The Athletes Have Arrived
The Olympic Village is now open and athletes and officials are now arriving and moving into their homes for the duration of the Olympics.
I went twice through Stratford today.
The first time, I took the train DLR from Stratford International to the Emirates Air-Line and the only Olympic person I saw was a lost G4S security guard trying to get to Star Lane station. She was Swedish in her mid-twenties or so. So much for jobs for local people!
In the evening, I walked through the Eastfield shopping centre and there were a few athletes about, buying a few things they’d forgotten.
As I took the Central line back to Bank for a bus home, I started to think what might have been.
C and I liked our sport and especially the equestrian disciplines. We had also planned that we would be retiring to London and whether we would have done so by now, I do not know. But I suspect not, as politicians had made the stud virtually unsaleable.
But I’m here now. And alone!
So in some ways, I’m rather sad, but then there are athletes ready to give that lift that I need, just like Chris Brasher, Chris Chataway, Derek Ibbotson and Bruce Tulloh have in the 1950s. I always had a soft spot for Tulloh, who wasn’t the biggest and often ran barefoot. I’ll rerember seeing his victory in Belgrade that I watched on black and white television as long as I live.
On A Clear Day You Can See For Miles
I took these pictures on the Emirates Air-Line on Sunday.
It just shows how far you can see if the weather is good. The Mittal Orbit on the Olympic Park stands out. It is quite easy to pick out Wembley Stadium towards the North West
Waitrose Extend Summer
Waitrose are changing their summer opening hours.
Waitrose Extend Summer
Could this e due to the bad weather. all the staff this morning at the Angel were feeling the cold.
Two New Buses For London Kiss At The Angel
Because of the Torch Relay, you don’t pass anybody these days, but kiss. Here two of the New Buses for London kiss at the Angel.
Two New Buses For London Kiss At The Angel
As there are now eight in service, we’ll see more of this.
NatWorst Try Traditional Marketing
This form of advertising is popular with pubs. But banks!
NatWorst Try Traditional Marketing
However, the message gets across. Is the problem with banks, that now customers are just numbers on the computer?
Wiggins Plays The Gentleman
It’s not often that the Corinthian spirit shines through in modern sport, but when someone decided to throw tacks on the route of the Tour de France yesterday, Bradley Wiggins slowed the peloton to allow one of his rivals, Cadel Evans, to catch up. Read about it all here. Here’s an extract.
Race official Jean-Francois Pescheux confirmed: “The nails were mainly thrown on the ground around 200m from the summit.
“It was obviously done on purpose. We have the tacks but we don’t know who spread them. They are imbeciles.”
However, he was quick to praise the actions of Wiggins. “Sky showed they are for fair play,” he added. “They saw that something had happened and they slowed the peloton so that things could come together for the ride to the finish.”
Tour etiquette dictates that rivals do not take advantage of another rider’s misfortune and, as soon as he realised what was happening, Team Sky’s lead rider called for a truce.
“I thought it was the honourable thing to do,” said 32-year-old Wiggins who is aiming to become the first British rider to win the race. “Nobody wants to benefit from someone else’s misfortune.”
So in fact Wiggins was just following the etiquette. It’s a pity other sports don’t do the same.
There’s more on Wiggins here, who has now been hailed as Le Genteman by the Press.
Is This The Only Modern AEC Bus In London?
I took this picture a couple of days ago of one of the Wright buses on route 38.
Is This The Only Modern AEC Bus In London?
For many years, all London buses, including the famous Routemaster, were built by the Associated Equipment Company or AEC.
The Anonymous Widower 