Monday, May 29

After a long day of travel, we are woke up bright and early in the morning and headed to the Olympia archeological site. What is important to note is that Olympia was not a city, but rather a site dedicated to religion and sport. Here, we met up with a tour guide that took us through the excavations as well as the museums with artifacts excavated from the site. When we first walked in, we saw archaeologists digging near the entrance trying to find more of the gymnasium. We first walked through the other parts of the gymnasium which have been dug up already. This was where the athletes would practice their sports prior to the Olympic Games. We then walked to the palaestra, where the athletes would wrestle one another. After going through the gymnasium and palaestra, we walked right up to where the Temple of Zeus stood. There was one complete column which was restored in 2011 to show the size the temple would have been. Many of the ruins on the ground were remains from the buildings that got destroyed by an earthquake in the 6th century CE. We eventually headed over towards the Temple of Hera, which is the oldest structure at the site, and third oldest temple in Greece. We then went to the stadium, the world’s oldest. We all lined up for a race along the stadium which is about the length of two football fields. I got off to a slow start, but I came back and finished strong, winning the race. After that, we were able to walk through the Temple of Hera, one of the few temples in Greece that people are actually allowed to run through. 

We then left the archeological site and ended up going to the museum near the site. The museum was actually quite similar to the Greek sections of the British Museum and Louvre which wasn’t all that surprising considering the British and French claimed many artifacts that weren’t actually theirs. So, we saw similar pots, figurines, and sculptures as we saw at those precious locations. However, no matter how many times we see these artifacts, the detail on the sculptures with the expressions of faces, perceived movement of the static sculptures, and the preservation and restoration of many of them never cease to amaze me. We then headed to another museum which was more tailored towards the Olympic athletic side of Olympia while the previous was more religiously focused. In this museum, we saw many of the same types of artifacts, except this time much more athletically focused. 

After going to the archaeological site and museums, we headed toward the streets of Olympia and got lunch. We ordered many appetizers for the table, including tzatziki, roasted feta, and Mediterranean triangles (which were my favorite). I ordered a pork souvlaki which was delicious and came with more pita and tzatziki which was delicious. 

We then got to shop for a bit along the street, where I ended up buying a Greek (Hellas) Giannis Antetokounmpo jersey. What is incredible is that the prices here are so cheap, especially considering we came from Switzerland where prices are higher. 

We then went back to the hotel and went swimming for a bit at the pool which was a solid time. We then left for Delphi on our bus, where many of us sat in the back playing cards and vibing together listening to music. We eventually arrived after a 3 and a half hour ride, and soon after we went out to dinner together. I ordered some chicken on pita which was a great way to finish the night before heading to bed for an early morning. 

Monday 5/29

 Today was our first day in Greece. We were all very tired from our long travel day yesterday. We had to get up and pack all our stuff and check out of the hotel before we headed out for the day. 

We headed off to Olympia and met up with our guide, Joanna. She was very knowledgeable and told us all about the ruins sites as we walked around. She even showed us some sites off of the main spots that still need to excavated. It was really cool to see people doing excavations while we were there. They cannot use any power tools because they don’t want to risk damaging any of the ruins. Joanna was showing us pictures of what the sites would have looked like when they were built as we went through the sites. I can’t even imagine the buildings actively being used during the ancient games. I really enjoyed hearing about the temple of Zeus. The statue that was built for him in the middle of Olympia was solely to worship him. The statue that was built for him was almost 40 feet tall! I also really enjoyed seeing the stadium where the games were held. There is a walkway leading into the stadium that used to be lined with statues of the cheaters of the games. I love how they made statues of the cheaters and not so much the winners. Then you walk through and arch into this 600 ft long dirt area. The whole group lined up on the starting block to race. We all charged to the end and Kyle won! Some of us then lined up again and did a girls versus boys rely race.. the guys won. 

After the archeological sites we went to the first museum. I really enjoyed the first museum because it had a lot of the statues that were excavated and put back together. It’s amazing how archeologists can piece these statues back together so well most of the time without having all the pieces. My favorite room had the statues from the pediments of the temple of Zeus. There was almost no sculpture that had all its pieces but they were all positioned and put back together so well. The second museum was mainly about the ancient Olympic Games and how they started. We learned a lot about this in our lectures at the beginning of the trip. I liked to see all of the armor that the athletes had to wear. For the races that were in full armor the athletes had the wear almost 30 kilograms of armor!

