Site of the Original Olympics

We are staying in the small town of Ancient Olympia, the site of the original Olympics, which started about 776 BC. The site was within a short walk from our hotel for which we were grateful as it is quite warm today. Our guide, Gabriella, was well informed and able to answer all questions. The site is large, containing ruins of the huge stadium, the Temple of Zeus, the wrestling arena, the workshop of Phidius (sp?) believed to be one of the sculptors who worked to specifications of those who sponsored his works, and great rows of stubs of columns testifying to the size and shape of huge buildings that once existed there.

In the arena, a few of the students who have been in track and field had to try out their stamina running the course. Then we went to the Museum which had wonderful statues and artifacts unearthed from the ruins. Like many of the Greek ruins one can see today, they were covered over with soil before being excavated.
I'm not sure when this site was excavated but when we were in Naphlos yesterday, the museum there had good pictures of the archeaologists, and I laughed when I saw the women wearing saddle shoes. That is all it took for me to know they were there in 1952-53, which was when I was in college, and I remember seeing then articles about students going on archeaological "digs" during the summer time.

This Hotel Neda in Ancient Olympia is very nice. The food is very good and there is a lovely pool and outdoor sitting area, where most of the students are at the moment, having been given free time this afternoon. Tomorrow we return to Athens and next we will be going north towards Thessalonica I expect.

I have enjoyed seeing the Pelapponese and the fertile farmland particularly along the lower plains near the water. Lots of olive trees. Gabriella says if one sees no olive trees that means, in that particular area, it must get cold enough to frost, otherwise olive trees grow everywhere in Greece. It has rained more on this trip than on all of my other visits combined. We have experienced short thunderstorms on several occasions. The local people tell us this much rain in June is unusual.