End to a Sensational Summer

Some Games Makers gather in Trafalgar Sq for an early photo call

A very big thank you was what the day was all about. Thanks from the public to the athletes, the athletes to the public, to all the volunteers, the team coaches and support staff, the servicemen and women, the blue light services and the organising committees who had made the last six weeks, the most memorable London experience that we could ever imagine.

A good space was waiting opposite St. Mary le Strand

People begin to take up their spaces and the street cleaners arrive

An hours later, there wasn't a free space anywhere

A determination to have a good view and be at the front of the barriers, meant a two and half hour wait at the side of the road, but on these occasions time can pass quickly with some people watching. This is a time when total strangers strike up conversations and behave like old friends for a few hours, then pleasantly say farewell and never see each other again! 

There comes a point when everyone gets a cheer!

Great for the Police to work on a happy occasion

The mounted Police joined in the high fiving!

It was a day of overwhelming emotions for both cheering Londoners, our wonderful athletes and visitors to the city who must have been stunned by the euphoria.

The parade was led by red and blue lions followed by dancers, acrobats and musicians. Then it wasn’t long to wait for our first familiar face, the ever smiling Mo Farah on the first of the 21 flatbed trucks.

 

The pavements were now choc-a-bloc, office workers were hanging out of their windows and every side street and alley was packed tight with people. Many had no chance of seeing any of the parade, but were just happy to feel and hear the atmosphere.

Trafalgar Sq. and surrounding roads  Photo:  Getty

The athletes had their own messages of thanks and were quick to engage eye contact with the cheering crowd, and seemed to want to acknowledge us all personally. Some seemed slightly embarrassed to show their medals, we had to persuade some to hold them high for the crowds to see. 

Several looked understandably stunned by the depth of the crowds and the warmth of the welcome. 

A quick change of location to Trafalgar square was only achieved by taking a very speedy walk through the back streets of Covent Garden, before the rest of the crowd had the same thought. 

With a perfect vantage point sitting on the steps of St. Martin’s in the Field the flypast arrived on time, despite the fact the parade had seriously fallen behind schedule, but that didn’t matter everyone was in such a wonderful state of mind. 

 First over was the British Airways ‘Firefly with ‘Thank You’ imprinted on its underbelly, followed by 2 Lynx, a Puma and a Sea King helicopter. 

Photo:  National Pictures

Photo: AP

A surveillance aircraft flew in formation with the two Typhoons which had been on standby near London, in case of emergencies. Then our tremendous RAF display team the Red Arrows, with their red, white and blue streaming across London. This was a dramatic tribute to a remarkable occasion.

Observing this carnival of joy, I didn’t want to leave as it would mean this sensational summer had ended, but we have so many wonderful memories and a desire to keep this amazing spirit of London alive forever.

The empty flatbed trucks head out of London

The wonderful Games Makers head back to their normal lives

Thank you everyone.

"London is Bonkers!"

'London is bonkers!' Overheard on the Southbank yesterday and I agree, we are eccentric and that is why we are so special.  Where else in the world would you find this young chap, wearing just shorts and sunglasses,  busking with his electric guitar on the city beach?

The tide was so low yesterday that it revealed a very wide beach, so sandy that this man decided to create a sand sculpture which thoroughly entertained the crowds having lunch in the Gabriel's Wharf restaurants.

Further along, outside the Festival Hall, the Lego map of the world had disappeared and been replaced by a performance group rehearsing a show which celebrated disabilities.

                                               


Later in the day the cast were teaching the audience how to join in the dress rehearsal with sign language and handing out a small gift of seeds, signifying that 'tomorrow is just a bloom'.

Taking a five minute rest on a bench in St. James's park, who should I see but Batman return a young child to his surprised mother, as you do!

Even the Goose is rather confused!

Trafalgar Square has the BT London Live big screen set up under Nelson's Column and a chance to see wheelchair tennis skills up close and personal, getting a chance to see how difficult it is to manoeuvre and hit the ball at the same time.

Can you believe how quickly everything has returned to normal. Just over two weeks ago this was the arena for beach volley ball with tiers of seating high above the buildings.  Now all is calm, as though nothing had happened.

The Mall is still closed, and preparations are underway to make the area ready for the Victory Parade on Monday.  This will be a ticketed area for family and friends of the athletes, volunteers, blue light services and the military, along with team coaches and support staff and groups of schoolchildren from London boroughs.

