Adventure Stage 8 - The Olympics in Athens

Arrived in Athens on the boat.....the sun was rising over the ancient city as we pulled up.  A shooting star fell a few minutes before we docked.

After getting off the boat w/ a mass of people.....somehow managed to get myself on a bus.  Truth is....I had NO idea where it was going.  People were getting on....so I figured I would to.  Good news is that it dropped us off at the train station.  Bad news was, it's not the train station I needed (to buy tickets to get out of Athens later that night).  With the high prices for accommodation in Athens....there was no possible way I was going to spend the night there.  But.....after a visit to the information booth......exploring the city metro......a couple of bus stations and another train station......I had my tickets.  I would catch the late train out of town.

No place to store bags.  NOT good news.....a hot, muggy day in Athens.  I think I never sweat as much as I did that day.  After touring the ruins (Acropolis, etc), I walked through the city center.  Just about at the point of complete dehydration, I found a Greek Evangelical Church giving away free bottles of water.  I wasn't totally sure.....thought maybe I had died and was actually in heaven......so began talking w/ a few of the folks working there.  There accents were unique...but easy for me.  Turns out....most of them were Baptists from North Carolina that came over to do a bit of a missions project.  They had a big display outlining the history of the Olympic games....tying it to biblical times.  It was well done.  30 minutes there....and I was re-charged.  So on I went......

Being able to see the Olympics in Athens is a big deal.  It's an even bigger deal if you are a midwestern U.S. farm boy like myself.  So many events were taking place that day.  Bicycling, shooting, archery.....oh what should I go see?!?!?  In the end....it wasn't a tough decision for me.  Baseball.  That's the sport I love the most.  So.....I went to watch Canada and China play.

Probably the most exciting part of attending the baseball game was me trying to get through security.  Apparently, I was breaking about a dozen rules (no food, no backpacks, no 'extra' stuff  allowed into events).  A Canadian asked me as I came to the checkpoint 'Did you read your Olympic handbook before you came to the game?!?!?!?!'  Of course I didn't.....that would have been boring.  She seemed to soften a bit when I asked her for the Canadian flag tattoos that she was giving away.  A passed her and entered a mass of Greek security guards than seemed to be a bit puzzled by me wearing such a big pack. 

But....someone took pity on me.  After about 10 minutes of Greek security guards chattering with each other.....them looking through my backpack w/ amazed looks on their faces (I enjoy carrying sweaty clothes, toilet paper, and snacks around with me)......they eventually said 'You may go!'  There was no line at the security check point when I arrived.  But....there was after I left.  Sorry guys.......

I was a bit early for the game, so I went to check out the souvenirs.  Another Australian guy - he was working as a volunteer.  There were some type of stuffed dolls/animals that were the Olympic mascots this year.  I said 'What are those things???'  He says, "I don't know what the hell they are!!  The damn things sure are ugly, aren't they?!?!?!?'  I spotted the hat I wanted: 28.5 Euros (about my daily travel budget!!).  He seemed to read my mind.  "Everything is so damned expensive!!!  I don't see why people buy anything!!!"  As I walked away, I couldn't help but like the guy.....and appreciate his honesty.  I think the Olympic committee should think twice before hiring him again as a salesman though.

Canada whipped up on Chinese Taipei 7 - 0.  It was a good game....but better than the game were the Chinese fans.  They caused more ruckus than any group of Chinese I'd ever seen.....and there were less than 100 of them!  They were chanting, blowing whistles, yelling organized cheers together, and on their feet for most of the game.  A few of them even joined in enthusiastically with the Canadians in dancing and doing the moves to the song YMCA at the end of the 5th inning.  The Canadian fans had a guy wearing a Canadian flag....and a big maple leaf on his head.  But he was no real competition for the Chinese fans.  

As the game continued, the wind increased, the temperature dropped, and there was a gorgeous sunset over the mountains behind the stadium.  I had seen the sun rise and set in Athens.  Now it was time to move on.  With backpack strapped to me.....I left the screaming Chinese fans.  I had an overnight train to Thessoniki.