The Olympics return to Greece tonight after 108 long years, as Athens plays host to the Summer Games after what can only be described as a heroic last-minute effort to have all of the venues prepared all in time for the crush of athletes, spectators, and dignitaries. Months ago, naysayers were already (and prematurely) pronouncing the Athens Games a failure, and some of the hard-core gloom and doom types were even advocating that the Olympics be moved to another country! How little faith the world had in the Greeks, who had celebrated the Games for over a thousand years in Antiquity through war, famine, natural disaster, and conquest - first by the Macedonians, then the Romans. They had hosted the first modern Olympiad in 1896, defying the expectations of the world in another photo finish that is strangely reminiscent of the run-up to the 2004 Games. Perhaps if the pessimists had been better students of history, they wouldn't have worried so much!
Well - the Opening Ceremonies are beautiful, and have gone off without a hitch. Congratulations to the Greeks, and best of luck to all the competitors...
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