Olympia

On this site in 776 BC

The first Olympic games where held here in Olympia in 776 BC. now that’s a long time ago!! and yes that’s why they became called the Olympic Games.

It was pretty cool to wander the ruins of this site especially after the Olympics being held in Vancouver this year. There was a photo in a shop window in the town of Olympia of the torch being lit for the games last year in Vancouver. What I didn’t know was that they always light the torch here and it runs all the way to the city in which it is being held. Oh and where dose the flame come from?? It is lit from the “Eternal Flame” which is the sun, so it never goes out, I thought that was one of those things we should all know.

Wondering this ruined site I could not help but marvel at the craftsmanship that built this place all those years ago. The size of the stones used to make the pillars and how did they get them up that high? The detail in the Marble decoration and the statues of men and women all carved out of a solid block then honed to a fine finish, no electric tools like we have today it must have taken ages to do these.

To walk out onto the Olympic field and see where the first javelin was thrown, where the first 100 meter dash took place I could feel the energy of the place and to think that today we still have these Olympic games every four years, what a legacy these Greeks left the world.

In the museum there were artifacts that had been uncovered over the many years of Archaeological explorations, the clay pots the glass the spear heads and helmets made of bronze even the small bronze animals, maybe toys or just decoration.

This place is definatly worth a visit.