Sunrise found us in the Ionian Sea, sailing up the western side of Peloponnesus with Katakalo as our destination. We had a relaxing morning with an informative lecture by Robyn Woodward on the Greek Sanctuaries, and tips on iPhone photography from Max. Lunch was served on the lido deck, and as always, we indulged in fresh salads, fish, and the Greek dessert “galaktoburiko.” Just after lunch we boarded our coaches to drive to ancient Olympia. We were the only visitors both at the port and at the site!
Our guides Sophia and Nena took us through this wonderful site and helped us visualize what it was like in its “heyday.” The venue of the Olympic Games was a place sacred to all the Greeks, and the games were held from 776 B.C. until the 4th century A.D. When Christianity became widespread, the cult of Zeus was banned and the site was closed.
We saw the remnants of the gymnasium, the palestra and the glorious Temple of Zeus. At the stadium we ran the course just like the athletes centuries ago. After viewing Hera’s temple we went to the museum, where unbelievable artifacts are on display. Bronze figurines, tripods, helmets and shields, and many other offerings impressed us all. A magnificent statue of Nike, goddess of victory, seemed like she was flying to bring her good news to all of us. The pediments of the temple of Zeus brought to life famous myths: the competition of Pelops, who gave the name to the southern part of Greece and the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapiths. The God of Reason—Apollo—depicted in the middle, reminded us to “draw the line” and not cross it. The dividing line between being civilized and barbarian is very thin indeed.
We couldn’t believe that one museum could have so many masterpieces. The Hermes statues by Praxitelis made us wonder how 2500 years ago Greek sculptors achieved such a quality in art that is only rivaled by the masters of the Renaissance like Michelangelo.
Returning from Olympia we had the option to go for a swim in the Ionian Sea. We swam the rejuvenating waters like dolphins riding the subtle waves. We returned to the Sea Cloud to a spectacular Greek buffet dinner prepared by the ship’s galley, and like the legendary Odysseus we prepared for our journey to Ithaca.
