How I Snuck Into Opening Ceremonies Greece 2004

After a relaxing swim in the Mediterranean warm summer water I  jumped on a trolley where 2
 fellow travelers had  dropped me off. The public transportation in Athens during the 
Olympics was great no lines, and you didn't even have to pay the .80 euros if you didn't' want
 to, as no one checked. 40 minutes later I was in front of the gates to the Olympic Sports Complex. 
The Complex housed brand new venues built for the country where the Olympics first started some
 2300 years ago. Here were the tennis venue, the swimming pool, the Gymnastics arena, as well as
 the main 100,000 + stadium, holding track and field events, and the start of it all, the opening ceremonies.

I arrived at the gates of the complex not knowing what to expect, armed with mostly just my 
powers of observation, and the adrenaline pump of an awesome day of sight seeing  in Greece.
 Also in my possession were some mail ordered judo tickets, 40 euros,  and an extensive 
knowledge of security procedures gleaned from years of international travel, and over  
100 Greatful Dead and Phish concerts.

My hopes of being 'Miracled' someones 'extra' corporate ticket soon faded as scalpers 
seemed to outnumber those with tickets, both of which were willing to part with the 
cardboard keys to the gate, but for a fee upwards of 950 euros,(over a thousand dollars, US).

Surveying the scene I had flashes of the Soccer World Cup in Japan, where an English hawker
 proudly claimed to have beaten the excessively anal security of Japan at every venue, and 
seen every football match without a ticket.

I saw a usual security gauntlet consisting of several check points where a ticket was briefly
 checked until your bags and person were magnetically checked by x-ray machines and airport 
security walk threw.  I decided to give it a go.  I easily made it through the first check point 
using my fellow attendees to block the  notice of yours truly of the first set of voulenteer ticket checkers.

30 meters later I am at the main gate.  When asked "Can I see your ticket?", I could only reply, 
"Oh, .. I have just this judo ticket." They of course politely informed me that I needed an opening
 ceremonies ticket if I were to pass by them.  I came back to center, and tried another line as 
there were a good 20 lines of entrance into the grounds.  My second pass was very close, I was
 just about to put my small bag on the conveyer belt when I heard "Did I see your ticket?".  
Once again, "I have a judo ticket." No go.  I almost made it and learned that there were two 
distinctly different groups of guards.  There were the security men, in military uniforms, 
all 2 heads taller than me, they seemed only concerned that you placed your bags, jackets, 
on the x-ray,  and that you did not buzz when going threw the medal dectector. Then there 
were the volunteers recognizable by their white, blue and orange Athens 2004 volunteer polo 
shirts.  These were the guys that really looked at your ticket, they did not rip the ticket, but
 were checking each one methodically to make sure it had the hologram, or whatever it was 
that made it an official ticket, I don't know exactly, as I didn't have an opening ceremonies 
ticket, or I would not be writing this story.

Walking away from my second denial I relized, "Wow, I bet I can get through,  there are enough
 checkers working that they could easily think that their co-worker must have checked my 
ticket, especially if I get my bag on the conveyer belt.  I though of the English dude I met in
 Japan at the World cup, and realized, if you want it bad enough you can get in.  

Sure enough next try I made it through.  After walking through the security gate, and picking 
up my bag from the conveyer belt I heard "Excuse me." I thought perhaps they saw my pocket
 knife in my bag, as this has stopped my at airports in the past, post 9/11 of course.  I was 
ready to give up my knife.  Also I had a water bottle that often works an extra diversion at 
times.  The guard asked for my water bottle, no problem, water is a ubiquitous recourse, 
he only asked to remove the label from my "Trinity" water bottle, done deal I was into the 
complex, I couldn't belive it, I was so elated.

I realized there must be some other check points, and they didn't even rip tickets from where
I came through, but the main security must be the toughest, and I could no doubt make up a 
story or slip through anything else as I must of had a ticket if I was that far.  I didn't have 
much of a problem with the 2 other check points.  "Oh, my girlfriend has my ticket." or "I'm 
meeting my friend."  In no time I was down by the field, great seats, in with the German group 
I think, I had only to move one time, as one person came to the seat I had occupied, no problem, 
there were plenty of seats, and I saw my first  likely the only opening ceremonies that will see in
 person .  The show was spectacular, 202 countries was a bit tiresome, but wow, I made it in, really exciting.