Greek tennis fans. They're passionate sorts.

Venus serves up a treat for Robin
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Morning. So last night we went to the tennis at the main Olympic complex, which also houses the aquatic events, the big athletics stadium, the gymnastics and the velodrome. It's also the home of the massive Olympic superstore selling all kinds of Olympic stuff. Tip: If you happen to be in Athens, the girl's T-shirts are way more stylish and imaginative than the women's ones - they're also much cheaper and the sizes are big. An age 12 is easily big enough for my (rather older than that) fiance.

The actual complex is enormously impressive (well, if you ignore the massive McDonalds), full of all kinds of amazing archway walks and fountains and the like. Feels really special being in there - like you're at the centre of the Games. Which, I suppose, you are. I'll take some pictures when we're there next so you know what I'm gushing about!

So, to the tennis. After watching Venus Williams lose to Mary Pierce on Court 1 - that's Venus behind Robin; budding tennis players, note how high she throws the service ball (you can click on the pic to make it bigger) - we headed to the Centre Court where the local Greek hero Danilidou was playing a Russian who (according to the Greek woman sitting next to us) knocked Serena W out of the French Open.

Problem was, only people with centre court tickets (like us) could get into centre court, and every Greek in the tennis complex wanted in. You can get right up to the entrance gates without a ticket - you can actually see the whole court from there - and, once the game started, there were loads of Greeks without centre court tickets loudly demanding to be let in to fill the seats they could see were empty. Such was the shouting match continually going on at the gate just behind us that they had to stop the game a couple of times, because the players couldn't concentrate.

Clearly Greeks aren't as up on the decorum of tennis as we Brits (who are great at the decorum but rubbish at playing the actual sport). As well as many of them sitting chatting on their mobile phones throughout the game, the massive Greek following were starting chants and songs between every point, often forcing the player they were supporting to have to wait for them to finish before she served!

The Russian fared even worse from it. As it became clear she was going to win, (she won 7-5, 6-4 in the end) the Greeks started to whistle her as she threw the ball to serve. Then, every time she put a first serve into the net there was massive cheering like Greece had just scored a winning goal - and you should have heard them whenever she double faulted! Definitely an unusual, though enjoyable, tennis experience.

Olympic characters #2

A Hungarian. Or maybe an Hungarian.
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We spotted this Hungarian water polo fan at Irini metro station (the one that serves the big Olympic complex). Our Hungarian friend doesn't speak much English. And we don't speak much Hungarian. But is he enjoying the Olympics? 'Yes. Yes, yes, yes!' Good. Good, good, good!

Just back from tennis. Very tired.

Robin. At the stadium.
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Hey up

Just got back from the tennis - we ended up skipping the football and staying there to watch the local Greek woman play her match on centre court.

I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, but having got up at 7am the last two days for morning events (and, yes mum, not having had sensible early nights) I'm shattered, so I'm off to bed now.

For now, here's a pic of Robin outside the Olympic Stadium, which is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, which is where the tennis is too. As you'll see, the flame is burning bright. I'll tell you all about the complex tomorrow too.

Now to bed. Big day tomorrow - not only have I got lots to tell you about in the morning, but the British mixed doubles badminton duo are playing in the final tomorrow afternoon, and we've got tickets!! Hurrah and hooray and can't wait! No doubt like them, I'll be dreaming of gold tonight...

Water polo: Olympic heroes in dressing gowns!

Robin and the Canadians
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Hello

We're just back from watching the morning session of water polo - and (at the risk of sounding like I'm enjoying everything) it was superb.

The sport is like a cross between football, American football, hockey and basketball played in a pool in four quarters of (I think) seven minutes. There are many fouls and it's easily the most violent team sport I've ever seen!

We saw two women's group games. The first was Australia (gold medalists in Sydney) versus Kazakhstan. It was a bit one-sided, the Ozzies won 9-4 (Kaz wasted too many chances).

And then the main event, the big North American derby between USA and Canada. A lot more fans had arrived by now, with plenty of yanks to support the US and plenty of Canadians and folks from other nationalities to cheer against them (the Greeks particularly like to cheer against the US).

It was an incredibly tight contest, 0-0 almost until half time when the US took the lead (they'd both hit the post plenty of times before that). Canada had lots of chances but just couldn't score them.

The US had a burst of goals, and lead 4-0 until the very end of the third quarter when Canada pulled one back. The stats then showed that Canada had had 18 shots and just scored that one.

Then the amazing final quarter. Canada scored early to make it 4-2, but the US soon made it 5-2. At which point Canada staged the most amazing comeback. 5-3 (crowd gets excited), 5-4 (crowd goes wild), 5-5 (crowd goes super-wild) and, finally, 6-5 to Canada (crowd and players pinch themslves to see if they're dreaming). Absolutely amazing finale. After not scoring in their first 17 shots, Canada managed to score 6 in their final 7.

It was hard on the US, but for their sheer determination the Canadians were well worthy of the passionate celebrations that greeted their win.

Bob from Calgary (who came second in our first blog competition), if you're reading, I hope you and your country are celebrating this victory - for that comeback, your women's water polo team deserve some serious plaudits!

News! Competition update!

COMP UPDATE
To the guess-how-much-Olympic-food-costs comp first (see below for entry details). Vix has made a guess of 42, because she won the first competition and doesn't want to win the second one. While Diegem has written to point out he's not a she (sorry) and ask why Robin doesn't get food in our competition. Duh. Because he's a bird. He eats seeds, worms and berries. And they don't sell those at Olympic concessions. Keep the entries coming...

KARLO FROM MEXICO - OUR FIRST MEXICAN READER
Hello and welcome to Karlo who tells us to look out for Mexican runner Ana Guevara. (Think of your own Speedy Gonzalez jokes readers, why should I do all the work?)

CALLS CONTINUE FOR BEACH VOLLEY DANCING BABES PIC
We're off to the beach volley again in a few days. I'll see what I can do. Until then, take cold showers.

DENNIS QUESTIONS BRITS' LOVE OF BASKETBALL
'Hey Kit, what is a self-respecting Brit doing watching basketball?' he asks. Obviously Dennis doesn't know that when basketball was first a demonstration sport at the Olympics in the early 1900s, Britain won the gold. The team was all made up of players from the Central London YMCA gym (of which I am a member!). So our Olympic basketball heritage is very deep Dennis!

MUSIC AT THE VENUES
If you're going to an event, as well as 'We Will Rock You' expect to hear 'Let's Get It Started' by Black Eyed Peas and 'Shake It' the Greek Eurovision entry from this year (no sign of the ace Ukraine song that pipped them to the title though). And they seem to try to play music from the countries involved in whatever you're watching. So 'Ca Plaine Pour Moi' was on during French beach volley and this morning during the Australian water polo match they played Men At Work (twice) and, oddly, 'Highway To Hell' by AC/DC. Sadly, they didn't seem to have any Kazakhstan tunes.

Olympic characters #1 (first in a series)

Robin meets Uncle Sam
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

This is Uncle Sam, who was at the water polo to see Canada v USA. Uncle Sam is from New York. He's having a great time at the Olympics even though he lost his luggage for a few days at the airport in London on the way here.

Football and competition

Robin gets his (free) kicks
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Right. Quick post cos Greece v USA basketball is on TV and it's 45-44 in the 3rd quarter...

Just got back from the football (or, if you're that way inclined, soccer), Argentina beat Australia 1-0 in a fairly uneventful men's game (with some nice flashes of skill) after Germany had outclassed Mexico in the women's game, winning 2-0.

Nice stadium, 26,400 crowd and a good atmosphere, but there was no half time entertainment (certainly no bikini dancers!) and there were HUGE queues for refreshments (I actually went looking for the missus after 25 minutes, worrying that she'd been abducted or something!). Still, at least we kept up our record of having heard 'We Will Rock You' by Queen at every single Olympic event we've been to so far.

53-44 to the US in the basketball. Wow, in the time it takes to type a paragraph...

So to the latest competition entries:

- Diegem - who says she's quit watching CNN because they're so negative; 33 Euros.
- John Abatzoglou, a Greek in California who's dad is in Athens watching the Games; 32 Euros.
- Simon Wonder Wally from Southport; 14.5 Euros. (He also asks if we'll see any British medals being won - our best hope is the mixed doubles badminton final, I believe the Brits are in the semis...)
- Andria from Texas (who's very kind about this blog); 26 Euros.
- And, having been told what a creme caramel is, KJ has gone for 36 Euros.
Plus, earlier, Dennis - 20 Euros. Roberto - 24 Euros. GM - 38 Euros.

At the moment no one is within 2 Euros of the correct answer...

Busy day tomorrow - water polo, tennis AND football. An Olympic hat-trick!

57-53! Oh it looks like a nailbiter and it's calling my name...
(STOP PRESS: US pipped the plucky Greeks 77-71 in the end. Cracking contest though.)

Life's a beach volley

Robin the beach volley bird
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We've just got back to our hotel from the morning session of the beach volleyball. The picture is a little misleading in that all of the fans were on the three sides of the stadium that isn't pictured. It wasn't packed by any means but there was a decent-sized crowd (a few thousand). We saw four matches (two men's, two women's) and all the countries - Spain, Switzerland, Czech, Japan, France, Germany, South Africa and Cuba - had vociferous little bunches of fans (particularly the Germans who had some impressive choreography going on.).

I'm quite a fan of beach volley, having seen it played at the highest level in Australia, Greece and, oddly, on a rain-swept seafront in Oslo. And no, it's not just good because it's played by beautiful people in skimpy outfits - it's actually a really fast-moving, exciting sport. No, really.

Unlike tennis, the majority of points are won by the team that doesn't serve - the receiving side often cues it up and smashes it before the serving side gets another touch. The women's game is actually slightly better to watch because they don't smash quite as hard so the rallies go on longer.

