32 Adventures In The UK

Posted By Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Sometimes I feel like Alice in Wonderland,<br />for I am in constant <b>wonder</b><br />at how much there is to do in this small country<br /><br />Here's a list I'm chipping away at,<br />knowing I won't ever do it all...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFaFPh8eugGoDVPu5aDmeNSrbzEOiURgp6xUXk127H6f3IzVaFH81PS3a0taGGTfUejB737WIkKdEDgJDCQPCfAS74cZUG_0bDKyNpn6vhAMKbaaEuYd3rYZT65ztyeAsd4AXUC858r8/s1600/IMG_0235-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFaFPh8eugGoDVPu5aDmeNSrbzEOiURgp6xUXk127H6f3IzVaFH81PS3a0taGGTfUejB737WIkKdEDgJDCQPCfAS74cZUG_0bDKyNpn6vhAMKbaaEuYd3rYZT65ztyeAsd4AXUC858r8/s640/IMG_0235-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Learn to <a href="http://www.watergatebay.co.uk/extremeacademy.htm">surf</a> at the Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay, Cornwall<br /><br />2. Try <a href="http://www.barefootsurf.com/sandboarding.html">sandboarding</a> in north Devon</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Explore coast, cliffs and caves while swimming (aka <a href="http://www.adventuresark.com/">coasteering</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">on the vehicle-free island of Sark</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">4. Go <a href="http://www.chillisauce.co.uk/activity-weekends/cardiff/gorge-scrambling/">gorge scrambling + river tubing</a> in Wales<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">5. Try caving/<a href="http://www.gocave.com/">spelunking</a> in northern England</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />6. Soar above the Peak District in a <a href="http://www.fly-paragliders.co.uk/">paramotor</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">7. Fly over Cornwall's botanical Eden Project on England's longest <a href="http://www.edenproject.com/come-and-visit/whats-on/eden-adventure/zip-wire">zipline</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKAPFmN_sGzhSb4q9wFe7touoSVI6C0FHJGXh5GNkW2Riat6bTwrvyP81wnbqblsir1SwUTKhva51pVMBtXR1KDiFgd9kuTRuF3UWKjXFHT7CawKdW6E-tBAiZ5XDVTu1KtiCBCKFJPQ/s1600/DSC01261-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKAPFmN_sGzhSb4q9wFe7touoSVI6C0FHJGXh5GNkW2Riat6bTwrvyP81wnbqblsir1SwUTKhva51pVMBtXR1KDiFgd9kuTRuF3UWKjXFHT7CawKdW6E-tBAiZ5XDVTu1KtiCBCKFJPQ/s640/DSC01261-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eden Project</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">8. Swim to France via the <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/living-on-island.html">English Channel</a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">9. Snorkel with <a href="http://www.acuatours.com/dive-basking-sharks-uk.html">sharks</a> in Scotland</div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">10. Scuba dive in the <a href="http://www.visitengland.com/ee/idea/Activities/Dive-HMS-Scylla-Wreck.htm">HMS Scylla Wreck</a> in Devon</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">11. Try New Zealand's <a href="http://rafting.co.uk/bug.htm">river bugging</a> in Scotland</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">12. Rent a <a href="http://www.viking-afloat.co.uk/longboat.htm">narrowboat</a> to explore the canals on your own</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4fmcqcYbpQ0tNfSyYutdENb7EdqWL3hduOKODMHq1HPuv8PvDCy5xvIcHLaxeKc-Oql5RKdlox4fU_Df_QMpoizPZpi-MOpW3U7phWrU1FFHrYCce_TOf3ywftE6hcoVRNjy9Z9IghrL/s1600/DSC_0179-004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4fmcqcYbpQ0tNfSyYutdENb7EdqWL3hduOKODMHq1HPuv8PvDCy5xvIcHLaxeKc-Oql5RKdlox4fU_Df_QMpoizPZpi-MOpW3U7phWrU1FFHrYCce_TOf3ywftE6hcoVRNjy9Z9IghrL/s640/DSC_0179-004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">13. Go <a href="http://www.goflyfishinguk.com/">fly fishing</a> in one of Great Britain's scenic rivers or lakes</div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">14. Be a <a href="http://www.aspinallfoundation.org/howletts/experiences">zookeeper</a> for the day at Howletts Animal Park in Kent</div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">15. <a href="http://www.surrey-hills-llamas.co.uk/">Llama trek</a> through the Surrey Hills </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFmwY56QYAokVyGz1IQZnzEnc4xEVtYfY8NLFNpyEOO_CpMx_m_wcn-WwzOSkpchzLuYd5jY9cKy-UuXGGTuFcsmc6SKMfg-xm1rzIsnOwLLJQlvqkzRqtCa7inLodlrBvZZyg_XEfX8/s1600/IMG_1922-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFmwY56QYAokVyGz1IQZnzEnc4xEVtYfY8NLFNpyEOO_CpMx_m_wcn-WwzOSkpchzLuYd5jY9cKy-UuXGGTuFcsmc6SKMfg-xm1rzIsnOwLLJQlvqkzRqtCa7inLodlrBvZZyg_XEfX8/s640/IMG_1922-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />16. Be a passenger during a <a href="http://www.theblades.com/Blades-corporate-homepage/Blades-corporate-site/Capabilities/Individual-experiences.aspx">stunt airplane</a> flight <br /><br />17. Test your limits in a <a href="http://www.paulswift.com/ultimate-stunt-driving.asp">stunt car driving school</a><br /><br />18. Churn your stomach at the UK's largest <a href="http://www.zorbing.co.uk/">zorbing park</a><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-dVzaPfIc5Tji1PpCWxSMJjyNGMG2fpXJpOlKg49lPOISI4NyxrBckD5HsHGMK-KAnZsDkuxMSRAjIoQgA4r6VH4re8epFfG3aVAXQJxZmAxv5mcqLvWTLhZ8s5RtOBocb-sqWB9bXeX/s1600/DSCN0466-005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-dVzaPfIc5Tji1PpCWxSMJjyNGMG2fpXJpOlKg49lPOISI4NyxrBckD5HsHGMK-KAnZsDkuxMSRAjIoQgA4r6VH4re8epFfG3aVAXQJxZmAxv5mcqLvWTLhZ8s5RtOBocb-sqWB9bXeX/s400/DSCN0466-005.JPG" width="346" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />19. <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/muddy-boots-glam-ping.html">Camp out</a> on a working farm<br />at Feather Down Farms<br /><br />20. Spend a few days at <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/center-parcs.html">Center Parcs</a>,<br />packed with activities for all ages<br /><br />21. 22. 23. 24.<br />Sleep in a <a href="http://www.cleywindmill.co.uk/">windmill</a>, <a href="http://www.thornburycastle.co.uk/">castle</a>, <a href="http://gypsycaravanbreaks.co.uk/accommodation-and-facilities">gypsy caravan</a>, or <a href="http://www.happydaysrv.co.uk/">vintage camper</a><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVVcIaAQkGy301BUA_LAjdHHtp8p-vSXLAzehIGafaC9CwzRVRgJM1Yp1BQDgiYSpphyGK1d0t2OGqbOr3zFKrUGmnGMXrsMd3S3JRq9fL_a-X-II8tvR52oyCK4gWpaSwL4yCmLJc2I/s1600/DSCN3832-006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVVcIaAQkGy301BUA_LAjdHHtp8p-vSXLAzehIGafaC9CwzRVRgJM1Yp1BQDgiYSpphyGK1d0t2OGqbOr3zFKrUGmnGMXrsMd3S3JRq9fL_a-X-II8tvR52oyCK4gWpaSwL4yCmLJc2I/s640/DSCN3832-006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">LONDON CALLING<br /><br />25. View the inside of <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/along-peter-pans-route-big-ben.html">Big Ben</a><br />(open to UK residents only)<br /><br />26. Witness the nightly lock up of the Tower of London<br />in the <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/london-ceremony-of-keys.html">Ceremony Of The Keys</a> (free)<br /><br />27. Enjoy wine tasting in your private <a href="http://www.londoneye.com/PrivateCapsules/CorporateEvents/CorporateCapsules/VinopolisWineTasting/Default.aspx">London Eye</a> capsule<br /><br />28. Walk on top of one of London's landmarks, <a href="http://www.theo2.co.uk/upattheo2">The O2 Arena</a><br /><br />29. <a href="http://www.tallyhocycletours.com/london/our-tours/">Cycle</a> through London on a classic British bicycle tour<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMXDoKa1P5jrYgoBrLy-_31UTIpKGRTnyO5spLirgel7ccDKy8xZ-0gsnbLS2zSCl2uk69CKn2KoxvOUr9b3MM4uHjaiJpf3TrMXjg66RQSvfg-f4RYtHN_ZDgynlOr7vqdCxZCPpmPc/s1600/DSCN3898-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMXDoKa1P5jrYgoBrLy-_31UTIpKGRTnyO5spLirgel7ccDKy8xZ-0gsnbLS2zSCl2uk69CKn2KoxvOUr9b3MM4uHjaiJpf3TrMXjg66RQSvfg-f4RYtHN_ZDgynlOr7vqdCxZCPpmPc/s640/DSCN3898-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />30. Try <a href="http://www.vertical-chill.com/vertical-chill-london.htm">ice climbing</a> in the heart of London <br /><br />31. Get wet while rafting the rapids<br />at the Olympic <a href="http://www.visitleevalley.org.uk/en/content/cms/london2012/lee-valley-white-water-centre/rafting/">Lee Valley White Water Center</a><br /><br />32. Tour the River Thames in riveting <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/bond-girl-for-day-or-two.html">James Bond style</a><br /><br />Where to start first?<br />Have you tried any of these?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

