Ancient Olympia, Messene, & Kardamyli

At the ancient Olympic starting line.

On the misty early Monday morning of October 20 the crunch of gravel beneath our feet welcomed us to one of the most sacred sites of Greece – Ancient Olympia.  ​

With the help of our expert guide, Zoe from Niki Olympic Tours, it was easy to imagine the energy and passion for competition that brought the space to life. Step by step, the immensity of the site was impossible to ignore as Zoe explained how athletes traveled from the far reaches of the Ancient Greek world every 4 years to practice the ideals of excellence and victory in honor of Zeus.  

Did you know? 

• Olympia was not a city; it was one of the holiest sanctuaries where Greek tribes gathered to offer sacrifices to the gods and reinforce their Panhellenic identity 
• More than athletic competitions, the Olympic Games played a crucial part in Greek culture where spirits, religion, and society were woven together 
• The Olympic Games were held to honor Zeus at the sanctuary in Olympia every four years from 776 BC until they were discontinued in the 4th century, CE 
• Fires, floods, and earthquakes buried Olympia for centuries until it was discovered in 1766 by English antiquarian, Richard Chandler 
• Significant scientific excavation started with a French team in 1829, uncovering the Temple of Zeus 
• German digs from 1875 onwards revealed the entire sacred precinct and stadium, bringing the birthplace of the Olympic Games back to light 
• Most interesting was the "hall of shame" -- a row of pedestals that once held bronze statues of Zeus called Zanes. They were funded by fines paid by cheating athletes, inscribed with their names and misdeeds, and placed at the stadium entrance as a public humiliation to remind everyone that victory must come from skill and honor, not deceit.  
  

A rainbow was our reward for dodging raindrops all morning. At the museum, it’s astounding how many artifacts and statues remain. ​

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The road trip continues. Next stop? The Kaiafas Thermal Springs.

​A winding road through farmland and vineyards edged by stands of Euphrates Grasses and hillside towns where houses drip with Bougainvillea brings us to a municipal mineral water "spa" that’s seen better days. It remains a mystery why we had to meet with a physician who checked our vitals. Luckily, we all passed. The water ended up being lukewarm at best on what turned out to be the last day of the season for this "hydrotherapy center" that we don't really recommend. Be grateful that we didn’t snap any picks of us in our hair nets. Reeking of sulphur and other minerals we had a good laugh as we set off for our next stop.. 

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Zigs, zags, and more zigs bring us across the hills where stone mountain estates dotted the hill sides. Trailing behind a huge truck with a massive load got the better of Rick and he jumped the double line to pass for the first and, we hope, the last time.  

A rumble strip in the road alerts us that we’re heading into a small town, and it’s time to slow things down. Grocery runs in a foreign country are full of surprises. Into the cart goes mountain tea, everything we need for a combination Greek and American breakfast, and a supply of sweet and savory snacks, wine too! A few kilometers that inch up the side of a mountain deliver us “home” to Olympia Villas in Stoupa with a beautiful pool (too bad it’s too cold to take a dip) and a gorgeous sunset from the top floor balcony 

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We rise early and, once the breakfast dishes are washed and put away, we pack the snacks and tap our destination into the GPS – an olive tour in Kalamata! Wait, is that our fuel gauge reading almost empty?  Guess we haven’t learned the lesson to refill when the tank is half full!! We lose a ½ hour backtracking into town for a fill-up.

​Nevertheless, the drive along the coast is spectacular and filled with winding switchbacks – oh, to have a hot sports car instead of our cramped Nissan Micra.. 

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Richard realizes that he doesn’t have an address for the olive tour, se he makes a call to the tour organizer for the exact location. With profuse apologies, the tour operator delivers the bad news – even though we had made an online reservation, there are no tours today. WHAT?????? Minutes later, she calls back with details of an alternate tour that she’s booked for us with her friend at the Olive Routes. As luck would have it, the new tour was the very one that our Greek travel consultant Alexia had strongly recommended. Disaster averted. 

Fun Facts, Olive Edition 

• Olives are a fruit 
• There are 5 olive trees for every citizen of Greece 
• The harvest runs from October to February 
• Avoid pitted olives if you prefer yours tasty and chemical free 
• Olive trees yield fruit for 1000’s of years and they’re seldom cut down 
• In Kalamata, olives must be harvested by hand because of the hilly terrain 
• Fences are unnecessary because families know the trees that border their land ​​

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• It’s a tradition to plant a tree when a baby is born. It takes 6 years before it yields any fruit.
  
• Greek parents often don’t name their babies right away – sometimes for up to a year. They even get passports without a declared name.  
• Oil flavors vary based on the time of harvest. Early harvests yield robust oil with special health benefits. Middle harvest yields the mild flavored oil that’s most popular. Late harvests yield dark oil that is used for making soap and other purposes. 
• In the villages, families bring their olive harvest to a local press that runs 24 hours a day. They’re assigned a time slot and whether it is 3 AM or PM – it’s party time with food, wine, and of course, ouzo. 

​Our reward for touring the olive groves and press was a chance to taste various oils and then enjoy a delicious farm-to-table lunch prepared by a villager that featured multiple varieties of olive oil in each dish.  ​

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Curiosity got the better of Nancy when she recognized the logo on the cans of oil, and she asked the owner:

• Do you export to the US? Yes!
• Do you export to Belmont, Massachusetts? YES!
• Do you export to Sofia’s Greek Pantry in Belmont? YES!! Not only that, but this is Sofia’s hometown, and we press all the oil for her family. There, in the picture on the wall – the child in the middle? That’s Sofia’s uncle.

YAY – we don’t have to lug olive oil for the remainder of our vacation – we have our local source only 10 minutes from home.  

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​If we’re this close . . . let’s follow the advice of our tour guide in Athens and visit the ancient city of Messene. It’s a magical place that stretches on for as far as the eye can see and, thanks to our training in Athens, we could appreciate the crumbled remains of a once bustling city.

​After roaming the ruins, we enjoyed a panoramic view of the site while we sipped our tea and Greek coffee from our perch in a hillside café,.  

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Just after the sun sets on another beautiful day in Greece, we explore the seaside town of Kardamyli – browsing quaint shops and indulging in unique jewelry and holiday gifts. At the recommendation of a friendly young shopkeeper, we stroll through town to a waterfront restaurant called Ormos Cuzina where we have the place practically to ourselves to enjoy another delicious Greek meal. 

Stacy just had to have one of their fabric bread baskets.  When Nancy discovered they weren’t for sale at the restaurant or in any shop nearby, she offered to buy the one in her hand. Instead, the waiter offered it as a gift. Luckily, Ricky was close by settling the dinner tab and added an extra tip and a huge thank you. Stacy was delighted. 

Next up in the blog – the Mani Peninsula, the Caves of Doros – and so much more! 

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