Again, the crowd were well looked after, with snippets of party music between every point (isn't that off-putting for the athletes?), dancers during breaks and an MC/commentator constantly getting the crowd going. Plus, as it got hotter, they were spraying the crowd with hoses to cool down and there were massive fans-cum-sprinklers at the back of the stands spreading cool mist (which sounds like the name of an after shave - quick someone, copyright it).

Afterwards, we went over to the nearby Sponsor's Park where Alpha bank had set up a thing where you could try out Olympic sports, with the help of some very patient, friendly coaches. We had a go at archery, shooting, high jump, cycling, weighlifting(!), trampoline and, finally, I took on my fiance at fencing. After she took an early lead, I managed to claw back and win 5-3. Yay! The stalls from the other sponsors weren't anything like as enjoyable, so big up Alpha for making theirs so much fun.

Tonight we're off to see some football - Argentina versus, um, can't remember. Australia maybe? Should be fun...

Competition update! Feedback! News!

COMPETITION UPDATE
So, we've had our first three entries to the guess-how-much-Olympics-snacks-cost competition (see below).
Dennis in the UK has gone for 20 Euros.
Roberto in Manchester has plumped for 24 Euros.
GM in London has said 38 Euros.
Keep those guesses coming. And, for our American visitors, a creme caramel is a French sweet that's basically a sort of set egg custard with a caramel sauce. Mmm, tasty,

FEEDBACK LATEST
Following my entry about a cynical US TV reporter outside the archery, Panos from Greece has said he's found CNN to be very negative (it wasn't them that spoke to me), while Joanne from LA says that USA Today had an editorial yesterday criticising the negative reporting about the Games in the US media. So at least that particular worm seems to be turning.

FAST FOOD IN GREECE IS WAY BETTER THAN ELSEWHERE
Goody's, Pitta Pan and Everest rule. Proof that fast food doesn't have to be unhealthy food - salads and grilled food can be quick too!

TICKET SALES
Apparently at last count sales were at 2.92million and will exceed 3 million very soon. In 1992 Barcelona sold 3.021 million, so Athens looks set to over-take that. From the fact none of the Greek media are saying how many Sydney sold, I'd guess it may have been more.

WHAT WE DID LAST NIGHT
We went to a cinema (that's a movie theater for the US readers) on a roof that overlooks the Acropolis. The film, 'Spartan', was entertaining if hardly life-changing (whole lotta loose ends going on) - but what a place to watch a film. Open-air cinemas are one of THE best things about Greece. You can even drink beer at your seat (and table!).

Here comes the (Olympic) bride...

What every bride wants
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

This is the best Olympic merchandise we've spotted so far (in a bridal shop near Platia Amerikis). Who wouldn't want to get married in this fetching Olympic dress?! Quality.

Athens 2004 Blog celebrates 5,000 visitors!

In fact, it's well past 5,100 now. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we were celebrating hitting 1,000. Thanks to all of you that have been looking and coming back again. And cheers for all the compliments about the site that you've been emailing, too. Me, my fiance and Robin are all very chuffed that it's going so well.

Good arrows! Bad US TV man!

Robin at the archery
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We've just got back from the archery at the amazing Panathinaiko Stadium - which was last used for the Olympics at the first modern one in 1896. As you'll see from the picture above, it was an amazing place to watch it - felt really special.

The actual sport was way more exciting than I expected. It was the first round of what's a seeded knock out competition, narrowing it down from 64 to 32. There were two contests at a time - with four archers. - and whoever got the highest score out of each match up went through to the last 32.

As with the basketball, they were keeping people well entertained in the gaps between competition. At one point they showed the archery contest from Disney's 'Robin Hood' on the big TV screen, at another they got everyone clapping and dancing by playing 'Zorba The Greek'. There was good, informative commentary (in English) too.

The final pairings on included a Greek against an Indian. Although the old stadium wasn't by any means packed (it was only the first round, afterall) there was great home support for the young Greek. They each get 18 arrows in sets of 3 and it ended up coming down to the Greek needing one point with his last arrow to win. You could see the pressure beating down on him, but he did it (although his score of 5 was his worst score of the 18 arrows he shot). The whole place went nuts and he was beaming like he'd won the gold.

An annoying thing happened outside the stadium though. A man from a major US TV network (not the one with the rights to the Games) stopped us and said he wanted an interview with someone who'd watched the archery. I said, yeah, no problem. But then, before we did the interview, he said, wasn't it a terrible place to have the archery, because it was quite empty? I said no, I thought it was amazing, a beautiful place and of course it wasn't a sell out, because it was only the opening round.

But he was insistent - 'Shouldn't it have been a smaller venue? Isn't it pointless having it in such a big one?'. I said I disagreed and that there was a great atmosphere when the Greek won. He said, 'She won a medal?' So he was compiling a critical report and yet he didn't even know a) that it was men's archery or b) that it was the first round of a lengthy competition so obviously no medals were being won.

By this stage it was clear they didn't want to interview me afterall - obviously they didn't want someone who thought the old stadium was a great venue. I told him I thought it was a real shame that they were taking such a negative stance and if they were looking for someone to just slate the Olympics I wasn't their man. He shrugged. We left. Isn't it sad that they'd rather go with a negative angle than interview a happy spectator who's just really enjoyed himself?

Feedback. And a new competition!

Mark from Wales has written to say that the tennis player from Djibouti is DEFINITELY a man. But all the reports say he was a woman. Maybe he got his sister to hold the flag for him cos he couldn't be bothered to stand for hours in the middle?

Meanwhile, Perry and Diegem have both written to ask if all the stadiums are empty. Well, certainly the basketball last night was packed - a total sell out. And it said on the radio a couple of days ago they'd sold 97% of their ticket sales target for the Games, and they expected to go past 100% by now. I guess with so many sports on there's no way you'll see packed stadia at all of the prelim rounds. But Athens is definitely bustling with spectators and by the time we get towards the business end of the events most of the events are expected to be pretty much full. There are certainly queues at all the ticket selling booths. In fairness, Sydney probably didn't sell out all of its early rounds, and some of the group games I went to in Euro2004 weren't sold out.

And now for the ALL-NEW COMPETITION! Yes, you, like Vix, can win a tacky Olympic souvenir sent from Athens paid for out of my own pocket!

So here's the question: Guess how much, in Euros (, it would cost you in an Olympic venue to buy the following:
2 x 400ml beer
2 x 500ml water
2 x hot dogs
2 x creme caramel
(1 Euro = 67p or $1.23)

Get those guesses in, with your name and where you're from...

Robin does the tourist thing

Robin the tourist
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Hey, it's his first time in Athens. Don't judge him.

Basketball report: Dream Team has a nightmare!

Robin with the Dream Team
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, last night we went to our second Olympic event - the basketball. It took place in a hall at the extremely impressive Helliniko Olympic Complex - where baseball, softball, handball and hockey are also taking place. The place looks like a cross between Disneyworld ('ooh look, the hockey zone!') and a top class sporting venue.

So, to the game. As you'll see from the pic, we managed to grab some empty seats right down by the court (think they may have been reserved for officials, but we stayed there the whole time).

The first game was Puerto Rico v USA and, as you may have heard, the USA got spanked 92-73! A 'huge shock' according to the BBC. It was amazing to see such big-name athletes as Iverson (number 4 behind Robin) so desperately trying to claw it back. They looked like they might do it too until a late burst by the amazing Puerto Ricans (who virtually the entire crowd were cheering for). Proper celebrations at the end. And, in fairness, the US players were very gracious in defeat.

During breaks in the games there was an amazing array of dancers (who were actually very good at dancing) and folks throwing out T-shirts (they had a massive catapult to fire them into the upper tier!). And at half time in the US game there was an amazing display with trampolines that combined acrobatics with basketball. The Greeks are proving they absolutely know how to put on a show.

And then the Greece game - which most of the crowd had come to see. The place was alive with singing and chanting and the Greeks didn't disappoint, easily beating Australia 76-54.

It was my first live basketball game and I must say I really enjoyed it. Greece play USA tomorrow night. Now that will be a game. We might see if this Visa programme we're on for a couple of days means we can get tickets!

For now, though, we're off to the archery in the old Panathinaiko Stadium which staged the 1896 Games...

Robin meets an Olympian!

Robin meets a Lovely Olympian
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, neither the headline nor the picture lie - Robin met a real life Olympian at the baskebtall last night!

Sitting just in front of us during the USA v Puerto Rico game was Deborah Lovely - an Aussie Olympic weightlifter!

She took part in the opening ceremony, and said it really was quite hard having to wait around for hours in the middle while the other athletes filed in. Australia, of course, were one of the first teams out, so she was stood there for ages. 'It was really hot in the uniforms and I was starving hungry,' she told us. 'It took a good couple of days to get over it.'

She did, though, say it was an amazing once in a lifetime experience and that she was still glad she did it. Apparently only 30-40 percent of the OZ team did (which explains why it didn't look that big).

She was a very friendly woman (Lovely by name...) and we wish her all the best in her weightlifting on Thursday. She's hoping to finish in the Top 12. We'll keep you posted...

Comments from you lot

Your comments keep rolling in. Which is nice.

DJIBOUTI LATEST
Someone's written in to say that the Djibouti tennis player who carried the Djbouti flag in the smallest team in the Opening Ceremony isn't in the women's tennis draw because she's a man. But she was clearly a woman. And all the reports I've found about the Cermony thought she was a woman too. Oddness.

ROBIN FANS
Sarah from Derby is worried that Robin won't be allowed into our posh hotel. Don't worry, we've just got here and we smuggled him in in a bag. As for his Greek language skills - Robin went to Harvard and speaks seven different languages fluently (it would be eight, but his Swahili is a bit rusty). KJ, meanwhile, has written to say she liked Robin's diving skills and suggests he finds a parakeet to do synchronised diving with. Good plan KJ, we'll put an ad in the paper for a willing bird.