32 Adventures In The UK

Posted By Happy Homemaker UKSometimes I feel like Alice in Wonderland,for I am in constant wonderat how much there is to do in this small countryHere's a list I'm chipping away at,knowing I won't ever do it all...1. Learn to surf at the Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay, Cornwall2. Try sandboarding in …

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Stairway To Norway

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">With a few weeks before school started</div><div style="text-align: center;">I decided to take the kids somewhere</div><div style="text-align: center;">while my husband stayed behind to work</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Where could I travel safely and easily with two kids in tow?</div><div style="text-align: center;">- <i>Norway</i> -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx5MS4BOoUWbVcYBINkCT_JwEzBZuDMhKMw2_SlRrYDXvkTY-s-S0JMNhsR8i74bPE-A6_Z7YrSY8xP5s9H8GYZ0sDD15Mo14wsUt2V6fy3IDwfIBJOEegf6JpZJwAthQOGTr5P6I4Aw/s1600/IMG_1521-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx5MS4BOoUWbVcYBINkCT_JwEzBZuDMhKMw2_SlRrYDXvkTY-s-S0JMNhsR8i74bPE-A6_Z7YrSY8xP5s9H8GYZ0sDD15Mo14wsUt2V6fy3IDwfIBJOEegf6JpZJwAthQOGTr5P6I4Aw/s640/IMG_1521-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We started our trip in Bergen,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Norway's second largest city</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYQQHpWOi6g8yVW3FpRFxUDsPZXBpyY_4MH-je04-s5Z9EWzwAPE5SxoFBE222LpKD8vqtJ140KVY1sVTK-MzEnnrzfr5IC-ROxChkwnhfOdVxM6kxG1EGvemR0xPkj6W7o0YMI4bgeqE/s1600/IMG_0672-010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYQQHpWOi6g8yVW3FpRFxUDsPZXBpyY_4MH-je04-s5Z9EWzwAPE5SxoFBE222LpKD8vqtJ140KVY1sVTK-MzEnnrzfr5IC-ROxChkwnhfOdVxM6kxG1EGvemR0xPkj6W7o0YMI4bgeqE/s640/IMG_0672-010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I couldn't get enough of these letterboxes<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERY7ZNX55o6253UDlZTEFCXd0PKVhJDQmR95_PNc6X-dwYIf7CUT9LGwnqYBkeNjBmkoerGJ9Ygh4ogLgpqV7EWBLcifO1TivmKjX44H10JtYNRkdm5_1CxL6Wyego2Lo_ZslQuU2nvk/s1600/IMG_1455-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERY7ZNX55o6253UDlZTEFCXd0PKVhJDQmR95_PNc6X-dwYIf7CUT9LGwnqYBkeNjBmkoerGJ9Ygh4ogLgpqV7EWBLcifO1TivmKjX44H10JtYNRkdm5_1CxL6Wyego2Lo_ZslQuU2nvk/s640/IMG_1455-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As the crowns indicate,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Norway has a monarch (King Harald V) and a prime minister</div><div style="text-align: center;">like the United Kingdom</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They gained independence from Sweden in 1905</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As one of the few European countries that did <i>not</i> join the European Union,</div><div style="text-align: center;">you can see and feel this country's independence</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiFWZ3DvDU0qaCHbck3w5c80owwV9DQFIkJ2__k1kAJI8DTY8MFSTOJKxx9n9SNrCEs8UYUhDuWIRmnH7mO5crDq_QfTNF_CeXYdxFqASCPdMR2U9WsPaNQMMekq3o0wA8JOFv2eRG-M/s1600/IMG_1510-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiFWZ3DvDU0qaCHbck3w5c80owwV9DQFIkJ2__k1kAJI8DTY8MFSTOJKxx9n9SNrCEs8UYUhDuWIRmnH7mO5crDq_QfTNF_CeXYdxFqASCPdMR2U9WsPaNQMMekq3o0wA8JOFv2eRG-M/s640/IMG_1510-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Grocery stores had lots of unique Norwegian brands<br />which felt very refreshing and authentic<br />as other European grocery stores often have the same products<br />probably due to the EU trade<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I adored the Norwegian coins with holes in the middle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />And interestingly</div><div style="text-align: center;">parents must choose their child's name from a list of official Norwegian names</div><div style="text-align: center;">This strict name law dates back to the 1800s</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NtUZAu8SRDLW0ZKAqmyBw7lc2-HZxM4HEvzhMz-ilW3_uupqsodkluLTKU-CCnWg8I2HhihsVFk6kpypLcwhBXMmys61qOB1QWOIhwzHuK-8aVGIrDvlfsu9HF6dla0HzejAr836-_o/s1600/IMG_1543-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NtUZAu8SRDLW0ZKAqmyBw7lc2-HZxM4HEvzhMz-ilW3_uupqsodkluLTKU-CCnWg8I2HhihsVFk6kpypLcwhBXMmys61qOB1QWOIhwzHuK-8aVGIrDvlfsu9HF6dla0HzejAr836-_o/s640/IMG_1543-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />We happily got 'lost' in these cobbled alleys<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg674VwCwf79VHTij5kKNSimZRO6GBLk1R7d2q3bsMNdSBws__ng4nTfOdqQxvfYiX8pMFNupLnm9xA-nLSBXx6H3rU0qUoGaIDIxTT0W9j0pc6BdccOHzTySYYCw3eckGtrxblF38E0cI/s1600/IMG_1475-022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg674VwCwf79VHTij5kKNSimZRO6GBLk1R7d2q3bsMNdSBws__ng4nTfOdqQxvfYiX8pMFNupLnm9xA-nLSBXx6H3rU0qUoGaIDIxTT0W9j0pc6BdccOHzTySYYCw3eckGtrxblF38E0cI/s640/IMG_1475-022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />And as if the country didn't have me at their longest word<br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>minoritetsladningsbærerdiffusjonskoeffisientmålingsapparatur</i></span></span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">(try saying that five times, or even one)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">the fjords did...</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaefnoBagbTFY8Uu7JTk2N0KY4yWKEAMY6AdBKsV8rGrqoU9zTi2k6fd7iapXFlnjSJe6julaZINOg-kOgQXwCtxzWM0txN5et19ED_i-tMuOl56THb9OP11cynZgP59abg6oZWy-yx8M/s1600/IMG_0943-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaefnoBagbTFY8Uu7JTk2N0KY4yWKEAMY6AdBKsV8rGrqoU9zTi2k6fd7iapXFlnjSJe6julaZINOg-kOgQXwCtxzWM0txN5et19ED_i-tMuOl56THb9OP11cynZgP59abg6oZWy-yx8M/s640/IMG_0943-014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">We traveled by boat through the Sognefjord,</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">the world's second deepest fjord and the 3rd longest</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Fjord is a Norwegian word, indicating a long narrow water inlet surrounded by </span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">steep mountains </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">carved by glacial activity</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">I don't know the word for <i>cute nestled fjord villages</i></span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">but I bet it has some cool vowels in it </span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">like</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.03333282470703px;">å or </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 29.866666793823242px;">Ø</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibr-udK3PDD08m3rH6gumqjYoQGO0Jj13USU7SbE_oxWwMBWsS8OHa9YkzFd-pnkTFFUZZHxKV_af3jX_AaEYQmxBxUdMlFWQlGUElTJpD9CitXhVpvsIekBILaCQtHabFn6A62Va0TNI/s1600/IMG_1130-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibr-udK3PDD08m3rH6gumqjYoQGO0Jj13USU7SbE_oxWwMBWsS8OHa9YkzFd-pnkTFFUZZHxKV_af3jX_AaEYQmxBxUdMlFWQlGUElTJpD9CitXhVpvsIekBILaCQtHabFn6A62Va0TNI/s640/IMG_1130-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Here's a treehouse</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">with a million dollar view...