Day 72 Olympia

Day 72. Wednesday October 13th. Hotel Pelops, Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece.
Visited the ancient site of the first Olympic Games and, once again, really enjoyed some of the Greek ruins. Fascinating to see where the original Olympic flame was lit, where it was kept burning and where, today, the flame is lit for each of the modern Olympic Games. You see the winner’s circle where you came to be honored if you won your event. No Gold, silver, bronze-just win or lose and you got a statue with your name and your parent’s names on it. Your home town often gave you free food for life. All athletes were naked so you could check out the competition and you had to arrive one month before so you could be judged suitable. Judges were trained and respected for their impartiality. If you were a lucky judge you could become a urine drinker to taste for athletes that had chewed on forbidden stuff. Athletes who did cheat or did not practice sufficiently or perhaps showed cowardice had their name carved on statues lined up at the entrance. Then the 45,000 attendees who came to watch would spit on the cheaters statues as they entered.