39SCR IMPRESSED WITH ATHENS 2004 BLOG
39SCR is my grandpa. For some reason all my family have started leaving comments with pseudonyms. Such modesty.

ST GEORGE'S FLAGS OK
Apparently there were loads at the GB hockey game yesterday, so we'll be okay. We walked past the big hockey arena while Pakistan were playing Germany - those Pakistan fans are LOUD! Can't wait for GBR v Pakistan, which we're off to next week.

PAUL DESERVES POSTCARD
Teddy Bear has written in to say that Paul - the original entrant of my guess-the-events competition -deserves a postcard from Athens for getting the whole thing going. Too true. Email me your details Paul and I'll get it in the post.

Keep the comments coming. And don't forget to say where you're from.

Transport system. It's great.

Robin lets the train take the strain
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

The transport system to get to and from the events we've been to so far has been extremely impressive.

The new metro system, which has been built over the last 7 or so years, is quick, clean and efficient. And for any day that you have tickets for an event, the whole transport system (trains, buses, trams) is free.

It's running 24 hours too for the Games. Last night the basketball we went to finished at around midnight. We went out of the venue and were directed to buses, of which there were loads, and got straight on one which took us quickly to the nearest metro station. Waited there a couple of minutes and a train took us home. Plus, there are plenty of maps, signs and tourist info people all waiting to help you out.

Must say, we've been really impressed with the organisation so far. The Greeks done good.

Olympics news round-up...

Mornin'. Time for a quickfire round-up methinks...

GREEK SPRINTERS SUSPENDED
As you've probably heard by now, Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou - the Greek sprinting heroes - were pulled out of the Olympics by Greek team bosses. Which is pretty much all any of the Greeks are talking about here - and they're not best pleased.'From hero to zero' seems to have become a popular phrase. Good follow-up piece to the one I posted earlier from the UK's Independent newspaper here.

STADIUM LOOKS AMAZING
We went past it on the Metro yesterday - you wouldn't believe the difference from March (building site) to now (stunning world class sporting venue). On the way back, we got off the train to have a look, but you can't get near the complex of venues without tickets. Which leads us to...

BRITISH TABLOID EXPOSES 'SECURITY LAPSES'.
The Sunday Mirror is reporting that an undercover reporter of theirs was able to get a job at the Olympic stadium and plant suspect packages which weren't discovered. You can read about the story
here on BBC News. I know this is investigative journalism, but if they did really put suspicious packages in the stadium before the ceremony, that was hugely irresponsible. If they'd been discovered in the minutes before the ceremony, that would have caused chaos. From what I could tell when we looked at the stadium yesterday, security was very tight - each spectator was going through X-ray machines.

YOUR OPENING CEREMONY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Vix (our chuffed competition winner) has written to ask if, at the Opening Ceremony, the athletes all had to stand in the middle of the stadium until everyone had paraded in. They certainly did - some of them were stood there for a couple of hours. But here's a fact for you - normally Greece are the first country in (cos they invented the Games). This time, though, they're hosts - who always come last. So they sent a weightlifter round with a Greek flag at the very start (to keep up that part of the tradition) and then sent their team round at the very end. How pleased must any Greek athlete who's been to a few Games have been not to have to come out first this time?!

ANOTHER QUESTION
Meanwhile Kyle - who's also from Philly and was very impressed with Robin's diving skills - has asked if there was a musical/theatrical spectactular AFTER the torch lighting, "i.e. Three Tenors in Barcelona, rock n blues fest in Atlanta, etc." No, don't think so Kyle. And was the Three Tenors concert really the same night as the flame lighting? Wouldn't that overshadow the ceremony a bit?

WE'RE SET TO SAMPLE THE CORPORATE LIFE
I stil don't quite understand how/why, but a friend of my fiance's dad has (very kindly) sorted us out with some places on the Visa hospitality programme. We'll be staying in a hotel in Athens for four days from tomorrow - will be interesting to see how the other half live! It also means we might get tickets to another event. I feel another competition coming on...

Brits win first medal. Robin takes dive to celebrate!

Robin takes a dive
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We Brits have just won our first medal of the games, a silver in the men's 10m synchronised diving. We just watched it on telly and despite a worryingly off-sync fifth and final dive, Leon Taylor and Peter Waterfield deservedly held onto the silver medal. Well done fellas! Hopefully the first of many. (Postscript to the earlier flag debate - almost every tacky souvenir shop in Athens sells English St George's Flags, not one we've seen has sold British Union Jacks.)

After watching the diving, an excited Robin demanded to go straight to the bathroom, where he had his first crack at the sport. As you'll have noticed, he's something of a natural...

Cycling: our first event and how it went!

Robin watches the cycling
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, as you'll guess from the picture, we're just back from watching our first ever Olympic event - which was the 224.4k cycling road race (which took about 6 hours).

We had a top time. A lap of the circuit around central Athens took the riders about 20 minutes, and we managed to find a spot where we could see all of them whizz past, then walk to the other end of a road and see them come past again about 7 minutes later. It's amazing how quickly they go and how - even though you only get those fleeting glimpses of them - you manage to get engrossed in the actual race. A Swede was out front for ages, but eventually, after several late leadership changes, it was won by Italian Paolo Bettini. We made it over to the finish in time to see him cross the line (having first wandered down past the Greek parliament building, where Robin posed for his picture).

We got some unexpected souvenirs too - one rider threw away his Athens 2004 water bottle and it landed at our feet, and another threw a little cloth bag used for carrying provisions (team's crews were handing them to their riders). The little bag still had his Apricot energy bar in it. I'm not sure whether to eat it or cherish it.

It was a great (and free) way to spend a day, a bit like cricket in that you can wander about, chat and enjoy the weather, only paying attention to the action every few minutes and then at the end. It all seemed very well organised too - and public transport was quick and easy.

Roll on the men's basketball tomorrow night. In our session, we're seeing Puerto Rico v USA and then Australia v Greece (who are extremely keen on basketball). Not surprisingly, it was one of the first basketball events to sell out the 8,000 capacity Helliniko Indoor Arena. Should be good.

Djibouti: the plot gets decidedly thick...

KJ from the USA (who's Robin's Number 1 fan) has written with more Djibouti info. 'There has been 1 Olympic medal won by a Djibouti athlete,' she/he says. 'In 1988, in Seoul, Ahmed Saleh from Djibouti won a bronze medal in the Men's Marathon with a time of 2:10:59.'

She/he goes on to reveal that 'nomadic animal herding is the main occupation in Djibouti, but most revenue comes from the Djibouti Port. I did find a picture of the beautiful Djibouti Sheraton, if you're interested in visiting.' Yes, I think I can safely say we all are - what's the link?

Myself, I've managed to discover that the sole Djibouti athlete is indeed a tennis player and she's called Abdo Abdallah. But here's the weird bit. According to the Official Olympic Tennis Draw on ITFTennis.com? there is no Abdallah in the first round of the women's draw. So is she not playing? And if not, why is she here? It's a weird one...

Vix thrilled with win! Robin checks Olympic merch!

Robin checks the merch
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Vix from Philly has written to say how thrilled she is to have won the guess-the-events competition. 'I know the prize is just a 'tacky souvenir' as you say, but I will treasure whatever it is,' she says.

Well, me and Robin have already been to one of the many shops selling Official Olympics merchandise to see what might be a suitable prize. The great thing about all the stuff is that it has the price printed on the packaging - so no nasty shopkeepers can rip you off - and it's all very reasonably priced (which is probably why half of Athens seems to be wearing it!). As you'll see above, Robin was a big fan of the Olympic baseballs. But I think they're probably a bit heavy to send to the US. Vix's prize will be somewhat lighter...

Djibouti update!

Mark from the UK has emailed to say that, according, to Barry Davies' TV commentary, the sole Djibouti athlete is a 20 year-old tennis player.

Meanwhile I've discovered that Djibouti is a small African country of 650,000 population whose only industry is, apparently, 2 soft drinks factories!

More details of the Djibouti tennis hero (who must be jolly sad that she can't enter the doubles) to come...

The big competition results!

Mornin'

The swimming, basketball, rowing and handball are already on the TV, but the real excitement is here with the results of my guess-which-events-i'm-going-to-competition!

And the winner is...

GOLD
Vix from Philadephia - who got 8
SILVER
Bob from Calgary - who also got 8 (but only with his second guess)
JOINT BRONZE
Perry - 7
Nulli - 7
Mark from Wales - 7 (he entered three times!)

AND THE RUNNERS UP
Paul - 6 (the original entrant!)
Japanese Captain - 5
George - 5
Darren - 5
Noelle - 4
Diegem from Belgium - 4

Wally the Wally and Teddy Bear are disqualified - not for having silly names, but because they're my best friend and brother respectively.

AND NOW FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. Cycling, 2. Football, 3. Tennis, 4. Beach Volleybal, 5. Volleyball, 6. Basketball, 7. Archery, 8. Hockey, 9. Equestrian, 10. Atheletics, 11. Badminton.

Vix, email your address and you get the tacky souvenir.

Right, I've gotta go - I'm off to see event Number 1, the cycling around Athens City Centre. Report (and pic of Robin the Robin - who's already had his first fanmail from KJ, USA) later...

Flame lit! Athens 2004 Blog supports Djibouti!

So the lengthy ceremony is done, Bjork can go back to singing with a microphone (why the miming?) and the Moldovan women can put away their pink suits. It all dragged on a bit (perhaps next time they can make each country jog), but it was a good show. We watched the finale fireworks from the roof of the apartment block. Superb.

Having seen the ceremony, we've decided to throw our support behind the entire Djibouti team - which, if you were watching, you'll know is just one, shy looking young woman. We're going to find out what she's called, what she's competing in and how she does oh and where Djibouti is. We may even go along to watch their only athlete compete.