</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDI4jlS3yeu5Vb6YvEqnirkgjbYs82SnK_k0n0elUSHVg3rrCOyLxqJNoHMrYDEZHUZZ1Jczk7ne1QNozAzRxFEPiFmEi9TkD01-qsJW9oECut0Dc10-LtWxBH9m2uPiV3cAlndPyWnmsu/s1600/IMG_1197-005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDI4jlS3yeu5Vb6YvEqnirkgjbYs82SnK_k0n0elUSHVg3rrCOyLxqJNoHMrYDEZHUZZ1Jczk7ne1QNozAzRxFEPiFmEi9TkD01-qsJW9oECut0Dc10-LtWxBH9m2uPiV3cAlndPyWnmsu/s640/IMG_1197-005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">Vikings lived in these waters</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">which are still home to porpoises, seals, and otters today</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">There is a wonderful saying in Norway</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">'There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing'</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">You can see we had fantastic weather,</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">so I must have had fantastic clothing?</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72ELTcJctOo4InJAuVzv9HMtofO1MImy10XAUeXq6DIniJkz469uWAgYMnCh9IK6WCWeUR_2hoCDJpXJmhBZ6ssLXNy9xR2D6XGAMMH_1FzJIEh_mRxEkBU-i3-qYQAWY3E2MgfKZets/s1600/IMG_1198-0041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72ELTcJctOo4InJAuVzv9HMtofO1MImy10XAUeXq6DIniJkz469uWAgYMnCh9IK6WCWeUR_2hoCDJpXJmhBZ6ssLXNy9xR2D6XGAMMH_1FzJIEh_mRxEkBU-i3-qYQAWY3E2MgfKZets/s640/IMG_1198-0041.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Oh my...</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbB-IxERssNTO_12UH3uODaAFXc5S11UR2lN7oExSG9a3DRnEHITLRWAyoM_C6bZV6C8R2NF-MyQonn1VwmHF-umk0p6EVqr7EtkDNTI8QmiVCgVR-GJN7mGkatgCX8Hx3MqHhh_-t6U/s1600/IMG_1208-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbB-IxERssNTO_12UH3uODaAFXc5S11UR2lN7oExSG9a3DRnEHITLRWAyoM_C6bZV6C8R2NF-MyQonn1VwmHF-umk0p6EVqr7EtkDNTI8QmiVCgVR-GJN7mGkatgCX8Hx3MqHhh_-t6U/s640/IMG_1208-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">This is the land of the midnight sun,</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">northern lights, polar bears, and folkloric trolls</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">If you seek adventure</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">go on a rat safari in an Oslo sewer(!),</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">swim with killer whales near Lofoten,</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">or dive into Saltstraumen, the world's strongest whirlpool</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Or just stick to kayaking</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUqpgMChsBQrjKqHtKjVZ0YZQ0_sFNfGtKyqp3cKFcrRVOODkKjKj7KxRwGmlrte0JYku9KVjGSmqNa7AD4IVOLWtZOydbfbwrFzOboM7TyIG2Xc2NPmDZopfk195TXchKN4FB4jIgVPF/s1600/IMG_0992-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUqpgMChsBQrjKqHtKjVZ0YZQ0_sFNfGtKyqp3cKFcrRVOODkKjKj7KxRwGmlrte0JYku9KVjGSmqNa7AD4IVOLWtZOydbfbwrFzOboM7TyIG2Xc2NPmDZopfk195TXchKN4FB4jIgVPF/s640/IMG_0992-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">Camera out of window,</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">we are on the Flamsbana train to return to Bergen</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">and about to enter a tunnel</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">There are a lot of tunnels in Norway</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">Some are even undersea, connecting to islands</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wZZo2Mc4qf8GErjn-67jXgskoBlZxrRe48D4MkVMQU4cFvI40cKvYN4jEMNjF7-znO8wyV4_0TQ4VYf1O9ZaGijDL1mgKDHNdcIKOFVeEYeCuklvGcYGde0WNTdoFKbDjhnb8_1T1s8/s1600/IMG_1334-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wZZo2Mc4qf8GErjn-67jXgskoBlZxrRe48D4MkVMQU4cFvI40cKvYN4jEMNjF7-znO8wyV4_0TQ4VYf1O9ZaGijDL1mgKDHNdcIKOFVeEYeCuklvGcYGde0WNTdoFKbDjhnb8_1T1s8/s640/IMG_1334-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">Norway is the second wealthiest country per capita in Europe</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">(Luxembourg, first)</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">And there are more Norwegian descendants living in the US</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">than there are Norwegians in Norway</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">Many emigrated between 1860 - 1910</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1geoeSp7LAtd1NVBRSQ1s7NwjkJBiPKeutPXHy-ZDspv3R8WIjS9QMWMJtRlg1Bwx2k45hRs8VAihO0vUoPGcqDFhoC7GEWuzd1pCDm3Z9dcFm0YRT6ZcuAxSMOrgkJLg1_UJEEhYP7dE/s1600/IMG_1333-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1geoeSp7LAtd1NVBRSQ1s7NwjkJBiPKeutPXHy-ZDspv3R8WIjS9QMWMJtRlg1Bwx2k45hRs8VAihO0vUoPGcqDFhoC7GEWuzd1pCDm3Z9dcFm0YRT6ZcuAxSMOrgkJLg1_UJEEhYP7dE/s640/IMG_1333-014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />Ahhh...<br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">what a wonderful way</span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;">to end a lovely summer</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dedicating this post to an American boy who dreams of traveling to Norway one day</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Colin, this one's for you </i> ;)</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sources: Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway">1</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita">2</a>, <a href="http://www.babynames.org.uk/norwegian-baby-names.htm">BabyNames</a>, <a href="http://www.norway.org/News_and_events/top-stories/Random-facts-about-Norway/">Norway</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Linking to Post Of The Month Club <a href="http://www.lifeonplanetbaby.com/2012/08/post-of-month-club-august-2012-edition.html">here</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Stairway To Norway

With a few weeks before school startedI decided to take the kids somewherewhile my husband stayed behind to workWhere could I travel safely and easily with two kids in tow?- Norway -We started our trip in Bergen,Norway's second largest cityI couldn't get enough of these letterboxesAs the crowns indi…

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A New Flag In Our Midst?

