Olympic Collection

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This site is no longer updated, from now on, another site, with the same headings, is accessible at the address : collectionolympique.org. Still in development, it is updated as and when.

OLYMPIC EVENTS
FROM 2009 TO 2012

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05/29 to 05/31/2009 - Warsaw (Poland)
14th International Olympic Collectors Fair (Sport Museum Warsaw)
Arriving at the airport of Warsaw, I go to my hostel by taxi. I meet my friends collectors of all countries already arrived. The next day, we are drived by bus from the hotel under a heavy rain to go to the sports museum where the fair is held. This is a modern and functional building, very nice.We take seat for the day in the room which is reserved to us. Welcome gifts are offered by the Polish NOC to all participants. The evening, we are invited to a cocktail reception whith the presence of JA Samaranch.
The next day, in the afternoon, at the invitation of the organization, we start visiting the city ??by bus. With our Zanirato friends, then we stay in town and we dine there. The historic center is very pleasant, despite the persistent rain. At the hotel, the Formula 1 Robert Kubica is exposed.
The last day, I visit a flea market with Marc. I even find some Olympic memorabilia! By late afternoon, we dine in a restaurant near the hotel.

04/16 to 04/18/2010 - Cologne (Germany)
15th International Olympic Collectors Fair (Deutsches Sport und Olympia Museum)
Unfortunately, because of the cloud generated by the Icelandic volcano Grimsvötn, I was forced to cancel my trip.
04/08 to 04/10/2011 - Cologne (Germany)
12th International Olympic Fair (Deutsches Sport und Olympia Museum)
To don't have any regret, I decided to go to Cologne on the occasion of the 12th meeting organized by the Sports and Olympic Museum in Cologne. This time, no clouds. Arriving by plane in Cologne, I joined the city center by train and then I put my luggage at the hotel before going to the museum where I meet my friends Zanirato and other collectors. In the evening, along with Wolfgang, our host and guide, we will dine in a typical brewery. The next day, the fair began, timidly. My Russian friend, Irina, joins us for the day. The evening, after the fair, we have a cruise on the Rhine, followed by a dinner in the museum. I learned that following a meeting between the various federations of collectors (FINO, FIPO AND FIMO) and the IOC, we are moving towards a federation of all under the name FICO (International Federation of Olympic Collectors). The next day after the fair, I return to France.

08/04 to 08/07/2011 - Chicago (USA)
17th International Olympic Collectors Fair (Donald E. STEPHENS convention center)
Despite the difficulty of obtaining a few days in great demand during this period, I managed from the time of the fair with my friend Claude. We met in London to take the same flight to Chicago. We arrive late at our hotel.
The next day, we go to the Convention Center, dedicated primarily to 600 exhibitors about baseball, American football, basketball, hockey and boxing. We have a secluded area of ??the huge room, strictly reserved for Olympic Collectors. Air conditioning is very strong, and it freezes! I found many American collectors with whom I have already been in touch but I do not know physically. I walk in the aisles of the center still deserted by visitors. Very impressive, baseball cards out of sight. In the evening, with Claude, we start looking for a restaurant. We find one another hotel that suits us. The area, near the airport, is mainly populated by hotels.
The next day, 4/08, despite the opening of the fair, visitors do not hurry in our hobby. The opening ceremony is done with Dick Fosbury (Fosbury flop) and Gerhard Heiberg member of the IOC executive board. A temporary post office is installed. Dick Fosbury and Bob Beamon sign autographs (not free).
August 6 at night, the gala dinner held at the hotel. Dick Fosbury is present and tells us the story of his jump, the Fosbury flop. The flop comes an anecdote, fishing, when you pull a fish out of water and you put it on the ground, its movements make a noise: flop, flop!
Queues impressive Those wishing to sign objects by stars of baseball or other sports that we are little known, are installed. The evening held an auction of Olympic memorabilia followed by the general assembly of the Olympin Club to which I belong.
I come back France, while I let Claude and Vincent some more days in Chicago.

05/10/2012 - Olympia (Greece)
Lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame for London 2012
After a long drive (Mr Michelin does not give us the most direct route!), we arrive at Olympia. The next day we left our hotel to get to Olympia, where the ceremony will take place for the lighting of the flame. Claude and I recover our accreditations and head to the ancient site. The accredited guests are there, we follow the flow. We pass the guardian of miner's lamps. Many cameras are on the site in preparation for the television coverage. We will install until the beginning of the ceremony. After surveying flags (Olympic, UK and Greece), speeches of personalities come and go, followed by exchanges of gifts. Then, restricted to a small committee, the torch lighting is done in the temple of Hera. The priestesses then come back and light the torch of the first relay runner, Spyros Gianniotis. After the release of the dove of peace, the relay can begin and the runner leaps. The ceremony is over and everyone leaves the site.

From 05/17 to 05/20/2012 - Athens (Greece)
18th International Collectors Olympic Fair

flechegauche Previous: Olympic trips, Beijing 2008, part 3, day 11 to closing ceremony / To be continued: Olympic trips, Vancouver 2010, part 1, from opening ceremony to day 4 flechedroite

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