We then headed downtown and had lunch at a Greek cafe. I have never really had Greek food before and I really enjoyed it. Whens a better time to try Greek food than in when in Greece! We spent some time shopping down town then headed back to the hotel for a swim in the hotel pool. After we dried off we headed back on the bus and drove the Delphi!

Sunday May29

 Today was a very long day. We had a free morning to explore Lausanne one last time before we had to say bye to one of our favorite places yet. Some people went to the beach to sit by Lake Geneva, others took this opportunity to sleep in, and some more just walked around town. When it finally came time to head out, we went to the train station which would take us to the airport. The train was nice and quiet, and was about an hour long.

We got to the airport and headed inside. With all of our luggage, we needed to check our bags, however the line was very long. It took us between forty five minutes to an hour to finally tag our suitcases, which put us in a time crunch as we only had about another thirty minutes to forty five to get through security and to the gate, before the plane was scheduled to take off.

We were scattered by the time we checked our bags, so we headed to security individually, with the hopes that we would all make it through quickly. For some that was the case, as about half of us, myself included, got through security in roughly ten minutes.

Everyone was on their own in terms of getting to the departure gate, which was a few minutes walk away from where security was located. I got to the gate, along with a few others, just as the boarding process began. About half the group was missing at this point, which was a little worrisome. The boarding of passengers continued, but thankfully as people continued to get on the plane, more of us showed up. We all finally made it to the gate around the time it was our turn to get on the plane.

We made it on the plane, and it took off a few minutes later than it was supposed to. But that wasn’t the main inconvenience of the flight. I would roughly estimate that about 40-50% of the passengers were kids, clearly on a school trip, aged around 12-13 years old. They were way too loud for a majority of the flight. From takeoff they were screaming and talking with each other, and throughout the flight there were random bursts of yelling. The worst occurred while landing, when right as we touched down, literally all the kids started screaming. I think almost all of us got headaches from these kids, and we probably weren’t the only ones who were a bit annoyed.

After getting our luggage, and meeting as a group, we got some food at the airport, which we all loved for its cheap prices. Some people got snacks, some got dinner, and everyone got some water. We were preparing for the 3.5-4 hour bus ride ahead of us that would take us to Olympia. 

We finally got to the hotel around 2am with everyone very tired. We all went to our rooms and passed out, getting a little bit of sleep before our first day in Greece.

Saturday 5/27

Today we started bright and early at nine to go hike in the Swiss Alps! We hopped onto a train that first took us to a farmers market where we were given free cantaloupe and grabbed a bite to eat. I personally went to Starbucks where I learned my lesson about the pricing of Swiss products (10 dollars for a drink). As much as I love it here, the prices make my budgeting difficult. After this, we hopped on our next train which took us up through the Alps and dropped us off at the base of our hike. We had to take a pulley cart up the mountain to get to our trailhead. The hike was a lot of steep hills and mud. I was very thankful I decided not to wear my white shoes, I can’t say everyone else made that same decision. Despite the mud, the hike was absolutely beautiful. We saw people hang gliding and got a gorgeous view of Lake Geneva. We also walked past lots of cows that had actual cowbells on. After a successful hike with no one falling (there were lots of close calls) we headed to Montreux where we got a nice, healthy lunch at McDonald’s. We ate in the market and got some gelato for dessert in the hot weather. We also got to check out The Queen recording studio where they recorded their last album. It was a pretty small exhibit but still cool to see their instruments and recording studio, especially if you’re a fan like Kirstyn. After this, we headed back on the train and had some free time before dinner and we were finally successful at doing some laundry. We got an amazing fondue dinner as it felt necessary while in Switzerland. We had three types of cheese fondue: regular, truffle, and garlic. We also got a dry meat board to add on top of our bread and potatoes. Between the 13 of us we ate almost all of the fondue and we were absolutely stuffed by the end of it. We ended the night at our new favorite place Lake Geneva swimming in the very cold water. We wanted to jump into the water cold or not because who knows if the opportunity will ever present itself again. The cold water was somehow not the biggest problem we came across, the rocks at the bottom of the lake were causing us a lot of issues walking in and out of the lake. Despite this it was still a really great experience, and something I will remember forever. After swimming we sat on the rocks around the lake listening to music and taking in the last night in Switzerland. I speak for the group when I say Switzerland has been absolutely amazing and we do not want to leave. I am however very excited for Greece and can’t wait to be there and eat the amazing food they have to offer. We miss you Professor Ryan and GM!

Saturday, May 27

 Saturday, May 27th

Today was undoubtedly the most scenic day we've had! There were stunning mountaintop views as well as beautiful Swiss scenery from the lakefront. 