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Being a flag nerd,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I can identify most national flags</div><div style="text-align: center;">around the world</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But this one took me by surprise which I saw waving</div><div style="text-align: center;">twice during the <a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-day-at-olympic-park.html">Summer Olympics</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYiSGETSGL5PrSINzSgm6Lv0QHC2mjuLP7oelvXErHUgZLw6xyBdBXv5lBjZm2DRTf26HMSIlP1nEFZUahWBbeCsQiYlg6pam9LAAtlhfXnOlEu8NaC2mLjOuKNokR6lJHqyeAlU4j6s/s1600/nzflagdotcom.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYiSGETSGL5PrSINzSgm6Lv0QHC2mjuLP7oelvXErHUgZLw6xyBdBXv5lBjZm2DRTf26HMSIlP1nEFZUahWBbeCsQiYlg6pam9LAAtlhfXnOlEu8NaC2mLjOuKNokR6lJHqyeAlU4j6s/s400/nzflagdotcom.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Silver Fern (not a feather)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Besides the flag of Cornwall (England)</div><div style="text-align: center;">and the Jolly Roger,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I couldn't recall seeing another black & white flag</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So I googled it</div><div style="text-align: center;">and found out New Zealanders are considering changing their flag</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeIyMvnLCO8oV4mVcEGUjK0iOnCZcLxFxOYFYI4gSNOaZHTsgQgmzciT1JkHjbY8gnNj2xY3fRur0KSU5xYnfMkzDituGQYyopgCuTL1ORtH6-sZLmhX_UtLWb25g5MXC2mpoxENDpvA/s1600/800px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeIyMvnLCO8oV4mVcEGUjK0iOnCZcLxFxOYFYI4gSNOaZHTsgQgmzciT1JkHjbY8gnNj2xY3fRur0KSU5xYnfMkzDituGQYyopgCuTL1ORtH6-sZLmhX_UtLWb25g5MXC2mpoxENDpvA/s400/800px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current New Zealand Flag</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The flag evolved from their naval flag flown as a British colony</div><div style="text-align: center;">and does not reflect their identity, independence or</div><div style="text-align: center;">non-European population today</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And it looks a lot like Australia's flag</div><div style="text-align: center;">which Jerry Seinfeld identified as</div><div style="text-align: center;">'the Union Jack at night time'</div><div style="text-align: center;">(funny flag humor)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkLE5bqTSdEbGkxsD5tl-bvIVUQSUEXmLw7ThBEkloKbCO7GHfqBiosN9HaLzZOPup_063xlBshUtrgI25yGFbtUTK6ZqfJ6wQ1ciAZCMKNbbYRTubn3iv8cG7gGIJEbXrgJ4EMjEcrM/s1600/800px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkLE5bqTSdEbGkxsD5tl-bvIVUQSUEXmLw7ThBEkloKbCO7GHfqBiosN9HaLzZOPup_063xlBshUtrgI25yGFbtUTK6ZqfJ6wQ1ciAZCMKNbbYRTubn3iv8cG7gGIJEbXrgJ4EMjEcrM/s400/800px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian Flag</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In terms of branding,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a black flag with a white fern is certainly </div><div style="text-align: center;">more recognizable globally</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Look at Canada's redesigned flag</div><div style="text-align: center;">- simple yet unique -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbo65PEbIXDegMUNhuW2VvCfgVt21xBebId3Lez3PGIsS055ivL3SvEJBsgia25QIlPHnx-tPZnAAWY69Xp7hsq3_5fK8onREetA57g8JWUsWdAORAAW9blOWQRi-v-Z1QkV8Ne7XmSI/s1600/Happy+Homemaker+20121-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbo65PEbIXDegMUNhuW2VvCfgVt21xBebId3Lez3PGIsS055ivL3SvEJBsgia25QIlPHnx-tPZnAAWY69Xp7hsq3_5fK8onREetA57g8JWUsWdAORAAW9blOWQRi-v-Z1QkV8Ne7XmSI/s640/Happy+Homemaker+20121-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canada's flag pre- and post-1965</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can see how some countries view the Union Flag emblem </div><div style="text-align: center;">as historical but less a part of their future</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the other hand,<br />the Union Jack is extremely relevant in the UK</div><div style="text-align: center;">See how it is a clever overlay of three of the four </div><div style="text-align: center;">constituent country flags within the United Kingdom?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkO1usolZPqEAN5Ksb2mPS12KX6X9wGsg2T2wlLdMFDkkUAiKBoDSICG4nO5Tc7CrRo4JCsWooyMPL2Op3DV_pKv7OAnICUXWN0YSikPNMvYxOvo0BOkA1-ddRIotmwyKMyB4TMTt9Qts/s1600/Collages1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkO1usolZPqEAN5Ksb2mPS12KX6X9wGsg2T2wlLdMFDkkUAiKBoDSICG4nO5Tc7CrRo4JCsWooyMPL2Op3DV_pKv7OAnICUXWN0YSikPNMvYxOvo0BOkA1-ddRIotmwyKMyB4TMTt9Qts/s640/Collages1-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It creates the 'Union Flag'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifcqt7ynv08-Vn5lovTiaJzlwgN8jJjWcektHxMAVrLOiiSIBNDGiAgA0KG-IINZTkZaT49tTP9bQJgDNtlUptlo4WXW2fwJMdSxmxLg9Ert-Gg998dV95qqmZKexjNWTorEUH2afj6c/s1600/800px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifcqt7ynv08-Vn5lovTiaJzlwgN8jJjWcektHxMAVrLOiiSIBNDGiAgA0KG-IINZTkZaT49tTP9bQJgDNtlUptlo4WXW2fwJMdSxmxLg9Ert-Gg998dV95qqmZKexjNWTorEUH2afj6c/s400/800px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice it's not symmetrical</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A few readers have kindly commented it technically is <u>not</u> the Union <b>Jack</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">because a 'jack' is a flag on a ship</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And they do refer to this flag as the <i>Union Flag</i> here</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But in the US (where many of my readers are from), </div><div style="text-align: center;">it is known exclusively as the Union Jack<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And calling it the Union Flag<br />sounds like it is from the American Civil War<br />or represents labor unions</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So for these reasons, I'll use the terms interchangeably :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Interestingly</div><div style="text-align: center;">the Union Flag has not been immune to proposals of a flag redesign</div><div style="text-align: center;">over the last ten years either</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNflNsAgwMicoI06s09tm3cpiObpd5L-Z7YeUOQ7AZ4hqyHTG928yJPM2zngOqMfKCWivIaLbZq6yYC23Wx1t3Su3011RQFkEUBh8SEAlN5s62FCrb6r74am4RlOshQcsbdWlY_XE1xC4/s1600/Happy+Homemaker+20122-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNflNsAgwMicoI06s09tm3cpiObpd5L-Z7YeUOQ7AZ4hqyHTG928yJPM2zngOqMfKCWivIaLbZq6yYC23Wx1t3Su3011RQFkEUBh8SEAlN5s62FCrb6r74am4RlOshQcsbdWlY_XE1xC4/s640/Happy+Homemaker+20122-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proposed Union Flag including Wales; a modernized Union Jack reflecting today's cultural diversity</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">However, changes haven't gotten off the ground</div><div style="text-align: center;">for this iconic symbol</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As for New Zealand, I think it is a great idea to rebrand their global identity</div><div style="text-align: center;">Are there any New Zealanders who could weigh in?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sources: <a href="http://www.nzflag.com/">NZFlag</a>, <a href="http://www.wikipedia.com/">Wikipedia</a>, <a href="http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2007/november/dragon-to-sit-on-union-jack">Creative Review</a>, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/2981038.stm">BBC News</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

A New Flag In Our Midst?

