As I returned from my sprint, I noticed everyone was kind of staring at me. A British tourist came up and commended my run. “How far is it?”
“About 150 yards,” I said.
“Not a lot of people would run it in this heat.”
I found the comment odd. I came all the way to Olympia; I’m sprinting the fucking track! As a matter of fact, I did it at Nemea and Isthmia, too. Now I’ve done three of the four parts of the Ancient Grand Slam. Once I sprint Delphi, I’ll be one up on Roger Federer!
Olympia is remarkably well preserved. The temple of Phillip and Hera were awesome (along with the altar to Hera where they light the torch). But, the sight of the temple to Zeus is magnificent! You can see the spot where the statue of Zeus (one of the Seven Wonders), was situated.
But the jewel of the site is the museum. Neither Schliemann nor various British earls were hear to steal the original friezes from the Greeks. (I’m sorry “buy” the rights to it from the Ottomans). Specifically, the statue of Hermes is a treat. I would put Olympia on the list of most see before you die things.
After the Archeology Museum, I went across town to the Museum of the Modern Olympics. I don’t think it was worth the 2 euros I spent to get in. It was like me and another guy had a couple of pins from the few games, got some pictures together from the net and pasted it all to walls. Outside of the machine that apparently took the flame to space for ’76 Montreal and a few original torches – I was unimpressed.
I left Olympia and made my way to Poulaki campground. The guy who spoke almost no English did not have my reservation that I had made over the internet. His English speaking daughter then got into it with him. I think she was telling him he had to check the email everyday.
The older man definitely didn’t feel the internet was that important: “eegh… internet, internet” was his answer to his daughter.
Fortunately there were plenty of sights. I set up camp and grabbed a swim in the Ionian Sea for the first time.
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