— A prediction: the Athens Olympics in 2004 will be a total disaster. The Mrs. and I visited Greece last October, and just getting around Athens is a major nightmare. The Grecians are trying to upgrade their Metro, but they’re way behind schedule. Similarly, all the upgrades and construction to the venues are behind, and the IOC has admonished the Grecians on several occasions to get their act together. The Games will have to be scaled-back considerably if they’re to take place at all. Modern Greece doesn’t know how to get things done. The Parthenon was built in 30 years with hand tools, but 30 years of renovations with high-tech equipment have succeeded only in keeping it from crumbling, not in restoring it to its former glory.
That being said, Greece is a fun place if you don’t have much to do. While most of it’s falling down, the locals still know how to have a good time, especially if there’s a bunch of drunken Japanese tourists to be entertained.
Richard, I think you’re overly optimistic about the Athens Summer Games — disaster doesn’t come close.
My future father-in-law used to command the US Air Force base outside Athens. Word leaked of who he was and what his job was, and so he was immediately transferred back to Lakenheath, UK.
But here’s the best part. Greek security was so worthless, that it was considered safer for him to DRIVE BACK to la Havre and catch a ferry to England, than to fly out of Athens International Airport.
That’s right. The Air Force told him to put his wife and three kids into a car, and drive through what was left of Yugoslavia (and most of the rest of Europe), rather than catch a flight.
Grecians. Heh, heh, heh.