Posted by Happy Homemaker UKBeing a flag nerd,I can identify most national flagsaround the worldBut this one took me by surprise which I saw wavingtwice during the Summer OlympicsThe Silver Fern (not a feather)Besides the flag of Cornwall (England)and the Jolly Roger,I couldn't recall seeing another…

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Olympic Beach Volleyball

Posted by Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUww8r2BOxaxXsQGp6Vlh1Ukv_vsUQC0HFz5z2jCWkyGKdINtNjv8SjED4U0uTzoUfXK-vHFjZKXiBgOiPgL7Yjn6iWVaBCJTgY7piammnastktEHWNZGaifGsKbP4LqER-WOMAyOrU8/s1600/IMG_0665-00211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUww8r2BOxaxXsQGp6Vlh1Ukv_vsUQC0HFz5z2jCWkyGKdINtNjv8SjED4U0uTzoUfXK-vHFjZKXiBgOiPgL7Yjn6iWVaBCJTgY7piammnastktEHWNZGaifGsKbP4LqER-WOMAyOrU8/s640/IMG_0665-00211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On The Mall looking toward Buckingham Palace</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our final Olympic event to attend</div><div style="text-align: center;">was Men's Beach Volleyball</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and WOW! was the venue spectacular!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuND1cuSCjV8E4DI0MgTK-EOlvMEcqeH0wKVQXW3b1wztK8dMDxLrrc0DdIeRhFrzEHRWAj3dYZXW7lCT345h4k2JnG_pSHli68yRHSxGg6KeudQcRCHcX-HV2ayiOdpsRjgmb_GkScc/s1600/DSC02426-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuND1cuSCjV8E4DI0MgTK-EOlvMEcqeH0wKVQXW3b1wztK8dMDxLrrc0DdIeRhFrzEHRWAj3dYZXW7lCT345h4k2JnG_pSHli68yRHSxGg6KeudQcRCHcX-HV2ayiOdpsRjgmb_GkScc/s640/DSC02426-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(click photo to really appreciate the view)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was a mark of brilliance to set up this temporary stadium<br />at the Horse Guards Parade</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And that night, it was the game for gold<br />Germany v Brazil</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Icing on the cake, the weather was PERFECT</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNN2K3x_5Gcz2sA_kQeo7eyoAXt-d1LeYGLjn3TADZ4yb6PwXOKsfNuJx4MaiVkt91K84HrvWm3E8nXZdwGdEAt_Xm_3M_dqbWHA0A_W-l6bKK614iU8jfG4C0jJKN_QzaC70gApKDqHQ/s1600/DSC_0391-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNN2K3x_5Gcz2sA_kQeo7eyoAXt-d1LeYGLjn3TADZ4yb6PwXOKsfNuJx4MaiVkt91K84HrvWm3E8nXZdwGdEAt_Xm_3M_dqbWHA0A_W-l6bKK614iU8jfG4C0jJKN_QzaC70gApKDqHQ/s640/DSC_0391-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My husband cleverly spied this plein air artist </div><div style="text-align: center;">capturing the day high above us</div><div style="text-align: center;">( For the Diamond Jubilee, artists in the flotilla were busy painting too )</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Such a creative way to capture history</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BnkdenTwfTQ7lYqnd25NmKB2W2exGG_V112aQwBrwRjPh-BUuYAWpDrDK9HKXNB-yOOrE_9JPBH_3r62SKVOODGYFPFJ9pMFCQeRdgxdrRoFupPWbpnKPHOE8YEr6h5gY2d5WjSWxIc/s1600/DSC_0356-005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BnkdenTwfTQ7lYqnd25NmKB2W2exGG_V112aQwBrwRjPh-BUuYAWpDrDK9HKXNB-yOOrE_9JPBH_3r62SKVOODGYFPFJ9pMFCQeRdgxdrRoFupPWbpnKPHOE8YEr6h5gY2d5WjSWxIc/s640/DSC_0356-005.JPG" width="402" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And as if it couldn't get any better<br />we also watched the conga line</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM0tjMejK7OwrctMQyNsnY_-dvkEMzgnNT-kK4NSaO4OGHbyV7oPHIuRgVwYDxOSuQQKDwvb7pC-mgZ0oOP8WxclGshjLdTEIV-Dx0EAwXLoQExg9LtS5u7ixvfR22zMBUjuJhtzJFYE/s1600/DSC_0447-0031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM0tjMejK7OwrctMQyNsnY_-dvkEMzgnNT-kK4NSaO4OGHbyV7oPHIuRgVwYDxOSuQQKDwvb7pC-mgZ0oOP8WxclGshjLdTEIV-Dx0EAwXLoQExg9LtS5u7ixvfR22zMBUjuJhtzJFYE/s640/DSC_0447-0031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancers provided entertainment between matches and during time-outs</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and Bananarama singing <i>Venus</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecyG40sgR2XTs0PgCnO-rB2BjbVqUWAjO4rj-JLcWyXT5RQsvgVBGnvrxM0QThYByJAYcEUgrHmjzryVv-kSNfNBEGjEmdgnQ817o97O44cc_3kN-f_OBOz8_Erb4qWAXwUlZel51ylk/s1600/DSC_0364-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecyG40sgR2XTs0PgCnO-rB2BjbVqUWAjO4rj-JLcWyXT5RQsvgVBGnvrxM0QThYByJAYcEUgrHmjzryVv-kSNfNBEGjEmdgnQ817o97O44cc_3kN-f_OBOz8_Erb4qWAXwUlZel51ylk/s640/DSC_0364-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bananarama</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Time-outs also included raking sand</div><div style="text-align: center;">and shaking sand off the lines</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr40F4NjrcBs83TxVu2qe7JOMH9oIpO7Xvt5QbR2rfLfDOrd0OIu4gbTJsfOowRQcDSol8Q21cV-pahosujse3g-cu8nFDykECa8qg033lUGbqRrZEZGGgjS2nIsL_LSIRvxDN6grrds/s1600/DSC02433-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr40F4NjrcBs83TxVu2qe7JOMH9oIpO7Xvt5QbR2rfLfDOrd0OIu4gbTJsfOowRQcDSol8Q21cV-pahosujse3g-cu8nFDykECa8qg033lUGbqRrZEZGGgjS2nIsL_LSIRvxDN6grrds/s640/DSC02433-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Announcer: 'It's rakey-rakey time!' </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Going for gold,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the Brazilian and German crowd was very loud and excited</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv87jAOgLpqnICJZASLGc79g8lkVxBoJm2sbJ8-o0A4Ols-YM9c52zsx3vU-irxtai85x-Mm_5jnHIaLq3cwrJhHkLC0bP-9BEyAld6sjiJpc11uY4cGekGEhkQ70Wx3Ygouqfke7EL2A/s1600/DSC_0438-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv87jAOgLpqnICJZASLGc79g8lkVxBoJm2sbJ8-o0A4Ols-YM9c52zsx3vU-irxtai85x-Mm_5jnHIaLq3cwrJhHkLC0bP-9BEyAld6sjiJpc11uY4cGekGEhkQ70Wx3Ygouqfke7EL2A/s640/DSC_0438-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And many waved their flags proudly</div><div style="text-align: center;">- Germany, Brazil, and TEXAS?! -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFbHY3yQWHbtiXpJvQOZO3H36NoaTdsXuAl0iA2kxTPMJ2JbXGkjG2f_D9ZEvPgcMS2sGb8GBT08jgIa1IdNMbm4iP1tAguhuMTuqQajwdOmIuAfEXGYDxerJlKa5Tq94VfAIRWi6jh0/s1600/DSC_0400-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFbHY3yQWHbtiXpJvQOZO3H36NoaTdsXuAl0iA2kxTPMJ2JbXGkjG2f_D9ZEvPgcMS2sGb8GBT08jgIa1IdNMbm4iP1tAguhuMTuqQajwdOmIuAfEXGYDxerJlKa5Tq94VfAIRWi6jh0/s640/DSC_0400-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And the gold goes to Germany!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDa6aw1LfRbjAQQUjk3J8cyXem1tzNu4Djx7bz5nLsQXYtI5aMki7T92RGT8h2URko9GsXw9kKmx_Ap6GsPTpoqZDWjMoS643L-Eb1AS6_-G6FuFJZWGvT2vHGvoe1acigB7gXZNP6xM/s1600/DSC_0431-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDa6aw1LfRbjAQQUjk3J8cyXem1tzNu4Djx7bz5nLsQXYtI5aMki7T92RGT8h2URko9GsXw9kKmx_Ap6GsPTpoqZDWjMoS643L-Eb1AS6_-G6FuFJZWGvT2vHGvoe1acigB7gXZNP6xM/s640/DSC_0431-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We walked away with Olympic-sized smiles on our faces</div><div style="text-align: center;">and a glow from the memories of the past few weeks</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipanCkUTsp6Ut8_t5gTL6dFDF4-zE9VVvM_QrSW0UjP-cZn99Rw5j6Rcfl55spPn5XZ4sgWEPhL6N5MtAHCP4C5XGn8hRsrHwSjRFBm4OQtBV5jZH60ZXl_5fDxgyCEXE5mbgOA2b89BI/s1600/DSC02525-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipanCkUTsp6Ut8_t5gTL6dFDF4-zE9VVvM_QrSW0UjP-cZn99Rw5j6Rcfl55spPn5XZ4sgWEPhL6N5MtAHCP4C5XGn8hRsrHwSjRFBm4OQtBV5jZH60ZXl_5fDxgyCEXE5mbgOA2b89BI/s640/DSC02525-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">London has radiated a wonderful Olympic glow too :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>More Summer Olympics Posts:</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-day-at-olympic-park.html">A Day At The Olympic Park</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/london-dressed-for-olympics.html">London Dressed For The Olympics</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/behind-scenes-olympic-opening-ceremony.html">Behind The Scenes: An Olympic Opening Ceremony Performer</a> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/summer-olympics-i-just-cant-get-enough.html" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Summer Olympics: I Just Can't Get Enough</a> </span><br /><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-summer-olympic-games.html" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Summer Games Begin</span></a><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-olympic-torch.html">The Olympic Torch</a></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/signs-summer-olympics-are-coming.html">'Signs' The Olympics Are Coming</a></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/let-games-begin-olympic-tour.html">Let The Games Begin: An Olympic Tour in 2011</a> </span></div></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Olympic Beach Volleyball

