So far, things in Rio de Janeiroin preparation of this year's Summer Olympics, kicking off on Fridaydon't seem to be going too well.The Olympic Village was deemed unlivable, there could be a toxic water problem for the swimming team, and there have been questions about how well gay athletes will be received in the host city; all this before the games have even started.It's had us looking back at previous host cities, villages, and venues, and wanting to return to some of the most amazing spots for old times' sake.Here's a quick list of eight Olympic Villages and venues that you can still (and should) visit today.Olympic Village Condos: Vancouver, Canada (2010)Vancouver, Canada hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Around 3,000 athletes were housed in the 1,000-unit structure that now serves as a space for housing, retail, and a 45,000-square-foot community center. The whopping one-million-square-foot structure consists mostly of steel, giving it an upscale, modern look. It's also one of the greenest buildings in the world, utilizing solar heating and green roof practices, among other innovative initiatives. Located just off the southeast corner of False Creek, Van City visitors can explore these Olympic grounds on foot.Olympic Stadium: Barcelona, Spain (1992)Occupying some prime waterfront property along the Port Olympic Marina seaside, Barcelona's 1992 Olympic Village is hard to miss. Not only does it boast the two tallest towers in Spain, stretching 503 feet up into the skyline, but it's also got the iconic "Peix" sculpture, by architect and artist Frank Gehry. This massive golden-scaled fish rests in front of the Hotel Arts and, though sedentary, looks as if it could wiggle off and jump into the Mediterranean at any moment.Panathenaic Stadum: Athens, Greece (1870, 1875; 2004)For travelling history buffs that really want to get O.G., you can take a visit to the first-ever Olympic stadium in historythough you might recognize it from the 2004 games in Athens, too. Built way back in 330 B.C., Athens' Panathenaic Stadium was a staple arena for the Panatheniac Games, before being rebuilt in marble in 144 B.C., and then neglected once Christianity popularized in the 4th century. However, thanks to an excavation in 1869, the stadium once again found purpose during the Zappas Olympics, and, after its 1896 refurbishment, played host to the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern-day Olympics that same year. Today, it's used as the final destination of the Olympic flame's journey through Greece.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Click here to read full news..
