Fantastic Time at Olympic Games

Olympic Park

Outside the Basketball Court in the Olympic Park on Sunday

Vollyball

Vollyball at Horse Guards Parade we had a fantastic day watching four games  on Saturday including TEAM GB

Womens Vollyball

The womens Vollyball was also good 

Dancers during the Vollyball intervals

Team GB Vollyball

The Orbit and Stadium shadowed by rain clouds

Saturday we basked in the sun watching the Vollyball. Sunday we had rain and thunder. The British summer don`t you just love it.

Sir Seb Coe attends the Vollyball

Basketball - America and France

The indoor stadium at the Olympic Park was a welcome sight as the rain was heavy by the time we arrived.  The Olympic Village is huge and the Basketball Stadium is twenty minutes walk from the entrance gate.

Inside the Basketball  Stadium


The stadium is large and there were very few empty seats. We watched America and France play a close game well supported by fans roaring their encouragement.

Colourful Australian supporters

The beautiful boat sits showing her flags by the stadium


The Olympic Park heaves with people and everyone seems to be enjoying their day. The volunteers dance in the rain and make you want to adopt one to take home. The security is impressive and effective. We moved from our seats in the basketball stadium during the interval to get a better view of the dancing. We were very quickly challenged by two seperate security officials who asked to see tickets and ID. 

  

Stadium

Horse Gurads Parade

The Flags fly over the Vollyball Stadium

With my Face painted

I won my tickets for the Vollyball, Hotel meals and Basketball tickets with the Mini Roar for GB competition. I would like to thank them for the wonderful time my neice and I had and the excellent staff who made the weekend so enjoyable.  

Mini Cars and flags

If you haven`t got any tickets yet there are plenty available for the Paralympics, I have bought four at £10 each on 5th September which not only get you into the park but also to see athletics in the stadium.

Olympic Opening Celebrations - What did you think

Well what did you think of it all?

I thought the first part was amazing although I have no idea why french was being spoken before English most of the time.

The Industrial Revolution was stunningly impressive and I am sure Danny will have earned himself a Knighthood for that.

Who could not be impressed with Beckham looking every inch the next James Bond as he escorted the torch in the speed boat down the Thames. My money would be on him actually being the next James Bond.

The lighting and effects were superb, the Queen and Prince Phillip looked like they were bored and couldn't raise much of a smile.

The parade of athletes` was excruciatingly long although they all seemed to be having a great time. The awful gold collars on Team GB suits looked like a naff attempt at fancy dress.

The spectacular lighting of the Olympic Torch was definetly the highlight of the show. The fireworks looked fun as the danced through the night sky and the surreal winged bike riders were memorable.

The disappointing arrival of Macca to finish the event was predictable but is this man ever going to retire. Thanks for the Beatles Macca but go away is it not enough that Stella designed the Olympic Outfits.



Photo via Orange

Big Ben Chimes in the Games

The Flame travels down the Thames aboard the Royal barge Gloriana en route to the #London2012 #OpeningCeremony http://pic.twitter.com/Mq1faGpf  (from London 2012)


Big Ben Chimes the start of the Game  Celebrations

Flags Fly at Hyde Park

Enjoy the Games

The Torch Arrives - London is buzzing

London is buzzing with excitement the Olympic Torch has arrived in the city this morning. It is now only hours away from the opening ceremony. Hyde Park is partying and William Kate and Harry are holding the Torch.  Like the torch the whole country is alight with expectation about  the coming games. Anyone lucky enough to be walking near Horse Guards Parade today would have seen the practice for the Volleyball events.

I have tickets to the Volleyball and the Basketball so I am looking forward to an exciting weekend. 

Walking around near the Olympic village yesterday in the sunshine was amazing, athletes wandered with the crowds and the tall ships were causing excitement with their expected arrival.

Visitors seemed impressed by how well organised it all is and all the staff and volunteers were happy to help or take a photo for you.The sunshine helped create a fun atmosphere and there was a definite buzz in the air.

We spent the evening watching the wonderful `Rock of Ages Musical` in the Shaftesbury Theatre. The actors are so funny and the energy of this show is dynamic the music outstanding . We had paid £22 each for our tickets to be seated in the balcony. Luckily for us the theatre wasn`t full and we were moved down to the stalls bonus!



London being the eccentric city that it is and if you fancy a change from all the fuss Harrods have opened their Christmas World Department today.  Now thats good marketing for you Harrods hoping to impress with glitter and gold of the Christmas sort.





Harrods -via Twitter

Banksy Olympic Art - London

Banksy interprets the Olympics his way. Photo upload from Twitter.





Banksy - Escaping uploaded via Twitter

Summers Here!

The sun is shining and we are all making the most of it. Muddy fields are not going to stop anyone enjoying the Annual Steam Fair on Boxmoor Fields.

A Traditional Steam Fair on the Green

Fun at the Fair

The horses warm up


If you don`t fancy the fairground how about a walk down the canal or the lucky few could always drift along in their canal boats.

Chat with the neighbours

The canal hides amid the trees


 How about a spot of fishing along the sleepy canal. Or river dipping in the park. Playing cricket on the green and snoozing in chairs while `watching` the cricket all seemed popular choices today. It will be nice when the fields dry out a little then a picnic on the grass maybe another option. Just make the most of our short summer though because it will be Autumn soon.

Who`s winning

River dipping

Cricket on the Green

Anything in there?






Enjoy our very short very welcome summer everyone.

Hope the fish bite

London Gets Ready for the Games

Team GB is well supported

Flags fly above Regent Street

Banners fly in Oxford Street

Even in the rain today London was buzzing with the excitement of the Olympic Games. Hyde Park was awash with tents and security waiting to welcome the Game officials  I spoke to some volunteers who had been going to and from Heathrow Airport since 3 am bringing officials into the city.

Hyde Park greets arrivals  

Officials Arriving

The shops are decorated and heaving with tourists.  Everything from Union Jacks to cups displaying cyclists weigh down the side street stalls.  There is a sense of excitement in the city that the Games are finally here.  

 Flags flutter in the wind   

Even the telephone boxes are colourful

Flags near Hyde Park

I also spent an hour in Liberty`s admiring the amazing decor and endless beautiful things throughout the store.

  Liberty Store

I got told off for taking this photo from the fourth floor of Liberty`s. Luckily I had already taken a few snaps.

Taken from ground floor

Shaw`s Corner - National Trust

George Bernard Shaw  (1856-1950) The  famous playwriter was born in Dublin the son of a civil servant. His education was irregular, due to his dislike of any organised training. After working in an estate agent's office for a while he moved to London as a young man (1876), where he established himself as a leading music and theatre critic in the eighties and nineties and became a prominent member of the Fabian Society,  He married Charlotte Townsend the Irish heiress and fellow fabian Society memeber.

Noble Prize for Literature and Shaw`s Oscar



Shaw`s Corner is the home George Bernard Shaw moved into with his wife in 1906 and stayed until he died in 1950.  The house sits off a winding lane near  Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire. Shaw left the house to the NationalTrust. The Oscar he was awarded in 1938 for his screenplay adaption of Pygmalion sits next to his Noble Prize for Literature.

Shaw`s House

Famous revolving shed

Inside the writing shed

Shaw loved to write in his revolving shed at the bottom of his garden. His typewriter still sits on the small desk inside the shed. He also loved bird watching and photography and his garden gave him plenty of subjects to study. His wife died in 1943 and she is shown in many of his photographs.

The magnificent garden is a treasure of hidden paths and beautiful flowers and willow trees give a glimpse of the house as they wave with the wind.

Shaw`s beautiful home