Posted by Happy Homemaker UKOn The Mall looking toward Buckingham PalaceOur final Olympic event to attendwas Men's Beach Volleyballand WOW! was the venue spectacular!(click photo to really appreciate the view)It was a mark of brilliance to set up this temporary stadiumat the Horse Guards ParadeAnd t…

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A Day At The Olympic Park

Posted By Happy Homemaker UK<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkOmVSyNIyoxIgkrc-I2zCyQfeo5LRFdpeiNPXSMEDRBWAxpSUhml2TLuet-jFIa5V94qviXBb0BT8Cu6JQ7BhOTyXk9CkOYIGXQtqWjaxW33kA6jlYn2YJlefauqvIXV0x8t-mvqkoA/s1600/IMG_0533-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkOmVSyNIyoxIgkrc-I2zCyQfeo5LRFdpeiNPXSMEDRBWAxpSUhml2TLuet-jFIa5V94qviXBb0BT8Cu6JQ7BhOTyXk9CkOYIGXQtqWjaxW33kA6jlYn2YJlefauqvIXV0x8t-mvqkoA/s640/IMG_0533-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headlines of yesterday's news</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My first and last chance to visit The Olympic Park<br />during the Games...<br />A night to remember!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As if you were by my side,<br />here's 'our' highlights</div><div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Walking Out Of Tube Station</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Gates remain open for a speedy exit</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pink signage everywhere</div><div style="text-align: center;">Crowds flow out of trains to this 'end of the line' destination</div><div style="text-align: center;">All incredibly well organized</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8RyNhvln1wMUxHveD9Q7dOplhFk4JZfU-DkgVrY2u-Lo2VO6bBI9ugpzRgkSYWDnYW4QVPjGukNMX7VJ9SuNj4ItfY-DLkvnb_wx3-KZdhhpXkDV7NwYh46a1-LAj4fVJm3tLKXYtuA/s1600/IMG_0544-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8RyNhvln1wMUxHveD9Q7dOplhFk4JZfU-DkgVrY2u-Lo2VO6bBI9ugpzRgkSYWDnYW4QVPjGukNMX7VJ9SuNj4ItfY-DLkvnb_wx3-KZdhhpXkDV7NwYh46a1-LAj4fVJm3tLKXYtuA/s640/IMG_0544-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Walking To Olympic Park</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Excitement builds as we see The Orbit ahead</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbGbGB4l4c4_RhlG_P-R01OhtacAwfachwFnsDckr926Ux_2QXCn9Mns-zjPE4Qj-QznOvrM-QKWLv08MDNZej3MzT1xlqgP_aupwV4ARfJh8jyhqqImL2VTo-lOS3SR0VDKj4OUqgwk/s1600/IMG_0549-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbGbGB4l4c4_RhlG_P-R01OhtacAwfachwFnsDckr926Ux_2QXCn9Mns-zjPE4Qj-QznOvrM-QKWLv08MDNZej3MzT1xlqgP_aupwV4ARfJh8jyhqqImL2VTo-lOS3SR0VDKj4OUqgwk/s640/IMG_0549-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Volunteers With Bullhorns</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Along the route, volunteers with bullhorns</div><div style="text-align: center;">welcome us to the Olympics and thank us for being there</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wonderful customer service :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Going Through Security</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Airport-like security is fast and fuss-free</div><div style="text-align: center;">No liquids, food <i>allowed</i>, shoes on, X-Ray for bags, and walk-thru metal detectors</div><div style="text-align: center;">All with a military presence (and very friendly)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5iDxYRv2sDC86N2AbaJU8MRnb4s_Ni5qyTZiV2NructhCHzDqQFXTCqVcIzLv4xnE0ymaNM-1dsUWiQeEkaWUGWOY1PwWaoa5-JfFY85VqVZgXEyZIYT4ARfGyFL2gTXChnPBeT4Pds/s1600/IMG_0552-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5iDxYRv2sDC86N2AbaJU8MRnb4s_Ni5qyTZiV2NructhCHzDqQFXTCqVcIzLv4xnE0ymaNM-1dsUWiQeEkaWUGWOY1PwWaoa5-JfFY85VqVZgXEyZIYT4ARfGyFL2gTXChnPBeT4Pds/s640/IMG_0552-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>We've Arrived!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Aquatics Centre on left</div><div style="text-align: center;">Olympic Stadium straight ahead</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Orbit peeking at us</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjSev9TsmkZceRx5HKaBimqi7MRcnNKXwgqUCbxjUmrHhyz8yBNYK-pSCVjRpB4-37as3Dk4JywnTfzqkGSBDV-XaHGVJyhTIqb6QEkmJbukIF8JBuDQVq_P9kZtJt-WAjhl89xWkSpM/s1600/IMG_0554-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjSev9TsmkZceRx5HKaBimqi7MRcnNKXwgqUCbxjUmrHhyz8yBNYK-pSCVjRpB4-37as3Dk4JywnTfzqkGSBDV-XaHGVJyhTIqb6QEkmJbukIF8JBuDQVq_P9kZtJt-WAjhl89xWkSpM/s640/IMG_0554-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Once we are in the park</div><div style="text-align: center;">the space opens up and is not crowded</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbRO_dBLIfr0nSBc3kdpYb4vbwK3P9QNTxWiQmGjJpVAFM2GPkwal4X8Vsd560zf3jUDMgyoxxbiKJBxGDkl9-7eFcA4lskNrqWWrKxVz7HtykayRc_hucQsiUiZgca9eHH5o94ry7GY/s1600/IMG_0566-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbRO_dBLIfr0nSBc3kdpYb4vbwK3P9QNTxWiQmGjJpVAFM2GPkwal4X8Vsd560zf3jUDMgyoxxbiKJBxGDkl9-7eFcA4lskNrqWWrKxVz7HtykayRc_hucQsiUiZgca9eHH5o94ry7GY/s640/IMG_0566-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Food Vendors</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although controversial,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm dying to see the biggest and busiest McDonald's in the world</div><div style="text-align: center;">In its busiest time, it serves 1000 customers <i>per hour</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">As it is a temporary building</div><div style="text-align: center;">most of the materials will be reused for other local building projects</div><div style="text-align: center;">after the Games</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpIBpRS_04UChsjaKZ_nFGm3OAkx361rISWtw-R92CXjXuhjDvsOoZG-XjuLWsbYJIBSMH2kj_v4GAqBWLQ3Wlj9IVtEfZvhC-k8Q604R3CjZ9749kB6bGnP58-NAtqv7vY7b5EdC2r0/s1600/IMG_0580-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpIBpRS_04UChsjaKZ_nFGm3OAkx361rISWtw-R92CXjXuhjDvsOoZG-XjuLWsbYJIBSMH2kj_v4GAqBWLQ3Wlj9IVtEfZvhC-k8Q604R3CjZ9749kB6bGnP58-NAtqv7vY7b5EdC2r0/s640/IMG_0580-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am not sure if there is seating inside this two story building</div><div style="text-align: center;">but brilliantly there are hundreds of picnic tables on which to eat your food of choice</div><div style="text-align: center;">(picnics are very British)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This photo below shows the following:</div><div style="text-align: center;">a  non-English speaking customer pointing to what he wants to order,</div><div style="text-align: center;">items on the menu,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and 3 order stations just in this photo alone -maybe there are 100 total?