Olympic games

Politics, marketing and chemical enhancement considerations aside, the Wild Traveler loves the Olympics.

At the sight of all those flags the Wild Traveler has flashes of world map snapshots and a good excuse to bring out the atlases and google the symbolism of banners, colours and national tunes, thus immersing himself in a favourite pastime, whose subtle pleasures can only be surpassed by the “find_a_good_excuse_to_visit_Barcelona” game (played bi-weekly, preferably during the autumn and winter months).

The constant stream of athletes’ pictures makes the Wild Traveler wonder on the human species, whose variety and diversity never seizes to amaze him. The Games themselves are an excellent reminder that one can excel, irrespectively of age, size, colour and built, as long as one chooses his game wisely: out-of-proportion shoulders are an asset if one finds oneself in a pool and petite sizes thrive on the gymnastics mats.

Fully aware of the political, marketing and chemical enhancement aspects of the whole thing, the Wild Traveler insists in finding the winners’ celebrations and reactions during the medal ceremonies deeply moving: behind all that goes through their minds, the Wild Traveler thinks he can detect – maybe with the aid of his innate naivity – a glimpse of that simple, primal and oh!-so-refreshing satisfaction one experienced as a child while playing with peers and winning.

And without forgeting the political, marketing and chemical enhancement issues, the Wild Traveler is a sucker for the IOC “The best of Us – Heroes“ video – his rather simplistic personality feeling inspired by the “woman who jumps the highest” who proves that “no obstacle is great enough”.