Talking of which, the which-11-events-am-I-going-to-see competition is now closed. Thanks for all the entries. The medal ceremony will be in the morning...

Opening ceremony goes on a bit...

Robin watches opening ceremony
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

We liked blue Eros. We liked the woman with the glowing pregnancy. We liked the DNA lasers. And Robin liked when the little boy arrived in a boat.

But this business of the athletes parading isn't exactly riveting TV. Soundtracked by what the Greek commentator called DJ Tiesto's 'modern disco music', the only real highlight has been the Bermuda team's natty red shorts. As we write Denmark are arriving. They look happy. Even though their outfits make them look like McDonald's staff.

Best get back to it. At least the use of the Greek alphabet to order the teams is providing a fun guess-who's-next game. Oh look, here come Switzerland..!

It's started!

The Olympics have begun! Hope everyone has a top, top Games.

This is Robin. He will be your guide.

robin1
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

This Robin, lying on all my tickets for the Olympics. Robin will be coming to all the events with me and starring in the pictures from all of them.

Let's it hear it for Robin! Go Robin!

Greek stars in crash!

Aparently the reason Greek duo Kostas Kenteris (Greek 200m gold medalist in Sydney) and Katerina Thanou (silver medalist in the women's 100m in Sydney) missed their drug test last night was because they left the Olympic village to pick up some belongings and then were involved in a car crash with a motorbike. This is all BIG NEWS here in Athens, where the showing of 'The Talented Mr Ripley' last night was interupted by constant newsflashes that all said exactly the same thing.

The TV is currently showing lots of VIPs arriving to the President's place for a big garden party. Tony Blair looks jolly excited.

In other news, after asking comment posters to say where they're from, my mum wrote to say she was from England. Funnily enough, I knew this. It was more the rest of you (who've turned up in massive record numbers today) that I was interested in.

Lots of other comments to post, but demands on the fiance's family's computer are high so I'll have to write more later. And remember, the guess-which-11-events-I'm-going-to competition ends when the Opening Ceremony starts. That means you've got six hours, 56 minutes and 24 seconds to get those guesses in and win yourself a tacky Olympic souvenir sent direct from Athens...

Poster asks for news about weather. Athens 2004 Blog obliges.

An anonymous poster (hey folks, please put a name and a location at the bottom of your comment - then we can be one big global family!) has asked for 'News about the weather please.'

No worries. It's hot. Jolly hot. A heatwave is expected for the weekend (according to my fiance's 12 year-old sister Eleni, who knows about such things).

'STUFF 'EM'
Menawhile Kevin has written in about the flag debate (see below) to say, 'The aussies usually have an aboriginal flag somewhere, and there would be a nationl outcry if it got confiscated. So I am sure the english thing is ok. stuff 'em.'

IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME
I've just been watching the TV channel with the rights to the Games. They managed to have a black out in Greece for the first 25 mins of the Greek football match last night, for which several of their staff have lost their jobs. Now they're talking about Kenteris, the Greek 200m gold medalist/hero in Sydney, who has, apparently, missed a drug test in the Olympic village. Big news. I can't understand a word they're saying but they all look very grave. Makes the following article about him, from The Independent on Aug 3, look rather pertinent...
Independent.co.uk: The Olympics may be coming home but are Greek athletes running away?

WEATHER UPDATE!
It's still hot.

I have my tickets! Mark won't stop entering! Greeks can't be Greek!

Hey up again. Lots to tell, so I'll try to keep it brief.

I'VE PICKED UP MY TICKETS
Which all went very smoothly. Just handed my internet reservation number to the woman and she handed back all my tickets. Magic.

GREEKS TOLD NOT TO BE GREEK
An anonymous poster has posted the following to the Athens 2004 Blog (thanks):
"GREEKS ASKED TO BE NOT SO GREEK - As part of the Greek effort to welcome visitors, soldiers protecting the games have been told not to smoke or wave their hands around in front of tourists. The army has issued 15 guidelines, which call for soldiers to exchange the usual expansive Mediterranean gesticulations - "which could be interpreted as a provocation" - for solicitude and calm. - Daily Telegraph Aug 12." Fancy that. The folks I've seen about still seem pretty Greek to me.

MARK FROM WALES ENTERS MY COMPETITION FOR THE THIRD TIME!
This time he's gone for: Opening Ceremony, Judo, Cycling, Track and filed, swimming, beach volleyball, football, rowing, hockey, tennis, badminton
Sorry Mark, still 7 out of 11. And that's strike 3. No more guesses for you!

THE OPENING CEREMONY IS, APPARENTLY, ACE
I spoke to a fella who went to the dress rehearsal. He said Bjork was rubbish but that the bit where huge sculptures come out of the ground is superb.

GREEK FLAGS ARE EVERYWHERE
Amazing what a Euro 2004 win and an Olympic games can do for national pride. You hardly used to see them around Athens before, now all the shops are selling things with Greek flags all over them.

UGLY BUILDINGS COVERED UP
Buildings in Athens considered ugly by the Olymics peeps have been covered up. Seriously. They've covered them with big pictures of nice looking buildings like the Acropolis. Beauty is in the eye though. The ones they've covered look quite nice to me.

THERE IS EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR
Seriously, you can feel it. Athens is buzzing.

Flag debate: your replies! Competition: your entries!

Mornin'

So, I watched the Greek women get obliterated by the USA yesterday on TV (they only lost 3-0, but the Greeks hardly touched the ball) but then had to go out to dinner with my fiance's parents while the men's game was on. Looks like I missed a good game - Greece coming back from 2-0 down with 26 mins left to draw 2-0. By the sounds of it they deserved a draw too - Greece had 29 shots to Korea's 9.

FLAG DEBATE!
Anyway, onto the flag debate (see below). Kyle (who say he's kicking himself for giving in to the security warnings and not coming to Athens) says he was recently watching tapes of Linford Christie's 100m win in Barcelona 92 and there were plenty of St George's Crosses flying. So, he says,'that probably means either a.) yes you can, or b.) it's selectively or randomly enforced at the venues just like most things.' Meanwhile, Mark asks whether I could buy a Scots and Welsh flag and fly them too? Nice idea, but I'm not sure where the Celtic Flag Shop is in Athens! And finally my Mum has written to with the typically Mum-like comment that she's 'a bit concerned they might confiscate the England flag if they decide it does not count'. Maybe I could buy some blue material and stick it onto the England flag - et voila! - it becomes a Union Jack!

COMPETITION ENTRIES
And still they come. Mark from Wales and Perry are the current leaders, having guessed 7 out of the 11 events I'm going to. The first entry comes from Mark from Wales, who, not content with being joint-leader has (controversially)entered again with:
Track and field, swimming, beach volleyball, basketball, football, diving, badminton, rowing, cycling, sailing and triathlon.
Just 6 out of 11 this time! Not sure if that means Perry goes into the lead or not?
Then there's Nulli Secundus who's gone for:
Badminton, Mountain Cycling, Football, Hockey, Judo, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Beach Volleyball, Indor Volleyball, Weight Lifting.
7 out of 11! We have a third leader!
Quick, someone else enter - use this evidence of all the entries so far and I'm sure you can get the magic 8! Otherwise, it may have to go to a tiebreak...

TEMPLATE CHANGE NIGHTMARE
You may have noticed last night/this morning that my site design had changed. Didn't actually mean to change it - I thought I'd just looked at different options. Clearly they saved - thus deleting all my links, headers, site meter etc etc. Arrggh! But hopefully it should all be back to normal by the time you read this.

JUST THE TICKETS!
In a minute I'm off to pick up al our tickets from the Kifissia branch of Alpha Bank. Very exciting...

The big flag question!

Hello. After a nice night's (or, morning's really) sleep, I'm up and about and getting excited about the Greece v Korea football game this evening (it's not in Athens, so I'll be watching on TV). It's the Greek men's first game since they won Euro 2004, so everyone here is pretty excited about it (even if most of the under 23s in the side didn't play in Portugal).

Anyway, I have a quandry to throw open to the Athens 2004 Blog massive...

According to the IOC's Olympic Games regulations, you can't take frisbees, or food or drink into the Games arenas. Fair enough (if a little annoying), you come to expect that. But - and here's my query - they also say you can only bring flags of the 200-odd countries that are competing in the Games (not just in the specific event you're off to see) into any event. Flags of countries not coming to the Games are banned. Now, I'm off to see Great Britain players or teams in a couple of events, but I don't have a Union Jack (the flag of Great Britain), just a St George's flag (the English flag) with the name of my soccer team (York City) written across it (and which I've told folks to look out for).

The question is, is a St George's flag therefore against the regulations to be allowed into any event because England aren't competing in the Games, Britain are. And would Scottish flags be banned for the same reason? Or are they both allowed because those countries are within Great Britain and are, therefore, competing? What do you legal eagles out there reckon?

And don't fret if you're reading this mum, I'm not overly concerned. It's just a bit of fun..!

I've just landed at Athens airport!

I have about two minutes left on a free 15 minutes of wireless internet (just remembered I forgot to send an important email before I left!). So with those 2 minutes left I thought I'd say hello.

The airport is full of ads for the Olympic sponsors. But I would think you could've guessed that.

Um, and that's about all I have to tell you so far. It can only get more interesting from here...

Four hours till my flight! More competition entries!

Yup, four hours till my flight. I've just bought a hat from a posh camping shop. The hat claims to be mosquito repellent, which is very clever. Anyway, enough of my blather, let's get to the latest competition entries...

First up is Perry who's guessed at:
"Track & Field, Taekwondo, Basketball, Swimming, Diving, Weightlifting, Futball, Arching, Volleyball (both beach and indoor) and I'll throw in a Badminton."
Seven out of 11. Ladies and gents, we have a new leader!

