Olympia

Trip Start May 31, 2008

107

Trip End Jun 01, 2009

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Flag of Greece Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece
Saturday, March 21, 2009

Our next stop was the historic and significant ruins of Olympia. The birth place of the Olympic games going back to the 7th C BC. The games were held for over 1000 years before they were abolished by Emperor Theodosius I because it was considered a pagan festival.

The site was great to see and a highlight for Calvin was running into the stadium and doing a full lap. The weather was not great (raining) but that meant we had the entire stadium to ourselves to do a victory lap. The Zeus temple ruins were spectacular as well. You really got an appreciation for how huge the columns are when you stand right beside them.

We then went to the Museum on site and it was apparent just how important the games were in their time period. The museum detailed the archaeological finds, notably Hermes holding Dionysus as a baby. I really wish I remembered more of my Greek Mythology from my dreaded high school English classes!

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