The Olympics

The Olympics

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News, information and stories about the Olympic Games in Athens 2004 and the Olympics in general up until 2007.

Monday, June 07, 2004

It's an Ill Wind

It seems as though Athens has been waiting a few centuries, or so, for the Olympic Games to return.

That at least is the impression one gains from the massive building site that has consumed the ancient city of Athens.

The massive construction and restoration effort is entirely due to the forthcoming Olympics. It seems that without these, the city's infrastructure and monuments would have been left very much alone.

Not all are happy with the makeover, archaeological purists are aghast at the attempts to renovate ancient monuments such as the Parthenon.

Aside from the ancient, there is also the modern such as; 15000 new taxis, buses that use natural gas, a new underground system, a tram link and a spanking new suspension bridge between Rio and Antirio.

The IOC is 100% confident that everything will be ready on time.

The question is, are these modern wonders as durable as their ancient forebears; will they still be around in the centuries to come?


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