We began our day at the Swiss Wine Hotel breakfast buffet where we quickly fueled up and headed out to catch the 10:00 AM train from Lausanne to Montreux. Along the ride, we had fantastic views of Lake Geneva, or Lac Léman as the Swiss call it, and the surrounding Alps. We also were able to see the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a UNESCO world heritage site. Everyone was in awe of the rows and rows of grapevines that seemingly stacked vertically into the Alps. 

Before arriving in Montreux we got off a few stops early in the town of Vevey where we had an opportunity to stop by a local farmers market. The market was located on the lakeside and was filled with a diverse aroma of different meats, cheeses, and chocolates. After wandering the rows of stands I sat on a bench at the lakefront and took in the view. 

Upon arrival in Montreux, we quickly ran across the platform to catch the train going up into the mountains. The 20-minute winding ride allowed us to progressively see more and more of the eastern edge of Lake Geneva. When we arrived the sun’s warm rays were beating down and we were ready for yet another railed ride, this time up the funicular. The steep sloped rail ride slowly brought us to the top of the mountain where we were able to begin our 2-hour hike. 

The hike brought us along a muddy path that winded through the forest atop the mountain. Throughout the beginning of the walk, you could barely see the other mountains through the trees in the thick of the forest. As we moved farther up the forest we came across several clearings where there were stunning views of not only the lake and the mountains but also the towns below. As you can see in the pictures, the panoramic of from the mountaintop was breathtaking. However, these pictures don’t do the view justice as the perspective in person was unbelievable. 

As we continued through the trail we entered a more open area where we were faced with a major uphill climb. We powered through as a group thanks to the bravery and leadership of Josh and were rewarded at the top with some Swiss cows. After nearly 3 miles of hiking (According to the health app) we returned to the train station. 

Back on the lakefront in Montreux, we had an opportunity to take in the lakefront and have lunch. We then checked out a Queen museum, which featured a Freddie Mercury statue as well as the original recording studio where Queen recorded many of their songs. 

After returning to Lausanne we capped off the night with a group dinner at a fondue place called Chalet Suisse. The fondue featured different flavors such as garlic, truffle, and pepper. It was also accompanied by bread, prosciutto, and potatoes. It was a great end to an exciting day.

Friday, May 26th

 

WE’RE IN SWITZERLAND!!!! *the crowd goes wild*

 

SUPER packed day for the group, but in the best way possible – we got to talk to not one but TWO stakeholders of the Olympic Movement, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the International Federation (IF) World Aquatics!

Shortly after a much more organized and on-time morning – shoutout Zach and Kyle – the group made our way through Lausanne towards the CAS offices. Once finished with listening to Taylor Swift’s and Ice Spice’s new song (6/10 in my opinion), we headed inside to meet our guide for the visit, Fabien Cagnuex. Fabien gave us a brief tour of the very well-kept and modern facility, and he even let us out on the balcony to see one of the best views of Lake Geneva so far. Fabien showed us all the different rooms for hearings and media and translators that may be used in any case depending on the appeal – he even let us sit in the arbitrators and council chairs!! Then Fabien really got down to the nitty gritty. He gave us an in-depth explanation of who CAS is, what CAS does, and how they do it. Plus, he explained the different “departments” within CAS and those that CAS is a part of (i.e. International Court of Arbitration of Sport [ICAS]). Often regular civilians think of CAS only when talking about doping, and they do have an Anti-Doping Department (ADD) because it is such a common and unique appeal, but they also have a specific team dedicated to soccer disputes because the sport is so large globally, and therefore typically has more appeals. Once Fabien opened it up to questions from the group, we mainly asked about their involvement with the Olympics as well as with the Premier League. The highlights of this discussion were CAS’s Ad Hoc Division created during the Games made to focus on and resolve disputes quickly before/after competition and CAS’s jurisdiction/cooperation with fan-“owned” Premier League teams. Unfortunately, Fabien couldn’t give us any info on Russian ice skater Valieva’s doping case… I know you were wondering.

After CAS, we made our way to World Aquatics where we were welcomed with croissants and juice and coffee – World Aquatics definitely won Presenter of the Day. The bulk of their presentation was again on who they are, what they do, and how they do it. As an IF, they are essentially the governing body for swimming, diving, open water swimming, high diving, water polo, and artistic swimming – meaning they set rules and regulations, regularly schedule competitions, and enforce their standards in the swimming world. They also just rebranded away from FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation), so we got to hear a little bit about that process and how they launched their new brand. It was very cool to hear from an IF and to be inside their offices because they are such a powerful organization in the world of sports; plus, they are the most followed sport during the Olympics. Just like CAS, we had the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation, including what their role is at the Olympics (defining the disciplines, bringing judges/officials, approving venues, etc.) and the dreaded ‘Is water wet?’ question… they said no.

