Thursday, June 17, 2010
 
Athens is 9 hours ahead of Colorado Springs, so the difference in time zones really contributed to me being tired last night.  We had our first meal in the hotel, just a few hours after eating gyros, and were all impressed.  I really enjoyed the fruit tarts for dessert.
 
I'm working on meeting all of the 170 camp participants, but realize that it has been difficult.  It's interesting to meet people with names that I cannot really pronounce.  Everyone is in the same boat as me right now, and I think they're resorting to trying to learn countries for now. But even then, I have met people from places that I didn't even know were countries (like Maldives and Mauritius).
 
We spent the morning at the Acropolis, so we were able to see the Parthenon.  There are other buildings in the process of being restored and/or rebuilt on the Acropolis, so it was neat to see buildings that were built over 2500 years ago.  After the Acropolis, we went to the Parthenon Museum, and impressive building just a few blocks from the Parthenon.  The last stop of the day was the Panathenaic Stadium – where the 1896 Olympic Games, the first modern Olympic Games, were held. 
 
The (not so) highlight of the day so far has been the heat.  On the bus ride back to our hotel, it was 41 degrees.  For those of you who aren't fluent in Celsius, that is 105 degrees Celsius.  Needless to say, I was dripping sweat. 
 
I am amazed at how well the other attendees of the International Olympic Academy speak English.  At my table today at lunch were people from Japan, Iceland, Denmark, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Maldives, and Latvia.  Most even have a sense of humor in English, which impresses me.
 
During breakfast today, I heard an instrumental version of a song that I knew I knew.  After listening to the song for about 30 seconds, the chorus came on and I realized it was "Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel.  It reminded me of high school wrestling practice, as Simon & Garfunkel was a band we used to listen to.  That, along with Poison, Garth Brooks, the Lion King soundtrack, Cheap Trick, Boston, among others, was normally heard coming from our wrestling room.  Quite eclectic. 
 
Tonight is the opening ceremony at the Hill of the Pnyx.  I doubt the ‘p' is silent, so we're guessing it's pronounced phinx.  Like sphinx, with no s.  My Greek skills are not rapidly progressing, although I do know how to say thank you in Greek.  That's always a big one to learn.
 
I just got a laugh out of a question I was asked by a fellow American who is in the hotel lobby.  She is a retiree from Ohio who is on a tour, so she read my shirt (Air Force Wrestling) and immediately got excited.  Her question: Do you watch The Bachelorette?  Wow, logical question to ask with the shirt I'm wearing.  I quickly responded with no, but she went on to explain that one of the contestants is an entertainment wrestler. Does that sound correct to any fans of that show?
 
I found out that Udaya, my roommate, allegedly accepted 29 Euros worth of pay per view movies yesterday.  The hotel employee who I talked to said that he accepted a "packet” by entering our room number.  I do know that he was watching Ice Age when I was in there, so hopefully all of the movies were of the same nature.
 
Time for me to sign off, as I have to get ready for the opening ceremony. 

Citius!  Altius!  Fortius!