Olympia now and then.

What a day walking around the original site of the Olympic games. ....I hardly know where to begin.   Maybe you should all just wiki it.  The games began in Greece in the 6th century BC.....BC!  And continued every year uninterrupted for 1200 or 1300 years or something.

Just so you know. ..women were not allowed.   But they had their own races after the men and boys were done...
No men allowed.

There were scale models to share with my family since we are descendants of a world class model maker....my dad...but the pictures are poor.

All around, toppled by earthquakes  and time were huge remnants of the temples and stadium and halls and homes and the major gymnasium (which means naked by the way)...now that I think of it may also have something to do with a gymnosperm.....naked seed pod perhaps.

Our guesthouse owner,  Lia with the degree in Biotechnology would know. ..If we could figure out the English or Greek or Latin translation.

The most pertinent aspect of the whole thing is that in order to participate everyone was required to agree to put all animosity aside.  It was a time of peace....Though extremely competitive.   Peace.  The origin of the Olive branch as symbolic of peace. They wore olive wreaths around their heads.

A woman entered the WC (water closet) I was happily using wearing an olive branch around her head today.   We are always surrounded by olive trees here. Lots of opportunities for peaceful head gear.

Here are some pictures.  My words fail me to try to summarize this day.  Suffice it to say....I ran through the arch the athletes ran through to the cheering spectators. ..and I placed my bare feet on the still there marble paved starting line and ran with my hair down as the young women did. ...after the men were done as you now know.