The group was then free to get lunch before coming back to the hotel for a rescheduled Zoom meeting with the IOC’s Television & Marketing Services (TMS)! This presentation was all about the jurisdiction the IOC has over all the marketing of the Olympic Games – and it is very intricate. The IOC has created The Olympic Partner program that is exclusive to only 14 global brands (Omega, Visa, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Samsung, etc.) who have the privileged right to be advertised at the Olympic Games. All other brands – unless they are associated with an NOC (USOPC: Ralph Lauren), an IF, or an OCOG – cannot be displayed on any athlete, coach, sporting member, or anything with the Olympic logo during the Games (9 days before the Games, through the Games, to two days after the Games). That said, athletes who have sponsorship deals cannot promote their partnership at the Games, and those companies cannot actively promote those athletes during the Games (Rule 40, look it up!). Very interesting, right!? Overall, there are A LOT of rules and guidelines associated with marketing at the Olympics, and TMS is responsible for monitoring and enforcing them all.

After we had finished the educational aspects of the day, we went on a picnic dinner! The group took roughly 30 minutes to pick out various meats, CHEESE, crackers, fruit, drinks, silverware, and CHOCOLATE for our group dinner on the shore of Lake Geneva. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! The temperature was perfect, and the view was phenomenal. After we GRUBBED on our picnic meal – shoutout grillmasters Kyle, Kirstyn, and Dr. Kim – we played a very hilarious game of volleyball and sat on the rocks bordering the lake. We skipped some rocks, Kyle made some Swiss friends, and we took more and more Instagramable photos. It was a great finish to the day, and it has become the best part of the trip for many of us!

We miss you GM and Prof. Ryan!

Friday 5/26

 Our first stop of the day was CAS(the court of arbitration of sport). We were lucky enough to to hear from Fabien Cagnuex, Attorney at Law managing counsel. He showed us around some the of hearing rooms and the press rooms. The building is beautiful and so modern. The heating rooms even have a hidden room for translations for the hearings. The room was set up for online meetings as well with monitors set up around to table. We got to the auditorium and got to hear all about how CAS works and what kind of cases they get. The history of the institution was very interesting, I would have thought CAS was around longer than only 1984. It’s crazy how many cases they get in a year, in the past couple years they have has over 900 cases each year. It sounded like they get a majority of their cases around the time of the Olympics. They open up their courts 10 days before the games so they will be able to handle eligibility issues. I’m just amazed how they are able to take in cases so fast and make a decision. Fabien said that one of their cases they got at 11:00 pm and make a decision by 3:00 am!

Our second stop of the day was World Aquatics! The walk to their building was absolutely gorgeous. The people we spoke to were nice enough to set out some croissants and water for everyone! I really enjoyed hearing about the rebrand of World Aquatics and their reasoning behind it! The logo stands for the 5 countries and the 6 disciplines of aquatics and the whole logo represents the world. They talked a lot about the social media side of their business and how they try to promote themselves. I liked to hear that they do all they can to help their community by having all sorts of programs as well as their Masters Championship, one open to all ages and people who want to compete but are now at the Olympic level. They even had a man competing that was 105 years old! 

After World Aquatics, some of us headed to lunch downtown and we found a burger joint that was very good. We also did some shopping at some of the local venders. 

We got back to the hotel around 3:30 to join a Zoom with Rodrigo who works in TMS at the IOC. It was great to hear from him. He talked a lot about the TOP sponsors and some of the rules athletes have to abide by for their own sponsors. 

Our last adventure of the day was a shopping trip to the market for our picnic by the lake. Prof Kim set Kirstyn and I a budget and we were in charge of getting food. Everyone chipped in and we had a lot of fun, we picked out many cheeses, crackers, fresh fruit, chocolate, and even son sausages and chicken to grill. I think we would all agree that it was one of our favorite meals. Once we finished up at the store we headed over to the lake. I have no words, it was absolutely gorgeous. It looked like a painting. Kyle, Prof Kim and even Kirstyn grilled the food for us while the rest of the group set up our spread for dinner. We ate good food and looked at our unbelievable view. Prof Kim also bought a volleyball for us and we all ended up playing a keep it up game for a while. Selby started doing backflips as soon as we finished eating(If you couldn’t tell, she’s a gymnast).