Robin and the BBC studio

Here's Robin in front of the BBC's Olympic Park studio yesterday. Given the snide criticism the Beeb get from the media (particularly the Daily Mail) about the costs of their coverage of big events like this, it's been a very canny move to stick the studios on top of some shipping containers. It screams "frugal" and "every expense spared". (And we heard several people at the Park mention their budget-conscious choice.) Yet it actually does the job rather well.

Btw, the BBC coverage so far - give or take the odd difficulty with the cycling road race - has been great too.

Re tickets

Now, I keep reading / hearing people saying how upset they are about the empty seats at the Games, because they couldn't get tickets to anything. But tickets were available. At good prices. You really just had to keep trying. (That said, of course, the empty seats are still annoying.)

Hoop dreams at our first event

Click any of the photos to see them bigger (they didn't do that on Blogger in 2004...)

So, eight years after I signed off my Athens Olympic odyssey with the men's handball final (*love* handball), my London2012 adventure began at 9am at the Basketball Arena, for a women's basketball double header (China vs Croatia and Turkey vs Czech Republic).

Despite all the pre-Games hoopla about possible transport issues, getting there was straightforward enough. Tube from a mate's at Seven Sisters to Highbury and Islington was fine, as was the train from Highbury and Islington to Stratford. Then after a five minute queue, we were through security and into the Olympic Park.

 

Here we are, heading in, with the stadium in the background. Now, obviously the only Olympic Park I have to compare London to is Athens, and I was a little surprised by how simple and un-flashy the London site is by comparison. There's a big viewing tower, which is quite a sight, but they're using that to make money (you have to pay to go up) and there are none of the big architectural statements like this amazing walkway which Athens had - which was, like the entire site, paved with marble (long since ripped up).

What the London site does have is amazing green spaces, which we took a shortcut through on the way back to the station after the basketball. Actually, even with the shortcut it was a good 20 minute walk. It's a huge site.

And so to the basketball itself, which was a lot of fun. The Chinese won their game easily, and we stayed for half of the Turkey vs Czech match, which ended up being much closer than it looked at the point where we headed home (our five-year-was shattered by then - not something we had to worry about in Athens).

As was often the case in 2004, some of the most entertaining things happened between the sporting moments - with dance troupes, and an affable US announcer who had people on the big screen kissing the person next to them or pretending to play bongos. All of which made for a lovely atmosphere in a very busy arena (the only empty bits were the athletes/official seats - which, of course, were also the best seats).

 

Really fun day. Now looking forward to the table tennis semi final at the Excel tomorrow.

(Btw, as I haven't updated this blog in *such* a long time, I'm well aware that very few people will read this. But it's been so nice to be able to read back over all those old August 2004 posts - unearthing so many forgotten memories and details - that I thought I'd bang these quick updates up after every event, just so that I've got them to look back on too. But if you have stumbled upon this somehow, it's nice to have you along.)

An impressive box office

 

So, last night I popped along to Wembley Stadium to pick up our various tickets from the box office. The tubes were quiet, as was the walk down Wembley Way. Inside the stadium, 80,000 (also very quiet) people were watching the Team GB football team beat UAE. Outside, a few of us had turned up to the Box Office, to collect the tickets we'd booked online.

It all went very smoothly, apart from the fact that the Box Office had run out of the free travel cards you get with tickets, for a couple of specific days (including today). Given that these cards are worth a few quid, people were a little miffed not to be getting them. And the staff didn't really seem to have a clue what to do, which was a little disappointing.

After a little protestation, I managed to get one of them to write a little note for me saying which Travelcards I didn't have. Then was able to get some of them from next door at Wembley Arena. And was able to get to the Olympic Park this morning and pick up a couple of travel cards from there.

Leaving Wembley last night, two middle-aged Latin American men in blazers, with accreditation hanging around their necks, approached me, looking quite perturbed. "Please. Where McDonalds?"

Ah, it's good to be back at the Olympics.

And we're back.

For London 2012. Who's on board?

Robin at Euro 2008

I know it's been ages and ages and ages since I posted, but I couldn't let a major football tournament go by without taking Robin along. So, here are some pictures from our trip to Innsbruck last week, to see Spain vs Russia (which ended 4-1 to Spain). Very much doubt anyone will read this, but if you do, then welcome back!


