According to an in-deptharticle in the Union-Tribune, Athens is having a particularly Greek time getting ready for the 2004 Olympics.
I love that they find ancient artifacts whenever they dig. “History? Yeah, we got history lyin’ around.” You can’t build a thing without hitting a 2500-year-old Temple of Aphrodite complex, complete with brothel. Great stuff. I hope they can pull it off.
I love this. I love that the article states all the challenges being faced by having a modern-day Olympics in a poor country with a different sense of time. It would be nice if people would relax and remember to have a sense of humor about these things. Instead of being culturally anonymous, it will be a particularly Greek olympics, and visitors will know it.
I was in Greece in 2001, and they were having the same problems. In fact, the article didn’t even mention a couple of the worst problems…for instance, the telecommunications infrastructure is barely holding up under current conditions. The influx of media and tourists will certainly overwhelm the telephone systems.
Oh well, I’m used to Greek time. I’m starting to plan our trip to Athens for next year, and I’ve got my worry beads ready!