Next is Mark from Wales who's gone for:
Track and Field, Swimming, Beach Volleyball, Hockey, Tennis, Cycling, Basketball, Football, Boxing, Rowing, Gymnastics
Seven out of 11. Ladies and gents, we have a new joint leader!

Darren, meanwhile, has plumped for:
track and field, swimming, football, boxing, volleyball, gymnastics, rowing, Triathlon, weightlifting, basketball, equestrian
Five out of 11. Not half bad Dazzer. But not good enough.

And lastly there's Bob from Calgary (host of winter olympics past...):
Archery, Basketball, Cycling, Football, Rowing, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Waterpolo, Weight Lifting
Five out of 11 too. Sorry Bob. Close, but no Olympic souvenir cigar.

Any more for any more? Can't someone with a computer compute all 11 from the various guesses yet?

EXCLUSIVE: Olympics start tomorrow! Yes, Wednesday!

The following Olympic football matches take place tomorrow TWO WHOLE DAYS before the Opening Ceremony. How's about that?!

Wednesday 11 August
Women's Preliminaries - Group G - Match 1 - GRE vs USA
Men's Preliminaries - Group C - Match 1 - TUN vs AUS
Women's Preliminaries - Group F - Match 2 - GER vs CHN
Men's Preliminaries - Group C - Match 2 - ARG vs SCG
Women's Preliminaries - Group G - Match 3 - BRA vs AUS
Men's Preliminaries - Group A - Match 3 - GRE vs KOR
Women's Preliminaries - Group E - Match 4 - SWE vs JPN
Men's Preliminaries - Group A - Match 4 - MLI vs MEX

(This isn't really an exclusive. Anyone who's looked on the official site's schedule would know.)

Olympics Blog competition hots up!

Two, yes two, more entries have arrived for my Guess What 11 Olympic Events I'm Going To competition. The leaderboard currently stands as:
Paul - 6 out of 11
Noelle - 4 out of 11

George - who apparently had a top time at the Barcelona Olympics with his wife Lynn - guesses at:
Track & field; Football, gymnastics, Basketball, swimming, equestrian, hockey, Boxing, diving, wrestling, weight lifting.
Sorry George, 5 out of 11.

Japanese Captain, meanwhile, is an Italian who apologies for his/her English even though it's perfect. He/she guesses:
basketball, waterpolo, gymnastics, cycling road, cycling mountain bike, swimming, archery, equestrian, weighlifting, judo, hockey
Captain also gets 5 out of 11.

So that's bad news for Noelle (who moves off the podium) and great news for Paul (who stays bang in the middle of it).

Keep those guesses coming (studying the answers may or may not help, it makes my head hurt trying to work out if it does). The comp closes the moment the opening ceremony opens.

Super quick Olympics blog news update...

My word. I still haven't packed. I leave tomorrow. It's 10.49pm. I'd better make this the snappiest Olympics news update ever.

MCDONALDS RECKON THE OLYMPICS WILL MAKE THEIR SALES RISE
Well bully for them.

TWO GREEK BASEBALL PLAYERS ARE OUT OF THE GAMES AFTER FAILING DOPE TESTT
But I won't notice, because I'm not going to see baseball. (Alert! Alert! Here is a clue for the hundreds of you contemplating entering my competition - yes, see below).

TICKETS STILL BEING SNAPPED UP
Venues expected to be full.

DJ TIESTO TO PLAY OPENING CEREMONY
"The opportunity to perform my music for billions of people around the globe will be the greatest highlight of my life," Dutchman Tiesto said in a statement. Which is nice.

THIS OLYMPICS BLOG GETS RECORD NUMBER OF HITS
We've had 121 today and there's a good hour left. About 70 was the record before that. So thanks for stopping by folks.

NEWSFLASH! NEWSFLASH! ANOTHER COMPETITION ENTRY! THIS TIME FROM NOELLE!
As I was typing this, someone else just entered the competition (see below). Noelle has guessed at "track & field, taekwondo, basketball, swimming, diving, equestrian, table tennis, badminton, wrestling, weightlifting, sailing". Thanks Noelle, but just 4 right. Paul stays on top. And a total of 7 of the 11 events have now been mentioned.

Right. I really had better go and pack. How many T-shirts, boxer shorts and socks do you need for three weeks? (That's not another competition question, it's rhetorical.)

At last! Someone has entered my competition! He's called Paul! I like him!

It's taken four days but - at long, long last - someone has entered my Olympics Blog competition (see below). The quest is to guess which 11 Olympics events I'm off to see. Paul is a good man. He's admitted he only entered to keep me happy. And he has guessed the following:

Track & field; Football, Sailing, Basketball, swimming, equestrian, hockey, Shooting, tennis, wrestling, weight lifting.

Of the eleven events, Paul has guessed... (wait for it...) 6!

That's more than half. Well done Paul.

So, does anyone else want to enter? Get those guesses in or Paul gets the Olympic souvenir direct from Athens, which could be tricky as he hasn't left an address and I'm not sure the Greek postman would deliver to:
Paul,
The Friendly Fella Who Entered My Competition,
Somewhere On Earth

I can't believe I'm this pleased that someone's entered. Made my night so it has.

Olympics Blog News! Olympics Blog News!

Yes, it's time for another Olympics blog round-up.

GREEKS FINALLY START BUYING TICKETS
Apparently there have been big queues outside Olympic Games ticket kiosks this weekend. Seems people in Athens are finally coming round to the idea of going to the once-in-a-lifetime world class sporting event in their home town.

POPE HOPING FOR PEACEFUL OLYMPICS
Yes, the Pope has announced that he's hoping for a peaceful Olympics. As ever with stories like this, it'd be a bit weird if he wasn't.

OLYMPICS TO HAVE MOST VIEWERS EVER
The IOC reckon 4 billion people will watch the Olympics Games compared to 3.7 who watched Sydney. How on earth did they work this out? And what did the 0.3 people have against the Games in 2000?

APPARENTLY THERE IS NO ALCOHOL IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE
So my earlier comments about them all getting hammered may have been unfair. The disco does exist though. Can't be all that much fun being in a disco full of sober people. Then again, maybe it's more fun - can't say I've ever had the chance to compare.

MORE CONDOMS TO BE DISTRIBUTED THAN EVER IN OLYMPIC VILLAGE THIS YEAR
130,000 of them, for the 17,000 folks staying there. So, clearly, the athletes are quite able to enjoy themselves without alcohol.

DRESS REHEARSAL OF OPENING CEREMONY WAS TONIGHT
They were even expecting 35,000 people spectators to rehearse being spectators.

BULGARIAN IOC DUDE SUSPENDED
After a TV show over here which showed alleged impropriety on his part over bribery allegations to do with picking the 2012 host city. "I'm more than disappointed -- I am an angry man," IOC president Jacques Rogge said.

I HAVEN'T STARTED PACKING
And I leave for Athens on Tuesday.

We're in today's Sunday Times!

Yes, athens2004blog is featured today in an article headlined 'Net bids for Olympic gold' - which focuses on 'the main contenders' of Olympic sites in the News Review section of the UK's Sunday Times. We're one of seven Olympics-related sites featured (and the only Blog).

The paper has a circulation of around 1.3 million, so hopefully it means a few people will turn up and enter my competition, below (the prize being a souvenir of the Games, which I promise to send from Athens - please enter, it would make me happy).

Here's a link to the piece Sunday Times Site Test: Rating Olympic standard bearers

And if you're visiting for the first time as a result of seeing it in the paper, then hello! And welcome! And ignore that thing the Times said about me 'only' getting 1,000 visitors, I thought a thousand was quite a lot!

Less than a week to go!

Mornin'. This time next week the Games will have started. Not surprisingly then, there's quite a lot of news to tell. Shall we begin? Yes, let's.

USA TURN OUT TO BE GOOD AT BASKETBALL AFTER ALL
They bounced back from the Italy defeat (see below) by beating Germany 80-77 and then thrashing Serbia and Montenegro 78-60. They must be very pleased. Tim Duncan, scored 16 points against S&M (hmm, unfortunate initials). Well done him.

HURDLER WHO BOYCOTTED HITLER GAMES, DIES
Milton Green, a former world-record hurdler, has died aged 92 in America. He boycotted the 1936 Berlin Games after speaking to his rabbi, a decision he says he never regretted.

US OLYMPICS VIEWERS HAVING A BIT OF A NIGHTMARE
As well as not being able to watch the Games live on TV - NBC will largely be showing events as-live but with a delay - US folk will be prevented from seeing coverage sooner on the internet. The BBC's site, for example, won't be allowed to show highlights to users in the USA. Instead, NBC will show highlights online once they've broadcast their TV shows. But users will have to register their identity with a Visa card (that being the official card of the game). There will be no charge, but users without a Visa card will be unable to use the online service. ALl seems very silly to me.

MORE CRAZY SPONSORSHOP SILLINESS
If Paula Radcliffe - the British marathon world record holder - wins the Olympic marathon in her Nike trainers, she'll have to swap to Adidas for the podium, because they're the official podium wear sponsor of the British team. How silly? Very silly.

BELARUS SPORTS MINISTER BANNED FROM GAMES
With the EU's blessing, Greece have banned the Belarus sports minister, Yuri Sivakov from the Games. Sivakov has, apparently, been implicated in the disappearance of prominent members of the opposition party in the country. He inists he's going to go to Athens anyway.

HALF THE TICKETS STILL HAVEN'T SOLD
But, in fairness, most of those are for early prelim rounds, so once things really get going most stadiums should be busy. But if you're thinking of going - then go! There are hotels available (they're said to be slashing prices) and tickets for events are very reasonably priced. To my mind, the reason so many haven't sold is because everyone was so down on the Games up until a few weeks ago.

IF YOU'RE A PILOT, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T TAKE A WRONG TURN AND HEAD OVER ATHENS BY MISTAKE
Three Patriot anti-aircraft missile sites have been set up around the capital on orders to shoot down any plane that strays into Athenian airspace.

