Blogs from Olympia, West Greece, Greece, Europe - page 3

Ever wonder where we got the English word "gymnasium" from? I know I have...n't. (lol) Perhaps it wasn't a shock that we borrowed the word from the Ancient Greeks, but what surprised the hell out of me was that it meant "place to be naked." As in bare-bottomed, with all your bits and pieces on display for public inspection. Er? I think we have another English equivalent to that though...it's more commonly referred to as "porn," in my native tongue, lol. Athletes would also slather their naked bodies with healthy amounts of olive oil to imbue their skin with a healthy glow, so as to appeal to the spectators of the Games...which were all men. Women weren't allowed even to watch the events. ... So what exactly does that say about the Greeks in the realm ... read more

Our final 4 days would be spent with Chatours with about 18 people on a bit larger bus. Gianis would be our directore and guide. Adonis would be our driver. There seemed to be several hours a day driving from point to point with frequent bathroom and lunch breaks. But each stop along the way seemed to bring new levels of awe and wonder. ... read more

So, the storm following us has had to give up its water to cross the Adriatic. Did this mean it would give up? No. Of course not. So the second day after we arrived in Athens, the wind blows up - sunshades wrench at their moorings, and up on the Acropolis, unimpeded by the buildings below, the wind howls through the ruins of temples and ancient monuments, driving stinging dust and a steady stream of dislodged sun-hats before it. And nothing catches dust like sun-creamed legs. The overall effect, however, was very impressive. The feeling of an abandoned, spirit-haunted, ancient place was inescapable, even through the omnipresent crowds of chattering tourists. The they were all below the notice of the columns towering over them, and beyond the statues impassive, blankly eternal gaze. This was a place ... read more

I was headed into an inferno, at least, that was what the news story on the Internet led me to believe. It was old news really, I remembered first hearing about the fires burning across the Peloponnesian Peninsula when I was in Rhodes a few weeks before. I had never even considered changing my plans due to the fires, though. After all, I had lived for many years in California where forest fires were commonplace and I was only going to get one chance of ‘seeing’ six of the Seven Wonders of the World before it was time to go home. I figured that as long as the transportation was still running I was going to stick to my plan. My bus ride out of Delphi went flawlessly. We descended the slopes of Mt. Parnassus to ... read more