Writing this, we are an hour away from the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics - and watching the countdown on BBC 1 - green lawn, rolling hills, a little cottage, clouds on strings, peasant women in scarves and shire horses galore! Finally here - after what feels like ages of publicity and TV and Magazine Covers, even of Vogue, on the subject. Can't wait for it to start!
Salutations! Finally reached 180 followers, with my next target being the 200 margin and looking forward to being in Prague this Sunday. So many exciting things, even if this is one of my least active holidays ever - at this time of year, I'm normally at my grandmother's house in France.
The events:
Archery, Athletics, Badminton,Basketball, Beach Volleyball (Prince Harry has tickets for the Women's) Boxing, Canoe Slalom, Canoe Sprint, Cycling - BMX, Cycling - Mountain Bike, Cycling - Road, Cycling - Track, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics - Artistic, Gymnastics - Rhythmic, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Trampoline, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting and Wrestling.
I could have fashion-ed it with some of the many dynamic editorials of Sport directly on the subject of the Olympics, but since you are sure to find those easily enough, I instead wish to present you with this editorial I found of Lily Cole with a range of diverse gymnastics pieces... Gymnastics perhaps being my favourite part of the Olympics, in terms of events, since the Opening Ceremony is altogether the best bit - the artistry along with the pure skill. It's breathtakingly beautiful. If you have time, check out Nadia Comaneci at the 1976 olympics for Romania; always worth re-capping on.
I also could have given you pictures of actual Olympians, rather than Fashion models (as much as I like Lily Cole) but there are so many to choose from and since I will be supporting two teams (France and UK) even more! So, I just had to go for this striking, colourful imagery.
Things I am looking forward to (In Olympic Terms):
- Danny Boyle's Fabulous Spectacle for the Opening Ceremony.
- The Gymnastics (Both Male and Female)
- Seeing what will happen with Ussain Bolt in the Athletics - will he hold on to his title? (Probably) Can he be beaten? (Probably not)
- Seeing all the different teams' Uniforms for the Opening Ceremony. USA in Ralph Lauren, Italy in Armani and France in... Adidas.
- It all dying down and life going back to normal - yes, there is a cynical side to me.... but not that cynical. Olympic-bashers, who go on about the cost etc, irritate me.
- The closing Ceremony... and the Rio takeover of the Olympic Flame.
- The Rio Olympics! Snapshot images of Christ the Redeemer, beaches, blue skies and all that. Oh, and not being hit constantly with Olympic imagery 24/7 once the pressure is off the British. Anybody for a Samba?
Personal Note: In Britain, this event has been given a lot of hype. Proof that I didn't organise it. I am a strong believer in lowering expectations - people will be less disappointed if they expect less, or more impressed if you will - so this spectacle had better be damn good. If I had done it, I would still have conducted it like it is done now, but I would have told everybody that it was just a little do behind the local pub with people prancing around in tutus. Then, you would be sure that, everybody would be blown away.
Big Flaw in this Plan: Nobody would turn up or tune in.
Conclusion: They've done a good job.
^^^ The Stadium! ^^^
Anyway, I would stay and do more but there is an Olympic opening ceremony in fifteen minutes and we've just cracked open the crisps. Keep safe. Stay healthy. Thank you for reading the blabberings of somebody who is possibly insane, Do comment and please follow!