-,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and the bustling kitchen behind them</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FLDa9tcvMl_ByEIgcbSuh6Pb9sUhyphenhyphen_gmEZIQ8tcXy9zZWDqfNeqRDoGrag73pbJTsJJgNeN2f7J0dVHPHaLz3A6x_U533RigCJa5CLIJkF13feVsX25jC4zuQUBUu7amDTrc7xKZhaU/s1600/IMG_0576-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FLDa9tcvMl_ByEIgcbSuh6Pb9sUhyphenhyphen_gmEZIQ8tcXy9zZWDqfNeqRDoGrag73pbJTsJJgNeN2f7J0dVHPHaLz3A6x_U533RigCJa5CLIJkF13feVsX25jC4zuQUBUu7amDTrc7xKZhaU/s640/IMG_0576-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Meals include a plastic Olympic mascot toy</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have no wide angle lens to capture this monstrosity</div><div style="text-align: center;">Picture at least 5 images of this photo strung together to imagine its massiveness...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7M4aIO1YWusD8nY-XqDdZD1_RRB_NuAugCqz8UsX0ct0pxnG4IblldItfpb-iEw4OiDjUDU01B_ZOjzsLYV_QBmnmJO3BID6GEiLKcn3iS8pvA_p8c1Vv2OC0CYU8Lp20UQQ3fkfvWf8/s1600/IMG_0571-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7M4aIO1YWusD8nY-XqDdZD1_RRB_NuAugCqz8UsX0ct0pxnG4IblldItfpb-iEw4OiDjUDU01B_ZOjzsLYV_QBmnmJO3BID6GEiLKcn3iS8pvA_p8c1Vv2OC0CYU8Lp20UQQ3fkfvWf8/s640/IMG_0571-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are other food vendors too,</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as fish & chips, curry, sandwiches, and jacket (baked) potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbTyfbqE1cXqOSzyjuu_PdttGv_mWp6c_n93VYKlfnCxYsTXTSsBlLdBCXICLFHrgmBdLVgsfK1pWn4TgsRBwmH6fc_TBK1xy1gyqz6-3GfGykwAQnsnS2vu1kZXdKOK5JV0QkSdi8LU/s1600/IMG_0583-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbTyfbqE1cXqOSzyjuu_PdttGv_mWp6c_n93VYKlfnCxYsTXTSsBlLdBCXICLFHrgmBdLVgsfK1pWn4TgsRBwmH6fc_TBK1xy1gyqz6-3GfGykwAQnsnS2vu1kZXdKOK5JV0QkSdi8LU/s640/IMG_0583-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Inside The Stadium</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Twisted fabric panels on stadium - clever<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRDCKGTUoX4ozOLb3yDSL27OwowB4J-ux5FH0pITvED3Scs0YCJSZbNF8nQaH_7fMx4d3ba0LGf4S-i259LHgilSr7Jx1hfISvpGAj087AibSXI0JXDtnYst7u1qRS93SkIK-X1HZ250/s1600/IMG_0587-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRDCKGTUoX4ozOLb3yDSL27OwowB4J-ux5FH0pITvED3Scs0YCJSZbNF8nQaH_7fMx4d3ba0LGf4S-i259LHgilSr7Jx1hfISvpGAj087AibSXI0JXDtnYst7u1qRS93SkIK-X1HZ250/s640/IMG_0587-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selling programs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>First View Inside</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't think its enormity has been given justice on TV</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is GINORMOUS</div><div style="text-align: center;">and could be close to filling its 80,000 person capacity</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYW6xazn4i2mmdeI3jAlJCzurnfI_tWJF9KunhcE8pdrrMXqnc5XndL3UokONrXVVKQFDGeWA8F64Hwr76y_ZXGTPbDUxTOWwnFVl1h740qeiOPs2WK8TuS3njQunAKz2y5AbXaLZUkD8/s1600/IMG_0592-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYW6xazn4i2mmdeI3jAlJCzurnfI_tWJF9KunhcE8pdrrMXqnc5XndL3UokONrXVVKQFDGeWA8F64Hwr76y_ZXGTPbDUxTOWwnFVl1h740qeiOPs2WK8TuS3njQunAKz2y5AbXaLZUkD8/s640/IMG_0592-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Events</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">When we applied for the tickets through the UK ticket lottery in April 2011,</div><div style="text-align: center;">we knew we would see medaling events, but didn't know which ones</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We watch Women's Pole Vaulting finals</div><div style="text-align: center;">and are surprised how many competitors don't make it over the bar</div><div style="text-align: center;">I never see that on TV, and it made me appreciate how hard it must be</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is a long event that lasts the entire night</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xKQh8fDaJ04Ur5iuerk5e8bug4U-leLVJSDC4k2V-I9V4y3A4_seQiDWJJQepzf3aSKJrMaOTxXftMtL9T3LPh_ah9NWShQp7A5pbQ0B4337tJZoBnQhzNF93DKeCDN9UvDKz2ftT5U/s1600/DSC_0153-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xKQh8fDaJ04Ur5iuerk5e8bug4U-leLVJSDC4k2V-I9V4y3A4_seQiDWJJQepzf3aSKJrMaOTxXftMtL9T3LPh_ah9NWShQp7A5pbQ0B4337tJZoBnQhzNF93DKeCDN9UvDKz2ftT5U/s640/DSC_0153-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenn Suhr (USA) wins by clearing the bar at a height of 15'7''</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />Curiously, it is a male American voice announcing all the events<br />I wonder why<br />(he's actually pretty funny too)<br /><br />You can bet they play the <i>Chariots Of Fire</i> theme often<br /><br />And the crowd's cheering is deafening for the Team GB athletes :)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I really enjoy watching the Women's 3000m Steeplechase</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGWYMdXNDkdYp9NllfIJ6i1IMHhPA0Ti6HhEfrifrb2vjonjPQwlD2ExZ8BP1rTepvkOQ48SgDoHSUDxCZo-5MPraTtSK3W07bsnP2hGZd1KEIOdVhN8B1vJTCVpkCrfD4tWqO7ZQbm0/s1600/DSC_0257-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGWYMdXNDkdYp9NllfIJ6i1IMHhPA0Ti6HhEfrifrb2vjonjPQwlD2ExZ8BP1rTepvkOQ48SgDoHSUDxCZo-5MPraTtSK3W07bsnP2hGZd1KEIOdVhN8B1vJTCVpkCrfD4tWqO7ZQbm0/s640/DSC_0257-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Representing USA, Emma Coburn from Univ of Colorado - go Buffs!