of fun for the better-coordinated visitor to Athens.

The ice rink will stay open through February. During the holidays, there is a small Christmas Market on the roof as well. It costs 10 Euros to skate, and it's open 11am to 11:30pm daily.

If you like to keep ice skating as a strictly spectator sport, you can also enjoy taking in a performance of "Holiday on Ice" in Athens at the Tae Kwon Do Stadium in Faliro from December 11th-December 20th. The show is subtitled "Mystery" and features an Alice in Wonderland theme, along with more traditional holiday characters. You can even buy tickets online.

Photo copyright Athens Ledra Marriott; used by permission

Traveling on Olympic Air? They've added the ability to check in via your cell phone or other device connected to the internet. At this point, the service is only good for flights departing out of Athens International Airport. Flyers can check in any time between 23 and 1 hour before the flight; after that cut-off, you have to check in at the desk.

Olympic Air also offers a departures and arrivals alert service via your cell phone.

While Olympic Air is the first to the gate in offering this mobile option, I expect that rival Aegean Airlines will soon be adding this service as well.

In 1821, at the village of New Epidauros, the Greek Constitution was formed by the First National Assembly of Greeks. The modern Greek flag was also designed at this time.

More on Epidauros

The flag of Greece. Photo © by deTraci Regula; licensed to About.com

Cypriots are reeling from the shocking theft of the remains of Tassos Papadopoulos, who died a year ago Saturday. His body was taken from a deep grave by determined robbers who shifted a massive marble slab in order to reach the body. The grave site was intended to be visited on Saturday as part of a traditional one-year memorial ceremony noting his death. The theft has raised tensions on Cyprus as reunification talks have reached a critical point in recent weeks.

Mio Georgiou at Cypriot Living, on Cyprus, told me many Cypriots are dismayed, whatever their politics. "The desecration of any grave is appalling -- and most Cypriots are shocked that such an act occurred to a prominent figure like former President Tassos Papadopoulos. Cyprus is a country that is, among other ways, clearly divided by political lines. However, regardless of which side of the political line you stand on, we can all agree that the theft of the body of former President Papadopoulos is a most heinous act of disrespect."

The Guardian: Grave robbers steal body of former Cypriot president