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Not much evidence of security – not overrun with military with rifles. Also no indication of where to complete accredidation – only signs for Olympic Family way to buses. Went out of baggage area and found the man who was to lead us to villa. But OOPS – accredidation was inside – told walk around outside to police – OK – did that – they said you can’t go thru – a member of Olympic welcome arrives and says she’ll take me – we get thru police checkpoint – then she says no accredidation done at airport any more!!! - and anyway can’t get back into baggage area. Must go to Press Center in Athens - 15 minutes of begging, pleading, crying, she finally gets me in baggage area – finds another who knows where accredidation is and she takes me there – accredidation takes 2 minutes after that! (not much evidence of security until you try to go somewhere you’re not supposed to be, and then you’re surrounded by politicia).

To villa by 6 PM– there’s a party on a yacht we’re (The "we" is George Morris, who is sharing a villa with Sara.) to go to – so no time to unpack, just jump into clean clothes and off we go. Yacht, built & owned by brother and sister-in-law of Tim Holekamp, owner of Darren Chiaccia’s ride, Windfall, tied up to dock at Porto Rafti, so it’s close.

Lovely harbor – hors d’oeuvres and buffet dinner -delicious. Absolutely no sense of fear of terrorism anywhere – Porto Rafti clean, neat, feels very safe except for Greek drivers, who are insane!!!!!!!!!

Saturday - George and I found USET house and shuttle van that took us into venue. Only approved buses and vans allowed in – police guard entrances – it’s at least 3 kilometers from entrance to the grounds to actual entrance to the venue. Also very unobtrusive, hardly noticeable, there are soldiers with rifles guarding the perimeter. Very complete checks going into venue – no soldiers at press entrance speak (Sara is an accredited journalist) or read English, so when my titanium hip sets of alarms as I walk thru security gate, they all jump to attention – they don’t understand my hip replacement card, of course. But with signs, etc. they finally decide “car accident, deep inside hurt” they write down my name (presumably so that when I explode they’ll know who I was) – so I finally get in – this goes on every time I go in, of course.

George and I walk X-country – it’s straight out and straight back, with one fairly steep, but not very long, hill going out. It’s hot, but with a slight breeze, so it’s not unbearable. Everyone, from every country, of course, knows George, so we’re stopped often. Course is pretty straight-forward, not huge, very pretty. Decorated with flowers etc. Yes, Greece does have 1000’s of olive trees! The course is surrounded by them and they’re incorporated into many fences. First 5 or 6 fences not very difficult – 1st difficulty is 1st water – up a bank over rail, drop to a stride and logs into water, where 2 small motorboats are moored, with fronts reworked so that they’re now corners, B & C of obstacle, out of water and over D.

Course not huge – not as big as Jerez – lots of technical stuff, corners and very narrow fences - with. no turns, should be a good galloping course.

Then, getting out of venue – now comes the problem – no USET shuttle bus – finally get van to take us to entrance. 2 days into Games we still haven’t solved that problem.

Back to villa to transmit e-mail – owner has shown me telephone jack, etc. Everyone says it’s going to work – I put in Athens phone no, But of course it doesn’t work. It’s the
Olympics – has anything ever worked at any Olympics?

Back into venue at 4 p.m. for trot-up – all ours pass. Of course, no one can go anywhere – places they’ve said you can be, you are stopped. Even riders and chefs, who normally go anywhere, are stopped over and over. But as with all Games, we’ll figure it out sometime.

In press room, they explain I need a card and sell me one for 18 Euros. At home, no that doesn’t work.

Dimitri from Trekking Hellas (agency thru which we got the villa) explains card I need.

We spend one hour trying to find a party at house where John Long, Craig Ferrell & others staying – give up and eat in outdoor café in Markopoulo – stray dogs & cats everywhere – very thin but survivors. We feed a thin black and white cat who’s very friendly.

Saturday – to venue for Amy Tryon’s dressage – she’s good – score 50.6

Try to buy place to park near venue – wait ½ hour - transportation manager not there, obviously – come back at 4.

To villa – get netcard, 15 euros – doesn’t work

That's all folks! - hopefully there will be more soon.