MERLENE OTTEY SET FOR SEVENTH GAMES
On Tuesday, Merlene Ottey - who's now a Slovenian citizen - won a 100m race in 11.09 seconds. She's 44 yeard old! In the women's 100m at the Golden League event in Zurich last night, Frenchwoman Christine Arron won in a time of 11.06. Could Merlene still be within a shout of her first Olympic gold?

NOBODY'S ENTERED MY COMPETITION (BELOW)
Don't think I haven't noticed. :(

BBC Five Live Interview! Competition!

Hey up. Not wishing to 'big up myself' (as they say) but I've just done an interview with BBC Five Live radio about athens2004blog which they'll be broadcasting sometime in the wee hours of Monday morning. Apparently the piece will then go online, so I'll be able to put a link to it (should you want to hear me gabbling on about the site that you've already discovered).

So that's nice. We might get up to that magic 100 visitors in a day before long. Wahey!

Still very quiet on the comments though, so I thought I'd have a competition. Can anyone guess which 11 events I'm going to see (all track and field counts as one)? I promise to send the person who gets most correct events (only 11 guesses allowed) a cheap, tacky souvenir from Athens. So click on that comments on that tab now!

7 billion dollar folks

Now then. I've just got back from my engagement party (aww, shucks thanks, presents? no you really shouldn't have) so my typing may be a little dodgy and my opinions unusually forceful. You have been warned. Kids under 11 or those under 5ft 1in should go no further with this ride.

ATHENS2004BLOG.COM TOPS ONE THOUSAND VISITORS
Okay, that might not sound impressive to you, but a thousand people would make a very long line and I'm quite proud. So, tell all your friends, this is the most enjoyable Olympics Blog there is (and the only one you'll find that's been written after an engagement party!). 53 visitors just today, which, I believe, is a record. And now for some real news...

COST OF OLYMPICS TO GREECE TOPS 7 BILLION DOLLARS
Which makes 1,000 visitors look quite paltry. Apparently the final cost could be as much as 12 billion. I say cancel the games and share that out between the 1,000 people who've read this blog. Then we can all be rich together.

REHHAGEL TO CARRY OLYMPIC TORCH
He being the fella that coached Greece to the Euro2004 victory. Expect him to be quite defensive with the torch, but then to unexpectedly break forwards with it towards the end (that's an Association Football joke - you folks in Australia and America may not get it).

MAKESHIFT BOMB EXPLODES IN ATHENS
According to dictionary.com, makeshift means 'A temporary or expedient substitute for something else.' Can a bomb be makeahift? Surely only if it was rthe substitute for something else? Anyway, it went off at the offices of the people who run the highways and, thankfully, noone was hurt. Which is good.

ATHENS IS READY
'Athens is ready,' Mayor Dora Bakoyiannis said. So that's that cleared up then.

IOC CHIEF LOOKS FORWARD TO SUCCESSFUL GAMES
Having arrived in Athens IOC President Jacques Rogge says that he's looking forward to a successful games. Be a bit weird if he wasn't.

IOC CHIEF LOOKS FORWARD TO UNSUCCESSFUL GAMES
See what I mean? (Lawyers, I made this one up. It's a joke. Not serious.)

140
The number of competitors from California. Don't say I don't tell you the fascinating facts.

WOMEN MAY BOYCOTT OLYMPICS
That's the BBC headline. Superb. Just fellas going to the games then? Turns out they're actually referring to women tennis players. It's all about whether Germans Anca Barna and Marlene Weingaertner are allowed to compete in Athens. Apparently they qualify by being in the top 56 players, but they haven't met the German criteria.

THE DULL BEFORE THE STORM
IT'S DIFFICULT TO MUSTER ANY EXCITEMENT FOR UPCOMING ATHENS OLYMPICS
So says John Rolfe on Sports Illustrated's website. He's a twit. I'd put a link to his piece but it's so rubbish, reactionary and isolationist that I won't.

3
Is the magic number. Yes it is. It's the magic number.

Hoop nightmares and more!

Hey up. Got an email from Greece's biggest daily newspaper today saying they were going to write about my humble blog. Which is nice of them. I had to answer four or five questions about what I think of the Games planning and suchlike.

Anyway, on with today's news...

AMERICA ARE RUBBISH AT BASKETBALL
Actually, they're not, but they got beaten by Italy in a warm-up game today. In fact, the team of NBA stars got hammered 95-78. Smiling? Me? It's more of a grin actually.

GREEK ARMED FORCES ON WAR FOOTING
The above is, apparently, the case. Isn't 'footing' a funny word? Footing. Footing. Footing.

MEXICAN TV JOURNALISTS ALLEGEDLY BEATEN BY ATHENS SECURITY GUARDS
Apparently they were filming in Piraeus - where many VIPS are staying on cruise boats - and they were beaten up for refusing to stop. Not good.

INDONESIA WON'T BE SHOWING THE GAMES ON TV
They are, apparently, the only country of the 200 or so sending competitors who won't be showing them on TV. Too expensive, apparently. Seems like a shame for the athletes and the viewers to me.

GREEK PARAMEDICS STRIKE OVER PAY
They want bonuses during the Games so they've gone on strike. But now is not really a good time to be striking lads. Could you not have sorted this a while ago? Sheesh, isn't there any good news today?

ATHENS2004BLOG TO BE FEATURED IN GREECE'S BIGGEST NEWSPAPER
Oh yeah, I nearly forgot.

The race for the finish (which is to say, the start)

Yes, with just ten days to go until the Games begin, it's time for a quick-fire round-up of the news.

ATHENS AIRPORT TO SEGREGATE ARRIVING FANS FROM ARRIVING COMPETITORS
This is news apparently, seems quite obvious to me (I didn't expect to be sharing a luggage carousel with Maurice Green). Moving on...

OFFICIAL WEBSITE BIGS ITSELF UP
Apparently athens2004.com (which is a jolly good website) has been getting millions of hits over the past few days. They're also promising bang up to date coverage of the Games once they've begun. They're expecting five million visitors a day. Which is quite a few more than athens2004blog gets (ho hum).

FIRST SINCE MOSCOW
Athens is the first Olympics since Moscow in 1980 to be funded entirely out of state funds. There's a good quiz question in that.

GAMES ORGANISER CHIEF 'SMILING'.
The Chief Games organizers Gianna Angelopoulos is ready and raring to go. "I'm running smoothly, I still have strength, I'm smiling, I can see the end of the marathon right after the next corner. I'm looking forward to the end of it. I'm in good shape," she added. Hooray for her.

ONE LANE TRAFFIC RULE THINGY IMPOSED
As of today, on Athens main three lane roads, only one lane can be used for non-Olympic traffic (ie VIPs, athletes, journalists etc). Sounds a bit like the special taxi lane on the M4 into London (not a good thing). But as long as the VIPs make it to their comfy seats in time...

GREEK PM CONFIDENT OF PEACEFUL GAMES
"I believe that no one will consider attacking the Games, which are a celebration of peace, culture and understanding between nations," Karamanlis said. I certainly hope he's right.

LEAFLETS GIVEN OUT TO STOP TOURISTS GETTING RIPPED OFF
In attempt to stop shops, restaurants and taxi drivers putting up their prices for visitors during the Games, the Greek government are issuing leaflets giving common prices for various goods and journies. Which is a nice idea. Well done Greek government.

So there you go. Now you've got plenty of conversation starting topics to get a bit of a chat going with your loved ones or colleagues. Why not try it right now. 'Did you know that the Athens Games are the first since 1980...'

The over-proliferation of exclamation marks in titles (!)

It's just come to my attention that I've developed a nasty habit of ending almost every title with an exclamation mark. Please excuse my over-enthusiasm. I think I'm just a bit giddy that two weeks tonight the whole thing will have started. And I'll be there!!!!!

(Sorry)

Olympic Village Open!

It's probably a good job considering that the athletes have started arriving - but the Olympic Village is now open. According to the piece below from Greek newspaper Kathimerini, 16,000 athletes will stay there and they'll be able to take advantage of "places of worship, shops, a bank, a post office, a hairdresser, cafeterias, 24-hour restaurants, a cinema, bars and a disco, a library, and a billiards hall." A disco? A DISCO?! And how exactly is that going to help them when they've got to get up early the next morning and run faster than anyone in the whole world? Pah! And double pah!

I do, though, like the idea that they're having a little welcoming celebration for every nation as they arrive. Well, as long as that celebration doesn't involve everyone going down the disco and getting hammered!

eKathimerini.com: Olympic Village opens

I've figured out how to do pictures!

IMG_1624
Originally uploaded by athens2004blog.

Yes, as the above photo of my wellies on my birthday at this year's Glastonbury festival conclusively proves, I have figured out how to put photos on my Blog.

Which, when it comes to sharing stories from the Games (we travel to Athens in 11 days!) can only be described as a very good thing.

The British team depart sporting impressive leisurewear!

So a bunch of the British Olympic team have now departed for Athens. I suppose that gives 'em a while to have a look at the tourist sights before they have to think about racing/throwing/shooting/jumping/gymnasting/etc.

Now, may I say, their team leisurewear in the pictures on the link below looks very nice indeed. Check out the white T-shirts with the words Great Britain written in a swanky script - a clever twist on a simple classic. Note too the smart-but-casual trousers (tan? beige? camel?) - which look both stylish and comfortable. And who could describe the red, white and blue tracksuits as anything but natty?

Well done GB. Even if you're going to come last in your events, at least you'll have the consolation of looking jolly stylish.

Getty Images: First British Olympic Team Members Depart For Athens

Check out my medals table...

Look over yonder on the left. Yup, just below the links and stuff. Yes, there's a medals table! Which will automatically update during the Games to show the Top 10 medal takers! Impressive stuff, eh? Question is, can the mighty GB make it in there? I'm guessing probably not.

