Olympia, Greece (Katakolon)

The first Oympics were held in 776 BC. These are the ruins of the Temple of Hera.

They went through many periods, Deometric and Archaic, Classical when the baths were added and on to the Hellenistic period, the ruins below.

The  site was constanting being rebuilt due to eathquakes, landslide, tsunamis and is still being escavated and preserved today. Shows shells and mollusks.

Entrance to the stadium which held 45,000 spectators on stone bleachers.

We were told all about the athletes, training, housing, area anad beliefs through the times.

We even saw the altar where sacrifices were made and the stone where the olympic torch is still lit today by a parobolic mirror and sent around the world every 2 years to the current Olympics. Then we went into the the little town of Olympia, tasted ouzo, saw vineyards, olive groves Greek food, local wine and a Syrtaki dance.

 I went into the Archimedes' Museum, the inventor who inspired Leonardo da Vinci and is the scientist who influenced Galilaeo and Issac Newton. An amazing place, showing ancient Greek Technology with 300 inventions.