The parade of over 700 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, will start at 1.30pm from the City of London and the British Airways flame-coloured Firefly A319 aircraft will lead a flypast with the Red Arrows during the afternoon.

A stroll back over Hungerford bridge, yet another bizarre incident left commuters stunned as they had to make way for a giant white urinal as it was carried over the bridge, closely followed by Will Gompertz the BBC Arts Correspondent! It all happened so quickly, no time for a photo as I watched this 'vision' hurry across the bridge!

Where else in the world? !!

Piccadilly, the real circus!

Photo: Getty

Piccadilly Circus lived up to it’s name on Sunday, as thousands of shoppers and tourists were treated to a surprise street circus.

Photo:  PA

The thrilling show was part of the Cultural Olympiad London 2012 festival celebrations and members of the public stopped in amazement as performers began zip-wiring from buildings and costumed actors paraded down Regent Street.  Chinese pole artists, clowns, hula hoopers and jugglers transformed the area into a bustling playground.

Photo:  PA

 The grand finale came at sunset ,when a pink flare on the old HMV building sent a white cherub down a zipwire towards the statue of Eros.  As a group of winged figures gathered above the crowd, Eros appeared to be taking aim with his bow and suddenly 1.5 tonnes of feathers exploded out of the sky!

Photo:  Tristram Kenton, Guardian

 This was the UK premiere of  Place des Anges, a performance by Les Studios de Cirque, including over 200 international circus artists from 17 different nations.  

Photo: PA

The final week of the 2012 festival culminates with Bandstand Marathon - Communities in Tune on Sunday 9th September, when hundreds of bandstands around the UK strike up at the same time!  Coldplay have endorsed the playing of their song Viva La Vida for the simultaneous performance at 2pm and we will be able to see them later in the evening, when they perform at the Paralympics Closing Ceremony.

Coldplay's Chris Martin  Photo: Getty

The Games have come home

Photo: Getty

London has that special buzz about it again.  This time it is for the Paralympic Games which opened on 29th August with a spectacular opening ceremony in the Olympic stadium.

Crunch Time!  The whole audience bit into an apple at the same time, with reference to
Sir Issac Newton's theory of gravity   Photo: PA

The show entitled Enlightenment, thrilled the packed audience with both disabled and able bodied performers working together to deliver a celebration of the past and vision of the future.  Under the light of a brilliant full moon in the sky, the ethereal voice of Britain's greatest scientist,  Professor Stephen Hawking spoke of the origins of the universe and humanity's wish to understand how everything came to be.  He delivered his message that everyone should 'look up at the stars and not down at your feet, and be curious'.

Professor Stephen Hawing delivers his message.  Photo: Getty

The theme of the umbrella ran through the whole show and a black dome was the source for the Big Bang which evolved into a world map on a giant umbrella. The evening was a journey of discovery of the wonder of science, intended to transform perceptions into a world of people sharing the same human kindred spirit and explore all the possibilities that lie within us.

Photo:  AP

Athletes from 164 countries paraded into the stadium lead by girls in costumes representing the colours of their national flags, carrying on with the umbrella theme which announced the name of each country.

The GB team arrived to a huge roar from the crowd and as tickertape and fireworks exploded, they enjoyed the crowd's ovation with David Bowie's Heroes song played in their honour.

Photo: Getty

Joe Townsend a Royal Marine war veteran, flew into the arena on a zip wire from the top of the Orbit to deliver the flame.  24 year old Joe lost both his legs in a landmine accident in Afghanistan and was chosen for   his inspirational battle against his injuries to become an Ironman triathlete, although he very nearly missed the ceremony after developing a leg infection and needing emergency surgery two days before.

The Cauldron, was lit by Margaret Maughan who won gold in the archery at first 1960 Paralympics and was a former patient of Dr. Ludwig Guttmann at Stoke Mandeville.

Photo:  Getty

The entertainment was stunning and colourful, sometimes confusing and wild, but the success of a show is that different people take away different memories from it.  This one certainly had something for everyone, but most of all an ultimate celebration in understanding.

Dame Tanni Grey -Thompson flies across the stadium, one of many athletes and entertainers
in silver and golden wheelchairs, performing aerial dances.  Photo: Reuters