Where to Start?!

I am back in Athens, and I am able to upload

some photos, if I can remember where I left

off?! This is Olympia, and we spent the day

here a couple of days ago. Our guide, Helen,

was excellent, and filled us in on the early

Olympics. The photo at the bottom is what is

left of the gymnasium, where the athletes worked

out and practiced.

The trio of columns left standing is part of a

temple, and the Corinthian column on the ground

was near that temple. The large broken pieces are

from the Temple of Zeus that housed the large

statue of the god. It has been toppled by earthquakes,

etc, and they have left the pieces where they fell.

The one section with the square hole in it shows how

the pieces fit together...there would have been a piece

above it with an extension that fit down in that hole,

much like ancient "legos".

The arched entrance is to the stadium, the best preserved

in the world. This is where they would run the races

and do the field competitions, all in the nude. They

covered themselves with olive oil and sand that acted

like a natural sunscreen. That is me, not naked, standing

by the track that went straight down and back, not in

a circle, like ours.

And then that is ancient Greek writing that adorned many

of the ruins there, recording ancient winners and records.

It all gave us a better appreciation for the present day games.

sheltongail@hotmail.com