Oh and I saw on telly that they've started trialling the spanking new trams in Athens, so it looks like public transport is on its way to being sorted out. Which is, undoubtedly, A Good Thing.

And for those in Blighty, there's a programme on BBC3 on this coming Sunday night about Radio One DJ Nmone, who's apparently spent a year training to see if she's good enough to race for Greece in the 400m at this year's Games. I'm guessing she won't make it, but it sounds like an interesting idea for a show. And after my Highland Games success last week, maybe it'll give me some tips on how to go about making the Olympics in 2008...

Kevin - I've Done You Wrong And I'm Sorry

A little while I ago, I mentioned that a chap called Kevin had posted a comment asking for more posts on athens2004blog from a woman's point of view. I was wrong. He's written again to point out - correctly - that he actually said 'from a worm's point of view'.

Apologies Kevin. My mistake.

Now, who can tell me what a worm's point of view is..?

athens2004blog a hit down under! let's share tips!

Yup, just two weeks after we got our 500th visit, we've already hit 700. Which, I reckon, is pretty decent. And means we're averaging a massive 14 visitors a day. Yes! 14! That's, well, quite a lot.

The interesting thing I've noticed (from the Site Meter thing below) is that a healthy majority of the visitors are from Australia. I'm guessing this is because a) you're still basking in the glow of hosting the last Games so well, b) you're outdoors-y types, so even when your indoors on your computers you want to read about outdoors-y type things, and c) because I got a link from some big Australian running website.

And now for my latest shameless attempt to get some discourse going on athens2004blog (the only Olympic blog you'll ever need, except for the one that there's a link to over on the left which is actually very interesting too). G'day, sports. Stoked that you could visit my blog. Now tell me, who in the Australian Olympic team should we non-Oz folk be looking out for come the Games?

In fact, anybody from any country feel free to post your top tips on the comments thingy below, then we can all remember them and make ourselves look particularly with-it when we're watching the Games with mates and start singing the praises of some obscure Slovenian beach volley duo who then go on to storm the gold.

I'll start. There's a young Brit road-race cyclist called Nicole Cook. She had to miss Sydney - even though she was the top-ranked Brit at the time - because she was only 16 and the IOC said that was too young. She lives/trains with a pro team in Italy now, seems to be over a recent knee injury and is so fired up to be allowed to go to this Games that she's definitely one to look out for.

Historian writes with point about private parts

A chap has posted a comment to my 'original Olympians' post below - here it is to save you having to click...

"YES BUT DID THE BBC SHOW US THAT...
4. OlympIans also enhanced the aerodyamics of their naked bodies by hoisting their most private part in a kynodesme. For an elegant illustration of a Greek athlete in all his glory, go to your earlier post, below: Naked Olympic action!

Yrs - A Historian With An Eye for Detail."

The post of mine he's referring to is shown below (Fri Jul 9) - and that does indeed refer to the very programme I watched the other night, 'The First Olympian'. However, the programme was an hour long and I only caught the last 35 minutes. I can categorically state that at no point during those 35 minutes did anybody get nekkid and start messing with their privates. And no reference was made to them doing so.

So, did anybody see the first 25 minutes? Was that the bit where the hardcore kynodesme-hoisting action took place? If anyone knows, I'd be very interested to hear.

Meanwhile, our new historian friend would be very welcome to share more such enlightening Olympian info with us. Perhaps he could start by revealing what, exactly, a kynodesme is?

The original Olympians

Just watched an interesting documentary on BBC2 about the original Olympians, which used the bones of an ancient athlete to determine, for example, whether he could jump further than a modern man (apparently, he could).

But perhaps even more interesting was what we learnt from the many recreation scenes.

1. Olympians grunted a lot.
2. Olympians over-acted almost everything they did while the crowd behind them tried to get their faces on telly.
3. Olympians tended to compete in gratuitous slow motion.

Fascinating stuff!

Olympic construction deaths

Just saw this really good piece on the BBC's website about the still-rising death toll in the construction for the Games - they think as many as 40 workers may now have died in work related to the Olympics. As I've said before, I think it will be outrageous if the IOC don't figure something into the Games (ideally the opening ceremony) to pay tribute to these over-worked, under-paid labourers who have, quite literally, given their lives to make the Games happen.

BBC News: Workers In Peril At Athens Sites

My first Highland Games...

So, yesterday was the day I got a feel for track and field from a competitor's point of view, taking part in the Isle Of Mull Highland Games 2004 (see link below) up in the Western Isles Of Scotland. What an absolutely top day out. I'm 29 and haven't raced or jumped competitively since my last school sports day 13 years ago, but it was so much fun - and it fulfilled a lifelong dream to compete in front of a crowd that had paid to get in (I was up there with work and a mate from there managed to get me entered for some events).

I jumped just under 18 feet in the long jump (to come 5th out of 6 - this against folk from proper athletics clubs) and managed 1.50m in the high jump (7th out of 16 - dead chuffed with that). But the highlight was the Visitor's One Lap Race. There were about 25 entrants and I won! I over-took the leader on the last bend with a Steve Cram-like burst of pace to sprint down the home straight with the crowd of about 400 cheering. I even got my picture taken for the local paper. My prize - a botte of whisky - will be cherished!

And, of course, now when I'm at the Olympic Stadium watching my, um, fellow athletes I'll be able to nod sagely like I know what I'm talking about...

:)

Isle Of Mull Highland Games

Congrats to Dean! Congrats to me!

Congrats to Dean Macey, the British decathlete who managed to get the Olympic qualifying standard this weekend at his first decathlon in three years (since he finished 4th in the 2001 World champs he's had injury nightmares). Being a lad who grew up with Daley Thompson being the king of the decathlon world, I've always been a big fan of the event. We deliberately booked tickets for the last day of the decathlon at the games, so now, hopefully, we can see Macey on the podium by the end of that day.

Actually, I'm competing in some games myself on Thursday - the Highland Games on the Isle of Mull up in Scotland. I'm competing in the long jump with a mate of mine up there who's challenged me. Can't wait. I'll let you know how I get on.

In other news, I got engaged at the weekend, which is an amazing feeling. The marriage - to my Greek girlfriend who lives in the UK - will most likely be in Athens next year. Perhaps we could have the reception in the Olympic Stadium - the landscaping should all be finished by then...!

Blummin' heck, the Games start 4 weeks today...

...which is quite a scary thought considering the amount of work I've got to do between then and now. The problem with booking three weeks holiday is that you have to do so much extra work before you go and even more extra work to catch up when you get back. Still, looking forward to it. In A Big Way.

More comments have come in - one from Kevin from Aussie running site www.coolrunning.com.au. Now very kindly he's put me as a link on his site, but then he starts giving me editorial tips! Apparently he wants celeb-spotting, posts from a woman's point of view and, he says, 'a bit of Yankee-bashing'. Well, I'll happily let you know if I see any famous folk and will ask my girlfriend to help me get in touch with my feminine side in order to send views from a feminist standpoint.

But Yankee bashing? Surely that would only be fair if something came up which deserved to be criticised? I'm not about to start campaigns against whole countries. I'm off to see the US basketball team at the Games and I really hope I see the game played as well as it possibly can be. And my MLR (that's Most Loyal Reader for those not paying attention) is American (or at least based in America) and I have no desire whatsoever to bash her. So, thanks, but I think I'll pass on that last one Kev.

I Got Comments! Yankee-Brit doesn't make it to Games!

So the big news first. As you'll see below, my shameless request for comments resulted in two - yes two! - comments. The first was from Kelly who is, officially, my Most Loyal Reader. She checks the site every couple of days and seems to like it, but isn't looking forward to the US commentary for the Games, which she says she 'detests'. My suggestion for Kelly the MLR is that she watches on TV and listens online to BBC Radio Five Live, who probably aren't quite as melodramatic (www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive). The other comment comes from Darren who is running a very impressive Olympics Blog with an absolute shed load of news on it. Click on the comments thing below and you can click through to his site. Keep those comments coming!

The other big Olympic story is that the UK held its athletics trials for the games this weekend. An American chap called Malachi Davis turned up to run the 400m having only got his British passport (through his mother) on Thursday. He'd never set foot out of North America before landing on Friday, but promptly won his heat despite being the 28th best US 400m runner. Cue debate about how rubbish our sprinting has become and whether Malachi should be allowed to compete. Malachi didn't help himself to sound very British by comparing the Olympics to 'other big sporting events like The Superbowl and the World Series' (the difference being the whole world takes part in the Olympics!). But he came fourth in his final yesterday, so it doesn't look like he'll make it to the Games to represent Britain after all. Mr Storm meet Mr Teacup.

500 visitors! Not many comments!

Just looked at my counter - I've now had 500 visitors to athens2004blog.com (well, 509 to be exact). So thanks for coming. It seems to have picked up in the last few days actually, must be people looking for something to fill the gap left by Euro 2004!

The only problem is that no one really leaves comments. You're a shy bunch. So go on, say somethiing. Then we can have an Olympic debate which will make us all feel very grown up and intellectual. Deal?

Go on, just click the button below...

Naked Olympic action!

Yeah, thought that headline might get you reading. Shame on you. But it's true, there's been some naked Olympic action happening!

Academic Dr Stephen Instone got naked in the name of science, to race against other 100m runners dressed in lycra. He wanted to find out if being naked (like the original Olympians were) was better or worse. He came last, which may well tell its own tale.

Viewers in the UK will get to see Dr Instone's run in all its glory. His programme 'The First Olympian' is due to be broadcast on BBC Two on July 23.

Full story below...

BBC News: Academic recreates naked Olympics

Congratulations Greece!

Can't believe they did it - but massive congratulations to Greece for their amazing victory in Euro 2004. To go into the tournament as 100-1 outsiders having never won a game in a major tournament and then win it?! That's proper fairytale stuff.

