What on EARTH is that flag?

Beijing Olympics

Can you believe it’s July 6 already? Summer is flying by. But being the best season of the year, I guess it always has wings.

Usually, I get a little sad around this time of year. Not because of summer’s fast-approaching end, but because all of the fervor of the patriotic season begins to fade. And soon, the waving American flags and bunting on every corner in the city will give way to the lights of the Holiday season (which are also awesome, but it’s just not the same to a patriotic girl like me.)

But this year is different. Today, I celebrated my birthday (yes, the stars were aligned at my birth – I am innately patriotic – LOL) and my favorite veteran and fabuloso grandfather said to me: “Lexi, I have a surprise for you that will have you singing the national anthem until the turn of the year.”

Well, I do that anyway (especially in the car when I’m free to go for the high notes), but a little more inspiration never hurts. And, you will never believe the sort of inspiration my favorite veteran, hero, and awesome grandfather provided……..

Did you guess? TICKETS TO BEIJING!!!! That’s right e-friends. I am going to THE OLYMPICS!!!! For TWO WEEKS! I am going to experience not only a series of sporting events that comes only once every four years, but the brightest, most heartfelt patriotism of people from every corner of the globe. It is going to be absolute heaven. And the opening ceremonies….OMG!!! Seas of flags….of every color, shape, size.

After my second piece of cake, I excused myself so I could begin my late summer, pre-Olympic quest: Arrive in Beijing able to appreciate at least a little of the history and culture of every single country participating in the games.

Where to start? Greece, of course. Where it all began…..

The Ancient Olympic Games began in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. But unlike the great globe-encompassing, cultural infusion of today, only free men who spoke Greek were allowed to participate in these original games (as a modern woman, I’ll refrain from comment here).

These “games” also originally featured just one event – a sprint. The actual length is still unknown – conflicting historical evidence indicates it was somewhere between 180 and 240 meters. There were no ancient stopwatches, LOL, so the race was measured with the use of stakes – a total of 5. The first free, Greek-speaking man (couldn’t resist) to pass the fifth stake was crowned the winner, earning himself, among other things, an olive wreath.

More races were added to these first Olympics – in 724, 720, and 520 BC (wow, they just LOVED to run). And over the 1,000 year span of these first Olympics (mind-boggling, isn’t it – 1000 years!), more events like wresting and some equestrian events (which women were FINALLY allowed to participate in) were added.

Then, in 393 AD Theodosius I outlawed the Olympic Games, ending a thousand years of festivals. In 1883, a nostalgic Greek newspaper editor and poet named Panagiotis Soutsos wrote “Dialogue of the Dead”, inspiring the return of the Games.

Well, e-friends, there is so much more history – the five rings, the evolution of events. But it is getting late and my over-indulgence on chocolate cake is making me sleepy. Until next time (in Beijing!!), I’ll leave you with the below tidbit from my research – not exactly uncommon knowledge, but I just always pictured the men running in togas – LOL.

“The athletes usually competed in the nude, not only as the weather was appropriate but also as the festival was meant to celebrate, in part, the achievements of the human body.”

So how would a Nike sponsorship work? LOL,

Lexi