So, how ready is the capital of Ancient Greece, the city where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, to host such a large-scale event? Having visited Athens, the author of these lines somewhat doubted that by the deadline (mid-August 2004) the Hellenes would manage to complete the entire volume of planned work. Although, it should be noted, much has already been done.
The Greeks themselves, assessing their own capabilities, chuckle at their historically developed qualities, which in this situation may well pass for shortcomings - laziness and the desire to put off "for later" what can be done now. The reluctance to rush in everyday life is explained by the hot climate in which Greece is located. One might say that the Hellenes lead a nocturnal lifestyle, since being outside during the day and doing some work is incredibly difficult. But will the guests of the ancient city forgive the Athenians' slowness, who will have to face a host of problems in Athens during the Olympic Games? The question is rather rhetorical.
In this situation, one would like to know what, besides the desire to pay tribute to the land where the Olympic Games were born, guided the top officials of the International Olympic Committee when they cast their votes in favor of Athens. It is not a matter of distrust, but rather what arguments the representatives of the Greek capital managed to convince the IOC leadership to take their side, to believe that the 2004 Olympics would be held at a high level and would provide exclusively positive emotions.
I want to note again: the pace at which work is being carried out in Athens is somewhat frightening. Yes, much has been done. A new airport, Eleftherios Venizelos, has been built in Spata, which allowed tourists coming to the seaside Glyfada to relax and not suffer from the constant roar of planes over the old
airport, whose terminals, by the way, are being converted into sports complexes for the Games. A metro has been built that connects the most remote areas of the Greek capital, which spreads widely across the valley. Yes, don't be surprised - until the beginning of the 21st century, Athens had no subway. A light rail line is being built that will connect the central areas of Athens with the coastal resort zones - Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, where water sports competitions will most likely be held.
But the transport problem in Athens cannot be solved by such methods. The city is built up with houses that are constructed so as not to stand out from the general row and not to attract additional sunlight onto their windows and walls. The lower the building, the more carefully it is hidden among its neighbors, the less sun falls on it - the better. This approach to urban development is correct in its own way, as it benefits residents. But increasing the number of buildings by reducing the number of floors brings additional problems - the need for space to erect houses. And this leads to sprawling residential areas, narrow streets and alleys, and a more complicated transport scheme for the city. Traffic jams in Athens are the most common thing. If you drove from the outskirts to the center and never got into a traffic jam - you are not in Athens.
But if frequent crowds on the streets do not bother local residents for the already mentioned reasons - amazing calm and unhurriedness - then foreign guests may not like such idle waits under the scorching sun. And if you consider that many Athenians prefer motorcycles and scooters to cars, which can slip through any traffic jam, the displeasure of visitors can only increase.
Another important aspect is the availability of places to accommodate athletes, official delegations, and especially the numerous groups of fans, on whom the organizers hope to make considerable money. If everything is clear with the participants of the Olympic Games - an Olympic Village is usually built for them - then with regard to fans and just tourists, everything is far from so simple.
In Athens, they hope that for guests there will be enough hotels scattered along the coast and private apartments, which in August 2004 will be rented out like folding beds and sheds on the southern coast of Crimea during the holiday season. The population of the capital, already considerable, will increase, which will make the life of the city even more complicated.
In this situation, a joke was born: it is easier to take the Athenians out of the city during the Games, and give Athens to the Olympic participants and their
fans. Jokes aside, but each of them, as you know, has a grain of truth. And who knows, perhaps indeed the city fathers will appeal to the Athenians with a request to leave the capital for the duration of the Olympic Games. Say, a season of emergency vacations will begin with super-discounted vouchers to some exotic islands.