It was a
toss-up whether to sit endlessly behind the lap-top to bring you these
photographs 'on the day' of the Olympic Opening Ceremony, or get down
and boogie! It was a 'close call' but in the end it was a case of:-
The sun is shining in the sky,
there ain't a cloud passing by,
it's stopped raining and everybodies in the game,
and don't you know it's a beautiful new day
hey, hey, hey! ELO
Wanting
to check out some of the logistics and services provided for this
mammoth event. I very much stuck to the peripheries of the town starting
on Westham Bridge where Cycle Parking has been provided including a
check in/check out system along with Security. By chance I met my mate
DAVID GUEST at the site doing exactly the same. Dave is also a seasoned
World Traveller and always great value at exchanging experiences
Radipole
car park is now closed to the public and utilised as a terminus for the
extremely smart Park and Ride Shuttle Bus Service a couple of miles out
of town.
BUSKERS, mostly of high quality, are now popping up all over the town while
here and there 'final touches' were being made.
Maybe a little early yet, but the crowds had not yet filtered to the beach to soak up an abundance of 'rays'.
Time then to check out Weymouth's new selection of deckchairs, each with their unique design thought up by local students.
Not only a splash of colour and a great deal of fun, but eventually a chance to raise some cash.
I
have heard 2 stories regarding their destiny, either they will be
'auctioned' or each sold for £100 but either way the proceeds going to
'charity'.
Regardless
of the earliness of the hour, a few were already securing their pitch
for the evening events to come in the arena house 2 giant screens,
as
Arthur Copus (right and in need of 40 winks) and his team of St John
Ambulance First Aiders prepare for what is hoped to be a very quiet
shift!
Not quiet sure what all these fantasy musical instruments are all about,
but
it's quite clear what these small sailing vessels are doing. Here is a
chance for anyone, particularly the young, to try their hand at
'sailing' - is that a Gold Medal I see blooming on the horizon?
Mid afternoon a number of choirs started performing
to an amazing backdrop of an animated cartoon the work of local school children.
The
theme centred around the recent Olympic Torch Relay with one of the
local, scavenging Seagulls mistaking it for an ice cream cone and flying
off with it. Many children head off in pursuit passing a number of
local landmarks (such as St John's Church and Statue of Queen Victoria
at the east end of Weymouth Sea Front) which produced a huge giggle all
through the showing.
Flocking to the sea, crowds of people wait for me
Sea Gulls scavenge, steal ice cream
worries vanish, within my dream
left my soul there, down by the sea
I lost control here, living free
a 'Must Have' work, please check it out!
Unfortunately,
what I believe to be a Sand Sculpture Zone, appears to be ready but
redundant. I'll keep an eye open. I was now approaching Weymouth
Pavilion with intentions of checking out the Rock 'n' Roll but, as
reported in yesterday's stop press, the FIRE ALARMS burst into life.
It
would seem either I or the Dorset Echo Newspaper correspondent need a
little more water with our Scotch Whisky as my tally was 7 and their 5
of Fire Fighting Appliances but whichever they were there in record time
along with the other Emergency Services.
A
fire in the gents toilet caused the furor, but with the might of the
BBC TV Outside Broadcast Team no more than a few yards away, this was a
'scoop' indeed. Both building, part of the Pleasure Pier and surrounds
were evacuated and with no report of casualties let's hope all ended
well?
The first of another 2 appliances sped under the Town Bridge, sirens blasting, en-route to the scene.
CROW'S
NEST restaurant on Hope Square, Weymouth early evening suffice to say,
even though none of us had eaten here before, the Tapas was of the
highest quality - 01305 786930.
With the sun now well below the horizon the crowds were gathering back at the arena
for the screening of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
Along with an estimated 29 Million TV viewers thousands of us watch in awe as the pageant unfolded.
There
were gasps, audible in Swanage, as Factory Chimneys emerged from ground
level like giant telescopes reaching for the stars.
The QUEEN, making what was thought to be her first free-fall parachute jump, amazed us all with a perfect landing then taking her seat, totally unruffled, in the Olympic Stadium.
Maybe of note, the Sailing Events start tomorrow in Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay
check this link for
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