It's the final countdown to the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens, Greece! Actually, the torch preamble has been underway for about a month, but now the "big tent" is about to open. Are you going? Already there? Observing from afar? Ambivalent?

All answers are acceptable, except perhaps the last. You don't have to be a sports maniac to get excited about this summer's Olympic Games. Nor do you have to relish the commercial feeding frenzy which recent Olympics create. But you should try to appreciate the symmetry, the appropriateness of a "homecoming" Olympiad. Back in Greece!

Delphi's mayor, Panagiotis Kaltsis, waxes optimistic if slightly melodramatic: "From the Navel of the Earth and the cradle of the universal heritage of civilization we send a message of hope. We send the rose of Greece to the peoples of the world. The Olympic Games are a festival of the citizens of civilization." Wow!

I would be seriously remiss if I didn't open this e-Marginalia newsletter with a link to the official website of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games where you can access just about everything you could possibly need or want. Of course, it's probably a little too late to jump on an airplane and join in the excitement firsthand (if you haven't already booked accommodations, that is), but this website definitely will improve your long distance Olympic experience. From torch relay updates and event schedules to history and weather, this is the virtual "place to be" as the world turns their eyes to this timeless tradition.

And speaking of history, I have a gift for you. That's right, I recently received a gift from The Teaching Company that I would like to pass on to you. Between now and August 31, The Teaching Company is giving away (that's right, you pay nothing!) two 30-minute audio lectures called "The Olympics: From Ancient Greece to Athens, Parts 1 and 2" as their way of celebrating the 2004 Olympics while thanking their regulars (me) and inviting new people (you) to try out their amazing service. This two part mini course is not only well composed and richly informative, it's also thoroughly engaging and a joy to listen to. It was prepared and delivered by Dr. Jeremy McInerney, a Greek history scholar in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Chair of the Graduate Group in the Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World. You'll soon discover why he is such a popular professor at U. Penn. and at The Teaching Company.

But wait, is this some sort of slick promo where you have to agree to join, buy or at least surrender all of your personal vital information? No. Simply put, this is a gift. No strings. Two 30-minute lectures from Dr. McInerney on the history of the Olympic Games. You may listen to them by streaming them over your Internet connection, or you may download them to listen without being attached to the Internet. And, if you download them, you may even burn them onto a CD or transfer them to your mp3 player to enjoy while jogging or on your commute to work.

And there's more... Whether or not you are lucky enough to be in Athens for the XXVIII Olympiad, you should visit NBC Universal to see the awesome bounty of Official Athens 2004 merchandise they are offering. Plenty of cool gear to celebrate the Olympic Games' return to their birthplace.

Okay, enough Olympics hype, but I just wanted to share a little reminder that as US politics descends into vitriol and the media streams fear, xenophobia and a "world at war" messages into our lives, there is another point of reference, a counterpoint for balance and reassurance that we can celebrate global diversity. We can pit foe against foe in the fiercest of competitions without abandoning civility. We can compete aggressively yet diplomatically. We can experience the Olympics as a glimmer of hope, "a festival of the citizens of civilization" as Mr. Kaltsis so dramatically enthused. I invite you to encourage and cultivate it.

Best,
George Davis, e-Marginalia Editor
e-marginalia@e-margaux.com

PS: You are welcome and encouraged to forward this email to a friend who may be interested in downloading the complementary audio lecture. Cheers!

PPS: If you are the angling sort, check out Marc Malkin's article, "Baja’s Cabo San Lucas and East Cape: Two Different Versions of Angler’s Paradise", at Boater's World for a good, information packed story. And how about whipping up your own fishing story and submitting it to e-Marginalia for publication?

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~ FEATURE STORIES :: Read these Inspiring Travel Stories

Timeless Tuscany

Ever since my first visit to Italy many years ago, I’ve been fascinated by the Italian lifestyle. In comparison to our frenetic lives, they take things at a slower pace, and it seems to me that theirs is a simpler and happier existence. Our occasional vacation excursions there left me longing to experience their way of life, to see if it is really as it appears. I decided, and my husband Fred agreed, that renting a place to stay during part of a vacation would give us a glimpse into everyday Italian life…

New Year's in Vienna

New Year’s is one of the few holidays the whole world celebrates together within a 24-hour period. My husband, Fred, and I, embarked on an unusual and offbeat travel adventure to greet the new year in Vienna, Austria…

Nobody Warned Me About the Gypsies

Embarking on any kind of journey is always an adventure, whether or not you have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into. However (un)prepared you are, what you expect isn’t what you’re going to get. Far from being a deterrent to travel, however, this is actually one of the best incentives to go for it…

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~ AMAZING DEALS :: Check out these Travel Promotions

Athens Audio Lectures :: Two Complementary 30-Minute Lectures!
          The Teaching Company is giving away (that's right, you pay nothing!) "The Olympics: From Ancient Greece to Athens, Parts 1 and 2" as their way of celebrating the 2004 Olympics. This two part audio mini course can be streamed online, downloaded to your hard drive, burned to a CD or recorded on your mp3 player.
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Summer Hotel Sale :: Great Rates at Over 50 Hot Spots
          Planning to get away before this summer turns into autumn? Time's running out, but there are still some amazing "last minute" deals to be had here. Wherever you want to go—the city, the mountains, the beach, the theme parks, even Europe—you can save on already low hotel rates. Plus, you'll save even more when you book your flight and hotel together! Travel now through September 6, 2004
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~ e-MARGAUX LITE :: Quotations, Anecdotes and Humour

"From the Navel of the Earth and the cradle of the universal heritage of civilization we send a message of hope. We send the rose of Greece to the peoples of the world. The Olympic Games are a festival of the citizens of civilization."
          Panagiotis Kaltsis, mayor of Delphi, Phocis, Greece

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