It's like it's always been like this. We've taken the heat in our stride and after 4 days Londoners seem to have forgotten that up until Monday we had the wettest and direst and most unpleasant summer since records began.
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| hot hot hot hot |
And (in case you have been imprisoned in a dungeon for the last 2 years and didn't know) now we are at the eve of the Olympics . I was the biggest cynic until I saw these being transported downriver a couple of months ago... soon to be raised onto Tower Bridge.
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| Olympic rings being transported downriver |
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HMS Ocean complete with helicopters.
No need for an alarm clock this week! |
“In London the Olympics are everywhere and the world is starting to arrive” said the reporter on last night’s BBC 10 o’clock news.
It's so exciting being in London right now. There is bunting everywhere, even in my dentist's gaff, flag sales must have gone through the roof and union jack t shirts are now the new black! The Olympic Lane Network went into operation this week and there are road closures all over the city.
One report said that on Southampton Row motorists have 3 choices, all illegal and subject to fines. They can choose to drive in the illegal Olympic Lane, or the illegal bus lane or the other side of the road. Let's hope that someone has a sense of humour or at least the sense to let them off if these fines ever get to court.
But despite the Daily Mail and other horrible media trying to stir up negativity, everyone I have spoken to is enjoying life and the change of pace. Taxi drivers seem delighted at the prospect of tourists in town for a guaranteed month. London transport and the games committee are warning us of long delays, packed trains and advising us to change our journey times and routes. Actually what they really mean is "Dear Londoners, stay off the trains and buses so the tourists can get to the Games." but we don't mind. We know that if it does get as bad as predicted we can always stay home and do the garden work from home.
Even pedestrian crossings have been blocked off but that makes for a more interesting walk to work. Everyone ignores them and dodges the traffic, which is easy because reduced to one lane it is now going very, very slowly. A tweet from a motorist stuck in a long traffic jam this week reads :
Massive queue on the A40 this morning, but we're still excited
and that just about sums us up. The spirit of the blitz is alive and well in London!
Bring on the Games!
I think the whole event will send a tingle up and down the spines of all but the most cynical. If the Daily is against it, then I'm all for it!
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