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Arrive at ZPC at 1130am only to find out that our Main Press Centre accreditation application has been declined. The ZPC officials are clearly not that influential when it comes to ATHOC accredited buildings. We go to the New Benaki Museum, another Cultural Olympiad venue; an impressive exhibition of clothing from a range of locations called ‘Ptychoseis=Folds+Pleats’. This is definitely one of the most extraordinary exhibitions during the Games.
We then venture over to the Technopolis venue, an extensive complex of cultural centres and activity. There were few people around and …

We took the tram and metro back to the centre on our way up to the main Olympic stadium – OAKA – where the rest of the day would be spent watching the artistic gymnastics. It takes a while to go from north to south, but we make it in time, fitting in some self-service food before hand and popping in to the ZPC for updates. OAKA was calm, no enormous or long queues and the gymnastics was also easily accessed and quite enough that we could sit in seats …

Across from the beach volley venue was the Water Plaza, another sponsor spot, with a range of spaces of activity. This is the first time we see a ‘big screen’, like the LiveSite! Screens in Sydney. Apparently, they were open for opening night, but few were present. One of the major spaces here is the Coca Cola pin trading area, an enormous room shaped like a coca cola bottle. It also included sport spaces, where you could have a go at archery, weight-lifting, karate, baseball, fencing and shooting. Great idea, …

Today was our first sporting event, Beach Volleyball. It was about time we found out how the journeys to Olympic venues functioned and what kind of experience visitors had throughout the process. We had to leave at 7am, walking first the 10mins to the tram and then taking it south to the water venues in the south of the city. First problem – the tram is delayed and both we and one of the volunteers for the beach volleyball venue have to give up. She advises us to take the …

We both meet at the ZPC at 12.15pm awaiting information about the Olympic Truce press conference. There is nothing available yet, so we check emails, etc. At 12.40pm, Cathy Freeman turns up with her Samsung-sponsor entourage. We spend some time watching the media frenzy and get a sense for why she is there. We are given the opportunity to interview her, but declined. Nevertheless, her associates seem to know which media is worth giving specific time to; we are asked just because we have already begun to make friends there. …

Depart the flat around 9.40am and take the bus to Sygrou Fix, where the tram is now terminating, due to the road cycling track arrangements in the city. From hereon, the tram does not leave from Syntagma Square for the rest of the Games. Andy’s first task is an interview for the BBC Today Show radio programme at one of the BBC posts nearby the Panatheneiako Stadium. He also records a generic for the BBC and talks with the journalists about the Zappeion Press Centre. They have not had a …

At 4pm, we leave and take a bus to the area of the Hilton Hotel, where we visit one of the Modern Art Gallery exhibitions – TransCultures, part of the Cultural Olympiad programme. We then try to find out more on the Opening Ceremony, but still no information available. It is amazing that we know nothing and that, with all our contacts, nobody can confirm any arrangements. We wonder what visitors will be doing – probably watching the television!! Around 7pm, we arrange to meet a friend from ATHOC, who …

We depart the ZPC at around 12.30pm for our meeting with Jude Kelly at the British Olympic Association villa. The area where we needed to arrive is ‘Psychiko’ and buses did not seem obvious. We are fortunate enough to have some advice from some locals and make it there on time. The bus passes by the Hilton IOC hotel, very impressive, with cameras everywhere waiting to spot a VIP.
The lunch was really informative and a great opportunity to talk with London 2012 bid committee members, among others. It was …

Oddly, today is a public holiday in Athens! The day of the Opening Ceremony and everyone gets a holiday, as if all the work is done. Actually, we thought this was supposed to be some reward for the city, but we seem to find out that it was just a coincidence. The streets are empty and we leave home at around 9.30am – breakfast on the go. Spend time in the ZPC until 114pam, trying to find out about arrangements for the ceremonies. The difficult task was finding out …

Yesterday we got free invitations to attend the special party to welcome the torch to Athens. It is in the beautiful Odeon of Herod Atticus. It is a full house, so it takes a while for people to get to their seats in this ancient open theatre. In the meantime, the torch is being carried around Athens towards us, footage of which is being projected over the wall of stone behind the stage. As the torch passes the Odeon, it is carried by former Olympic champion Carl Lewis. The torch …