What’s new

We have been in London for 5 days and have seen Donovan swim twice and are catching up with the city.

Donovan with Tapper Leane

We changed hotels today. We are now in the Earl’s Court area, coincidently the neighbourhood Deborah lived in 40 years ago when she worked at Hammersmith Hospital. The hotel in Clingford was nice enough but the bus ride to Olympic Park made Deb very car sick, we are now a lot closer and can get to the pool easily by tube.

Medals hanging from trees in Leicester Square

What about 2012 venue? It is the first time there has been high end shopping in the form of Westfield Mall adjacent to the Olympic park. The mall is packed and business seems brisk. I am guessing it is part of a private / public strategy to revitalize the area. Access to the area is spectacular, tube, above ground rail, bus and car. There are 3 hotels on the property and a large car park. It could become a destination shopping haven , Stanstead airport is close by. All the big name stores are represented. Time will tell if the inhabitants of the Olympic village and visitors will make it viable, for now it is unique in recent Olympic and Paralympic history.

Weird look of a start photo taken in the square

Last year we were here for 5 days and did exclusively tourist stuff, this year there is less pressure to follow the tour guide. We are wondering around and experiencing the city at another level. Highlights have been the weekend market near the Liverpool Station. Spitafield market is literally one block from the higher end stuff is an endless street market. It extends blocks from the Aldgate station to Liverpool station. On Sunday it was shoulder to shoulder people, there were at least 100 different street food vendors with arisan wares and clothing booths thrown in for good measure. The customers were predominately local and young. The food dirt cheap so long as sitting on the sidewalk was an ok place to eat!

Trafalgar Square Engaged in the games

Yesterday was Covent Garden Market, followed by watching the Paralympic swimming on the big screen in Trafalgar Square, very civilized, beer and food on sale, the Brits cheering their team with gusto. We did the same in Vancouver for the winter games, it was alcohol controlled and security was well co-ordinated. Unfortunately Mayor Moonbean didn’t get it right for the Stanley Cup run, these events are run by professionals, not rank amateurs.

Last night was theatre at the Phoenix, Blood Brothers. We had half price tickets and were 6 rows from the stage. We thoroughly enjoyed it ! Tonight it was War Horses. Great show, the magic of the stage brought the horses to life, a smashing performance

We will see Donovan tomorrow, before his afternoon practise.  I miss the hour by hour involvement at one level, at another it is nice to be at a destination touring as well as cheering! In the village there is more time to write and reflect, outside there are many distractions.