It’s now Day 10 and we’re still enjoying the spectacle of these Olympics.
It really isn’t just about the medals.
Walking around the Olympic Park brings an overwhelming sense of contentment. People talk to one another; an unusual experience in London when we all too frequently cower away from contact with strangers. There’s plenty of smiles, unity, politeness, warmth – even in the lower than hoped temperatures of early August.
There’s a sense that we are all in this together; not for the glory of gold but for the sheer enjoyment of being together, experiencing the same thing – irrespective of your nationality.
Yesterday, immediately after the Equestrian competition where Team GB narrowly beat the Netherlands, there was a call for flags, clothes and everything else to be waved to celebrate all teams in red, white and blue. The horizontal and vertical tricolours of our European neighbours were waved and appreciated as much as the union flag. Wonderful.
The photos in this blog can only convey the visual. The spirituality of the day is as much in the experience of the mind, body and soul as it is in the pictures but be assured it was present in many and not just the photographer.
Listening to the radio on Sunday morning, there was a wonderful comment from Sebastian Coe about travelling in to the Olympic Arena each day (via public transport we notice). He met a volunteer and started to talk to him, thanking him for his work.
Have a listen to this. It’s worth it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wztmr
http://audioboo.fm/boos/909211-seb-coe-s-moment-of-london-2012
This Olympics gives us a choice. We can either embrace the lovingkindness of humankind or we can lock it away again until disaster or celebration strikes once more. Perhaps the real legacy of these games should be in an appreciation of one another, at what we can achieve collectively and what we can aspire to individually.
CB
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The wonderment of the wild flowers defies words
Stunning cornflowers
It’s Britain. It’s raining but thankfully only for a short while
A Swedish family taking a breather
Olympic Rings
The planning has been careful enough to blend new bridges in with existing structures in the Lee Valley Park
A sneak view of a BMX practice
Interviews with medallists at Park Live
More beauty
The flowers are stunning but the amount of newly planted silver birches are pretty spectacular too.
Plenty of places to eat and people watch
So many people
Lucky people. This won’t be open to the public until Spring 2014
Our Australian friends
Poetry in flowers. Awesome.
A full park watch the big screens displaying events around the Olympics
Oh and some sport too!
Nearly forgot why we were here!
France versus Sweden in Handball
3D Eye 