We drove across the Alps from north Italy to get to the game. Was a lovely day. This pic was taken when we stopped off for a sandwich, by a pretty-looking truck.


Some official Euro 2008 apricots in a supermarket near the stadium


In the stadium. Don't the back of those two security chaps look like Robin's eyes?


This is the next day, back in north Italy - Bergamo, to be exact. Was a lovely day, as you can probably tell.


This is over-looking the old town of Bergamo.


This is one of two funicular railways in Bergamo, taking us back down from where the previous pic was taken.

Was a fun trip.

Robin and a rainbow

I'm not sure it comes across in the picture, but this was one of the best rainbows that I've ever seen. A full half circle, taking up the entire sky. Lovely.

Of course, Robin, being the selfless little bird that he is, was happy to have his back to it while I took the picture. Seconds later, it had completely disappeared.

Hope someone got the pot of gold before it did...

Robin is back: a trip to Arsenal

Wow, has it really been that long? If anyone is still reading this, then I apologise profusely! I guess since fatherhood (the little fella's 10 months old now) I a) haven't been out and about to interesting places so much and b) haven't had a whole lot of time for blogging (sleeping is my favourite form of recreation these days).

But, here I am, back again with some more pictures of Robin (who's keeping well). On Saturday, we went on a trip to see Arsenal - currently top of the English Premier League - at their Emirates Stadium, which dedicated readers may remember Robin visited while it was being built and then for a friendly between Argentina and Brazil. They were playing Derby County, who my sister-in-law supports, but who aren't having a very good season. It ended up 5-0 to Arsenal. Anyway, here are the pics...


On the train, on the way to London


At Highbury & Islington tube station


A few drinks before the game


The game kicks off!

I'm going to try really hard to post more often now. It's nice to be back.

Robin at Wembley!

Sorry, sorry, sorry - I've not posted in ages. Wonder if anyone's even looking any more. Can hardly blame them if they're not.

Well, on Saturday, myself, the missus, the little boy and the Robin went to the brand new Wembley Stadium for the first ever competitive game there. It was the FA Trophy final between Stevenage Borough and Kidderminster Harriers. Kidderminster
were 2-0 up by half-time but, amazingly, Stevenage came back to win 3-2 with a winning goal a minute before the end. Pretty exciting stuff!

The new stadium was very functional and comfortable, with amazing legroom in each seat. But I don't think it quite had the character of the old Wembley Stadium. I guess that's hard when you have rows and rows of plastic seats and no pillars or anything to get in the way of the view. Still, it was an extremely impressive structure and we had a top day out.

Not sure if I'm doing anything interesting in the next few days, but I will definitely try to post again soon. Was there anything quintessentially English that any of you wanted me to take a picture of Robin next to? Perhaps I can grab one next to Phoebe, my brand new niece who was born yesterday (this may well be the first the world has heard about her...)

:-)

Happy Easter! More Helsinki pics!

Hello again folks. A very happy Easter to you - here are some more pictures of Robin from our recent trip to Helsinki...


At the gorgeous big church in the middle of town


Attempting to mimic statues at the station


A swing with a view, on a little island opposite the harbour


On a boat. Moments later a man came and rowed away in it. Luckily Robin got off first.


On a jolly large anchor that someone appears to have dropped from a great height


Standing on a life ring


Lazing on a rather prettier life ring

That's about all from the Finland trip - more pics to follow soon!

Robin in Helsinki

Hello again. Sorry it's been such a long time, but I never seem to have time to blog what with the nipper (who's nearly four months old now!). But we're in Helsinki for a couple of weeks, so I've just been for a wander around town to take lots of pictures...


1. In a bronze seal's mouth



2. By a kiosk for the zoo



3. By a nice building site, with a big crane



4. By a man looking at a very large map of Helsinki



5. Trying to look like a freedom fighter



6. By two ferries that are probably about the same size but look totally different, because of the magic of perspective. Despite appearances the further away ferry would not fit into Robin's beak. We know, because he tried.

More to follow in the next few days...

Robin and Gwen Stefani!

Yes, Robin's been hanging out with pop superstars again, this time with multi-million selling popster Gwen Stefani. She's turning her key-shaped necklace in his head, to wind him up (because she's got a single called 'Wind It Up'). Nice lateral thinking Ms Stefani.

