Yesterday was Day 3 of the Olympic Torch Relay and it passed through our village. My husband and I joined the crowds lining the route and waited to see the torch and to try out my new camera. Actually, not being lovers of crowds, we stood at the very end of the road out of the village thus avoiding most of the razzmattazz provided by the local schoolchildren. I'm sure that it was delightful but, after a lifetime of teaching, we prefer the peace and civility of adult company!
The cavalcade began with a number of policemen on motorbikes, followed by police cars and then buses representing various sponsors of the Games. CocaCola and Samsung were handing out drinks and flags to the people lining the road but Lloyds TSB entertained us with these happy dancers, clad in green.
Behind them came a number of buses carrying torchbearers and guests:
We particularly liked this miniature version of a London bus:
The torchbearer eventually came into view, escorted by a group of security police men and women.
It was all over very quickly but the atmosphere was very festive and, as we failed to get any tickets for the games, this is the only contact we'll have with them. I think almost everyone in the village must have turned out to see the relay and the shops and businesses along the route had decorated their windows and frontages with bunting and patriotic displays. Unfortunately the estate agents got into trouble for their window display of coloured hoola hoops representing the Olympic rings. They had a letter threatening legal action if the display was not removed immediately. Apparently only the official sponsors of the games can use the symbol or display the word "Olympics." Well, I never!
Despite that bit of petty officiousness, I think the relay is a great way of celebrating the games coming to London. If you get the opportunity to see it then do.
I was disappointed with my photographs but standing in a crowd, taking pictures of moving vehicles and runners was hardly the best way to try out the new camera. We walked home along the river bank so that I could try some more and these are better:
Brilliant view thanks for sharing ..we dislike the crowds too(shame about the silliness about the display)
ReplyDeleteHi Val
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you are still in England? If you are, I hope you can get to see the relay but whatever you do, don't blink as the torch bearer comes into view! The atmosphere is great, though.
Nope ..the trip flew by...ouch
ReplyDeleteRe the torch my Sister's friend is going to be carrying it for a little while in Cheshire (bit of trivia there) so that should be fun!
It's coming through here as well... goodness knows how they chose the route! We're hoping we get time out of school to see it, I pity the runners who have to get over these hills.
ReplyDeleteHi Maureen! I like spying the little running pups in the corner of the river photo.
ReplyDeleteYou're back! We'll be serving tea and cakes at the event to celebrate the torch passing through Tower Hamlets. It's the closest I'm likely to get to celebrating the Olympics - I suspect I shall be cursing it most of the time as we are almost kettled in by parking restrictions and Games lanes. All that stuff to protect the logos makes me very angry indeed.
ReplyDeletePS I loved the comment you left on my blog today! Just the sort of thing one needs after several years blogging - makes it all worthwhile.
Colleen, I'm writing this two months after you left the comment. For some inexplicable reason it didn't get past the Google spam filter and I have only just found it! I hope you had as good a day as we did when the Torch came your way.
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