Live from London- Olympic Update #3

Unfortunately I'm not able to send pictures -- Lex's cords don't fit.  Do you have another suggestion how I can send pictures to you?  Wait -- I can send you Jacqui's pictures!  I'll work on it later.  Taryn's edit:  pictures below were finally sent today- and are of the soccer, ahem, football games attended last week.

You asked how the English are taking the Olympics, and Dad mentioned some controversy that may negatively impact the games (empty seats, badmitton players bounced).  The English appear to be completely won over by the events and are so delighted in the many medals Team GB is winning.   The Guardian, which is usually very cerebral, has dedicated most of its paper to the Olympics.  This from today's edition:  "Seven successful days (if you ignore the hunger and the missing 'family'."   It listed some categories:

- Opening ceremony:  "Even if the international audience didn't get the references to the Jarrow marches [me either!!], they enjoyed James Bond and Mr. Bean.  The £27 m production got better notices than organisers could possibly have hoped for and got the Games off to a winning start."

- Tickets:  The empty seats allocated to the "Olympic Family" [I have no idea who these are -- possibly corporations that gave tickets to their patrons??] was an early issue.  Now venues have an occupancy rate of 85% and greater.  It certainly felt like a crowd when I attended the football game at Wembly!

- Transport:  Early warnings were dire about the crowds on trains and tubes, but no problem so far.  Apparently Londoners took this to heart and are working from home or on vacation (or joining the Olympic events).  Some areas of London have resembled a ghost town -- though I haven't seen this since I've been at Olympic venues.

- The Olympic Park:  Some food outlets continue to run out of food and there have been long queues at others.  We took an empty water bottle into Wembley Stadium (no liquids allowed) and stood in line about 20 minutes for the water fountain.  But, the atmosphere of the venues is enthusiastic especially when Team GB is up for a medal.  We will go to Olympic Park for Field Hockey on Tuesday and athletics on Thursday.

- Outside the park:  Did you see the men's cycling final (won by Team GB Bradley Wiggins)?  What a wonderful view of Hampton Court!  A lot of the venues as so typically English.

- The Guardian's Verdict:  Things are going better than organisers had hoped (now that the ticketing matter is resolved).  It seems like the usually-reserved British are enthusiastic and cheering on Team GB.  

Tomorrow we're heading into London for the Women's Marathon.  It's a free event.  We are hoping to get a spot along Embankment (on the Thames, outside of Charing Cross).  They will start on the Mall -- another postcard-picture view!--and snake along streets to the Tower of London, and back -- 8 times.