She was a very nice woman. You'd like her.

More snow!

So it snowed again, only this time it did it properly. Although, from what KJ is saying in the comments below the last post, it's a *lot* colder where she is!

The snow's been coming down for a few hours now and doesn't look like stopping anytime soon. As soon as we get any snow in the south of England, the whole place goes to pot. The neighbours' kids are all in the gardens, because their schools have shut (even though most are walking distance away!) and when I just tried to call the phone company about something, a recorded message explained they've got staff shortages because of the extreme weather conditions.

Oh well, I love snow and I very much hope it keeps going for days! More pictures to follow if it does...

Robn in the snow

Woke up this morning to find that it snowed last night. Of course that meant Robin made me jump out of bed and take him down to the garden (most robins like snow). So here he is. It's melting now, but don't tell Robin that...

KJ asked in the comments of the last post if High School sport is popular here, drawing crowds etc. Sadly not, I used to play for my school team and the crowd would usually consist of 2 or 3 pushy parents screaming at their kids for not doing well enough. We don't even get crowds for our sports teams at university/college level, whereas it seems in the US some college teams get crowds of 100,000! Crazy. Must be very odd being a superstar when you're 18 to 21, then coming down to earth with a bump when you leave college and get a humdrum job. However, we do have several hundred soccer teams who get paying crowds each week from your Manchester Uniteds getting 75,000 people to your Hitchin Towns, who play 7 or more division below, getting a couple of hundred.

If anyone had any more questions about UK culture, feel free to ask!

Back of the net!

Hello again. Here's a picture of Robin which I took at Hitchin Town FC this morning. I was up there at 8.30am helping them get the pitch ready for this afternoon's game (there's been an awful lot of rain, so they made a call for volunteers). Hopefully it looks like the game will go ahead now (after some stirling forking and sanding work from myself and a few others). Got to say, even though Hitchin are in the 7th tier of English football, I was still quite excited to be allowed on the pitch of a proper football team with a proper football ground!

Talking of football, did you folks over in the US hear that David Beckham is heading your way? Are people over there interested?

Robin by an old shoe shop sign

Here's a picture of Robin taken by an old shop sign in Hitchin, the town where we live. It's a lovely old sign, built into the wall as a mosaic, above the door of the shop.

Freeman, Hardy and Willis was a UK shoe shop chain set up in 1875 and named after three employees of the company. Their catchphrase was "Shoes For All The Family". I'm guessing this sign would date from the first few decades of the 1900s. In the early 1990s, there were 540 of them in the UK, but the chain collapsed in 1996 and is no more.

Still, at least this gorgeous sign remains and still looks in great condition.

Happy new year!

Hope you all have a top one.

Robin does moblogging

I was telling a friend the other day how easy it is to post blogs via a mobile phone (Hello Clive! Hope you and Gwyn made it to Oz ok!). After that, I thought I should put my money where my mouth is and give it a crack. So I've set myself up to post Robin pics on the go (in this case, "on the go" involved being in my kitchen!). And very simple it is too.

Of course, this gives me even less excuse not to post regularly!

Robin on Boxing Day

Hello again - hope you all had a good Christmas. Mine wasn't as sleep-filled as they have been, but it was nice to celebrate our first as a little family!

This is a picture of Robin at a football match that happens every Boxing Day (Dec 26) in the village where my mum lives. It's the oldies of the village versus the youngies (though the boundaries between what constitutes the two aren't all that clear) and it's been going for a good 20 years now - possibly more. The ball is behind Robin's head and was about to be volleyed home by the chap in the blue shirt sprinting in above Robin's right eye. He was playing for the youngies, who won the game 4-0 (I think, I wasn't paying all that much attention by the end). It's nice that the tradition goes on.

Sorry I missed a week!

Sorry folks, I missed last week's Thursday posting and I'm a day late with this one. It's obviously been pretty hectic since Junior arrived - and I haven't really left the house much!

Oh well, better late than never - here's Robin next to the Christmas candle thingy that's sitting in our window, which my wife's mum kindly brought us from Helsinki when she came to visit the baby. Looks very fetching as you pass it at midnight. I know this, because I've had to take the little one out in his pram at that time to calm him down from one of his crying spells...!