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Battlefield
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Prior to our planned visit to the Olympic site, we made a detour to take David to the clinic as he had a bad cough and we were worried that he may have something worse. Our fears were allayed and there was nothing major wrong with him and a little assistance from the Doctor at the clinic gave him some medication and he should be fine in a few days time. After our visit we set off to the site for our visit. There has been much work done at that ancient site over the last 12 months and at the area near the gymnasium, the palestra, there seems to have been many columns erected using those from the storage area. All the grass had been cut throughout the sanctuary and the site looked excellent. There were many people at the site early, from a couple of cruise ships that had docked at Pyros, a harbour around 23 km away. But as the morning wore on it seems that they had been called back to their ship, which left the site quite empty.
Elena took us around the site, altars, training areas, special fountain built by the Romans, Temple of Zeus and the actual Stadium where the games were conducted. The Olympic Games were conducted every 4 years from the 8th Century BC to the 4th Century AD when the Roman Emperor Theodosius 1 legally cancelled the games as he said they were a Pagan ritual. Following our visit we made our way to the Museum to view the artefacts that had been gathered when the site was excavated. On the way Kathie, Meaghan James and I were driven to the Museum in a horse drawn carriage.
After the visit to the Museum lunch was taken at a restaurant close by and following lunch we left to visit a private museum which specialised in the Korean War and the Greek Army's participation. Capt Constantinos Farros served in the Greek Army during the War and has built a Memorial in his backyard as a tribute for the Greek soldiers who were lost in that campaign. Following a view of his Museum we conducted a small Service in the memory of those lost. On view outside his museum was his scout car, jeep and Bren Gun Carrier.
Constantinos told us that when the 1941 War started, his parents sent him away to Brallos for safety as they thought Athens would not be, not knowing that the Brallos Pass was to be the scene of heavy fighting in April 1941. He still remembers the battle there and as a 10 year old he was able to walk over the area where the battle had been fought and collected some bits and pieces left there. This most probably started him as a collector? After some refreshments on the patio of his beautiful home , we said our goodbyes and headed back home for tomorrow we are returning to Athens.
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© Battlefield History Tours ABN 74107857705, PO Box 201, Northmead NSW 2152, AUSTRALIA, Phone: 1300 450 436 or +61 412 399 693
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