Trafalgar Square
When I was in elementary school my parents took a vacation to London. The one gift I remember them bringing back for me was a canvas bag with Trafalgar Square on the side of it. If memory serves, they may have stayed at a hotel near there (but I could easily be making that part up). Therefore, this was the one site I wanted to see on my journey to London.
Our first visit was an accident. We had time Friday afternoon before we were scheduled to meet our host. Sweetie was attempting to take me to Leicester Square, but we made a wrong turn. I don't know where I came up with the idea, but I was expecting the square to be much smaller. It really is enormous, and just crawling with people.
London is currently making a bid for the 2012 Olympics, and the BBC has a trailer set up in the square. Friday we almost ended up being taped for something they were doing.
Saturday evening we ended up walking through the square again. At that time the BBC had set up an enormous tv screen and was broadcasting the games live in the square. There were HUNDREDS of people watching. It was really quite an incredible site.
And while we're at it, the UK knows how to broadcast the Olympics. The chosen event is broadcast, and you get to watch it from beginning to end. So simple, so unique! In the states are forced to watch the history of the US in the event, the life story of every US athlete participating in the event, and a bunch of other feel-good stuff not related to the event at all. And for all I can tell, when watching the Olympics in the US there are no other countries competing, because they don't bother to introduce any of the other athletes.
This year the US broadcast of the Olympics has become the Michael Phelps show. Last night while watching the games they were doing little announcements in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen as to what was coming up. Men's tennis in 5 minutes, Women's trampoline in 7 minutes etc. However, when it came time for the Men's 100 M fly they were simply announcing Michael Phelps in 8 minutes. Bad enough, but even worse when you consider that there was another US athlete participating in the event, Ian Crocker, who is the current world record holder. But anyway, I digress.
Our first visit was an accident. We had time Friday afternoon before we were scheduled to meet our host. Sweetie was attempting to take me to Leicester Square, but we made a wrong turn. I don't know where I came up with the idea, but I was expecting the square to be much smaller. It really is enormous, and just crawling with people.
London is currently making a bid for the 2012 Olympics, and the BBC has a trailer set up in the square. Friday we almost ended up being taped for something they were doing.
Saturday evening we ended up walking through the square again. At that time the BBC had set up an enormous tv screen and was broadcasting the games live in the square. There were HUNDREDS of people watching. It was really quite an incredible site.
And while we're at it, the UK knows how to broadcast the Olympics. The chosen event is broadcast, and you get to watch it from beginning to end. So simple, so unique! In the states are forced to watch the history of the US in the event, the life story of every US athlete participating in the event, and a bunch of other feel-good stuff not related to the event at all. And for all I can tell, when watching the Olympics in the US there are no other countries competing, because they don't bother to introduce any of the other athletes.
This year the US broadcast of the Olympics has become the Michael Phelps show. Last night while watching the games they were doing little announcements in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen as to what was coming up. Men's tennis in 5 minutes, Women's trampoline in 7 minutes etc. However, when it came time for the Men's 100 M fly they were simply announcing Michael Phelps in 8 minutes. Bad enough, but even worse when you consider that there was another US athlete participating in the event, Ian Crocker, who is the current world record holder. But anyway, I digress.
posted by Swankette at 10:21 PM
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