And now things are set up amazingly for the Games. Greece have proved they can perform at the highest level and now the Olympics are there to add further proof. I'm so, so pleased for them. They really deserved it too - don't let any one tell you a team that beat the hosts Portugal (twice), the holders France and the form team Czech Republic didn't deserve the trophy. The defended strongly, scored goals in every game and worked and worked and worked.

Ella ellatha, as they say!

:)

We booked some more tickets...

Hey up

Just booked some more tickets to the Games - they've recently made the men's hockey draw, so we've bagged a couple of tickets to see GB's final game (against Pakistan). Very cheap too at ten euros. In fact, can I say that tickets are all very reasonably priced so if you were thinking of going to the Games but were being put off because you thought it must cost a fortune, then, well, you were wrong and you should go! We've got tickets for ten other events - deep breath, tennis, football, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, horse jumping, badminton, archery, cycling and athletics - and we've got most of those tickets for between fifteen and thirty euros. Which is pretty darned good considering this is top international sport we're talking about. Agreed? Good.

Weirdly enough, flight prices seem to be coming down too. When we booked our flights from London to Athens in February, the cheapest we could find anywhere was through easyJet for £310 each. I looked today for a mate who's thinking of coming out for a few days and British Airways flights have gone way down - you can get a return in the middle of the Games for about £150. Easyjet were down too, and the same journey we'd booked was down to £250. Mad thing was that I rang easyJet up to grumble that the price has gone down even though their adverts always say 'book early to take advantage of our lowest fares' and they immediately sorted me out with a £120 credit note! Easyjet offering refunds? Greece in the Euro2004 final? A Russian 17 year old winning Wimbledon? Strange times indeed...

Go Greece!

Really, really chuffed that Greece have made it to the final of Euro 2004 (they deserved it too, having completely marked the best Czech players out of the game).

Hopefully this means the country will be buzzing for the Games. Or perhaps, as The Independent newspaper put it this morning, 'The prospects of the Olymipic Games sites being ready on time sharply diminished last night as Traianos Dellas launched three days of celebrations across the Pan-Hellenic world'. Ha!

Good luck for the final lads...

Save the turtles!

Oh dear, oh dear. The Greek endangered turtles are in trouble. Apparently they're nesting on the beaches in August and there isn't going to be enough protection from tourists for them. Which is a terrible thing. Someone call Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello ond Raphael!

CBBC Newsround: Greek turtles lose to Olympics

How it looks from outta space!

Hey up folks

Spent the weekend at Glastonbury Festival. Now somewhat dazed and confused. But happy.

Check this out - amazing views of the Olympics from space (go to the link then click on the Athens Olympics link).

BBC SPORT: In Pictures

Sad news

According to reports, an Albanian electrician has been killed during construction work at the journalists' village for the Games, taking the total number of workers killed to 19 in Games-related construction since 2001.

I really hope the organisers make some effort during the Games to pay tribute to these 19 men. It really is a tragedy that so many have died and they deserve to be recognised at the very event they lost their lives for.

Back, back, back!

Hey up. Yup, I'm back from Portugal, where I had a marvellous time watching Croatia v Switzerland, Bulgaria v Sweden, Czech v Latvia and England v Switzerland at Euro 2004. Great to see Greece doing so well too.

So what's happening on the Olympic front? Well, if I'm totally honest I'm not completely back up to speed yet. I believe the torch has just left Canada and flown to Europe and that various trials have been happening and that an Aussie cyclist has been banned from the games (or something). But no one seems to be talking much about security at the moment and, with the roof now on, there isn't so much worrying about things being ready (well, apart from the marathon route).

This may, then, officially be The Calm Before The Storm. The little bit of time where everyone's attention is diverted by Wimbledon and Euro 2004 before we all get really excited/anxious/worried/cynical about the games once July comes and we're just a few weeks away.

Muchos news

So I haven't posted for a couple of days and so very much has happened. Yes folks, it's time for another quick-fire Olympics catch up.

THE NAME'S BOND, GOOD PR BOND...
Sean Connery met Athens 2004 president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki today. And in a nice pro-Olympics love-in, announced, 'I definitely want to come. I am sure the Games are going to be a huge success because they will be different, because Greece is different. For example, see how successful the Games were for Australia and even Los Angeles, its also great that it is here in Europe.' Which is nice.

THE FOOTBALL MUST BE ON COS THEY'VE MADE THE DRAW
After some talk last month that the football competition might be postponed because of arguments between the IOC and FIFA over doping policy, it seems it must be on, cos they made the draw yesterday. In the men's 16-team draw, Greece were drawn in a group against South Korea, Mali and Mexico. Which is also nice.

OLYMPIC FLAME REACHES CHINA
Apparently the plane carrying it is called ‘Dias’, which may or may not be Greek for fire-proof aircraft. The torch relay began yesterday in Tiananmen Square - presumably the Chinese were hoping for some rather more positive coverage for the square than it had 15 years ago last week.

AUSTRALIANS GET CROSS AT ME FOR JOSHING ABOUT THEM
A couple of people have posted in comments that I was harsh in what I said about the Australian government warning people not to travel to Greece for the Olympics. I've got absolutely no problem with them warning people if they think/know there are definite risks, it just seems odd to me that no other country (as far as I know) has followed suit. But glad to hear from the Aussie correspondents that the torch relay went well.

MAIN STADIUM OPENS FOR TEST EVENT
That's happening today. But only a few thousand people are watching the athletics because there are only a few thousand seats ready. Still, at least they've got a roof.

I'M OFF TO EURO 2004 ON SATURDAY FOR A WEEK
Which I'm looking forward to. Although it may mean I don't have too much access to the net for updates.

THE SUN IS SHINING IN LONDON
Which doesn't happen as often as it should.

Steve and Jo's Olympic volunteering adventure...

Hey up. Got a nice e-mail from a British fella called Steve, who lives in Athens with his wife Jo - in a flat within sight of the Olympic stadium. They're volunteering to be, well, volunteers at the Games and they've set up a weblog to recount their experiences. Judging by their postings so far it's shaping up to be an entertaining and enlightening read.

I've added it to the links over yonder there on the left - tis well worth a look.

More Opening Ceremony news...

...apparently a certain kooky and extremely talented Icelandic songstress is playing the opening ceremony too (as well as the sitar player mentioned below).

We're giving you Olympic exclusives and everything!

Ladies and gents the torch is on the move...

Yup, it started in Sydney this morning and will now go to 33 cities in 34 days (hmm, so which favoured city is staying for a couple of days in?). Apparently the flame's going on planes in a lantern. Are they really letting a lit lantern on a plane? Seems unlikely somehow. But I guess we'll have to take their word for it.

Apparently Sydney folk got very excited when the flame turned up from Athens this morning - so it seems, their government may not think it's safe for Aussies to go to Greece for the Games, but they're fine about a plane turning up with a fire on it.

The other odd thing is that the flame gets back to Athens on July 9 and then waits around until the opening ceremony on August 13. I guess after all that rushing about the globe the flame needs to chill for a while. Y'know, get over its jetlag before the big day.

We have a roof!

By the time you read this (well, assuming you haven't built a time machine out of a DeLorean - no, hang on, if you had and you went back in time, I wouldn't have already typed this, anyway...) the roof will have been finished on the main Olympic Stadium.

So, hurrah! Huzzah! And well done you Greek builders!

All you doomsayers that said it would never be done should glance humbly down at the floor and feel a little silly.

Yay.

Torch songs

Apparently when the Olympic torch comes to London this month, it'll be the first time it's been here since 1948. So London has decided to throw a party. And quite a big party at that. On June 26 there's a massive free concert for 70,000 on the Mall headlined by Rod Stewart and also featuring the likes of Will Young, Jamelia, James Brown and Emma Bunton. Full story at...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/showbiz/articles/11094248?source=Evening%20Standard

No doubt with the bid to host the 2012 Games shaping up, the British Olympic Committee will be hoping the IOC are impressed (presumably they'll be allowed front row seats!).

Just the tickets

So the Olympics tickets went back on sale yesterday to residents of the European Union with the news that of the total 5.3 million tickets (3 million for the public and 2.3 million for International Olympic Committee officials, sponsors and others) only 1.83 million had been sold so far.

Clearly word got around, because having made my online 'shopping list' for some tickets on the very swanky athens2004.com site last night, the website couldn't let you go to the check out because of the high demand. They've done this thing where once you go through to the check out you get three minutes to complete the order or those tickets get released and you have to start again. Problem was it kept telling you your time had run out before the order page even came up. After about an hour they replaced that with an internal error message page saying demand was too high, but it still couldn't get through.

So, got up bright and breezy this morning and made it through to the check out first time. At which point - with three minutes remaining to get the order in - we discover that the only credit card they're accepting is Visa, presumably because they're a sponsor, which seems very bizarre. The Euro2004 football tournament is sponsored by MasterCard and they make it clear that that's the preferred card, but you can still use Visa and others. So, being as I don't have a Visa I had to holler for my girlfriend to bring hers in and the application went through. Then we had a bit of a panic that as the order wasn't in her name but the card was we might have a problem so we rang the Olympics Tickets Customer Service number in Greece, where after some initial doubt they assured us that it would definitely be fine. Let's hope so.

We already had tickets for football, tennis and track and field and we bought some more football, badminton, beach volley, volleyball, basketball (amazingly there were still tickets left for a session in which both Greece and the USA play matches) and archery (ten euros a ticket to get to see one of the events happening in the old 1896 Olympic Stadium). It's a very easy to navigate website and there do seem to be tickets available for most events - quite reasonably priced too (most around 20 Euros), until you get to the finals.

Feel quite excited now. Really loooking forward to seeing so many different sports. If you include cycling (no tickets needed for the races around Athens on Sunday Aug 14) and hockey (we're waiting for the fixtures so that we can see GB play) we're going to see nine different events! Can't wait.