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Did you know those women run through water?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Doesn't that create blisters?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNGVhcQf0XGjSsKPAmag24LEFbPzGjIGgs5HevwuDWp0sWI2qX76rxLs5iL6QRYznWTLc2m9cHzANyG6MLpw-q1mnKm-dCFITqquofFi3i2ibTYdgli_O2WASDx3hiNgE_qx4J66PTDQ/s1600/DSC_0283-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNGVhcQf0XGjSsKPAmag24LEFbPzGjIGgs5HevwuDWp0sWI2qX76rxLs5iL6QRYznWTLc2m9cHzANyG6MLpw-q1mnKm-dCFITqquofFi3i2ibTYdgli_O2WASDx3hiNgE_qx4J66PTDQ/s640/DSC_0283-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They hurdle too</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xq1JHyZZkhgCfOWRBQ8LNo3L17oNw7bnIqybn41S9neB7ytYUxd8uLUGyN582ZAFD7aCZMsdNxQyfAE5oMWA3CxGxDXE6gULeK_0BB8e-bVvYrdlIzvG79GcS7pVm8mj6WUym3eu2vo/s1600/DSC_0276-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xq1JHyZZkhgCfOWRBQ8LNo3L17oNw7bnIqybn41S9neB7ytYUxd8uLUGyN582ZAFD7aCZMsdNxQyfAE5oMWA3CxGxDXE6gULeK_0BB8e-bVvYrdlIzvG79GcS7pVm8mj6WUym3eu2vo/s640/DSC_0276-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the media seats covered in plastic in background<br />(it was raining at times)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Funniest Moment</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A cameraman runs behind the steeplechase winners in their victory lap</div><div style="text-align: center;">but quickly realizes he's being outrun and gives up</div><div style="text-align: center;">So another cameraman on a Segway takes over :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8PcryeYkjz1460o_hbhs8XgF72-vnofYfPs7bov-zGY-jRxqkjTIHG5rWGSgi2KvwaZ3okKOkNIyP8171fzdguB3v6cg815pvsk6epigGFHI4oiPP4UH4LUV7hxnYnKt5oefCqLZAPY/s1600/DSC_0296-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8PcryeYkjz1460o_hbhs8XgF72-vnofYfPs7bov-zGY-jRxqkjTIHG5rWGSgi2KvwaZ3okKOkNIyP8171fzdguB3v6cg815pvsk6epigGFHI4oiPP4UH4LUV7hxnYnKt5oefCqLZAPY/s640/DSC_0296-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You have to be an athlete to run a camera at the Olympics!<br />Yuliya Zaripova of Russia (gold) and Sofia Assefa of Ethiopia (bronze)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCh5L-pvAA9oK3wR4lJ9ydFVrsb-p-3p1L-MqR6d8frOJnb8eCNqCVFHHqczmR6SMcPkluDA57C5goEYVY80OF8gcsX4irCowj8hO698SHWGewKPIHelD6_BdsEAqDhylL9sxpCoj-l8/s1600/DSC_0233-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCh5L-pvAA9oK3wR4lJ9ydFVrsb-p-3p1L-MqR6d8frOJnb8eCNqCVFHHqczmR6SMcPkluDA57C5goEYVY80OF8gcsX4irCowj8hO698SHWGewKPIHelD6_BdsEAqDhylL9sxpCoj-l8/s640/DSC_0233-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cameraman in hot pursuit of winners in their victory lap</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Running Events</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bins are placed at each mark<br />to collect the competitor's tracksuits<br />before each race<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUck8jqdf_ivkHiT6yEsug8jVEbrMCmK_kutW80NhkFzJ2coJcXkZ98RrvUGv-od-rYpBJ_NLVBjQuh2zw1mS5HDlYZePHtk8eW_-LfuniCpVpaysXDRG7rXgrNTMDKa9OyoTGjH34zt0/s1600/DSC_0109-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUck8jqdf_ivkHiT6yEsug8jVEbrMCmK_kutW80NhkFzJ2coJcXkZ98RrvUGv-od-rYpBJ_NLVBjQuh2zw1mS5HDlYZePHtk8eW_-LfuniCpVpaysXDRG7rXgrNTMDKa9OyoTGjH34zt0/s640/DSC_0109-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Here come the athletes<br />Some of them look so nervous, poor things!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4Uuz5DBh5VnSn7E6JWdaWtu8jbYuLLyRek2O9fFU_D5M1VkbvOVWDtrKk2siyDlYck9LPB-QdbFi87aYsRctZLT9wk-PQUB5Eq54IiAfXs4hLFB8NcbCoIVPxxOmb5R5u7o3srJdNNM/s1600/DSC_0144-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4Uuz5DBh5VnSn7E6JWdaWtu8jbYuLLyRek2O9fFU_D5M1VkbvOVWDtrKk2siyDlYck9LPB-QdbFi87aYsRctZLT9wk-PQUB5Eq54IiAfXs4hLFB8NcbCoIVPxxOmb5R5u7o3srJdNNM/s640/DSC_0144-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Below we see Carmelita Jeter on the JumboTron<br />and on the track to the left<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSwwAI66PR4S7TrlYPxnQu5jeiHGkQiXhKoc3pAg-l3GLvsvTZsMvduKPIBeETe0OHKLlf1tUX4vXxWwAjxSr4qQSYoZCCW4DWtjKPFNohjHE8zUF5zrL8kY2ByoiJ1EER5GLuilxkDA/s1600/DSC_0136-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSwwAI66PR4S7TrlYPxnQu5jeiHGkQiXhKoc3pAg-l3GLvsvTZsMvduKPIBeETe0OHKLlf1tUX4vXxWwAjxSr4qQSYoZCCW4DWtjKPFNohjHE8zUF5zrL8kY2ByoiJ1EER5GLuilxkDA/s640/DSC_0136-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all those people!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On your mark...<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnPRgOdpm3RG0Q5_E0DSaLBe0stt_aGGWc7mbcxwTYdoM_SBZInnr_Kc2c1NFKeXcJbSyrhvTMo-uHb_ryTj_eyTKSldHubPteZAsP9W2iyJmuZTGed6KaEWe4laq2hHpD3uR9g44DGk/s1600/DSC_0084-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnPRgOdpm3RG0Q5_E0DSaLBe0stt_aGGWc7mbcxwTYdoM_SBZInnr_Kc2c1NFKeXcJbSyrhvTMo-uHb_ryTj_eyTKSldHubPteZAsP9W2iyJmuZTGed6KaEWe4laq2hHpD3uR9g44DGk/s640/DSC_0084-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />'Bang!'...<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_QsbAuo3UlpniULsfRvhuBEuObbeIL3CCQQ1FHv6qImmwuPiIXY9aPbA-QMbEVsUawIJqwvQvwb8IiB2Hzf_z73WW6IDXhkphjP2winpPl5Ekejs8g3nv_IMIgyOhptlMqcWlvs4GX8/s1600/DSC_0160-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_QsbAuo3UlpniULsfRvhuBEuObbeIL3CCQQ1FHv6qImmwuPiIXY9aPbA-QMbEVsUawIJqwvQvwb8IiB2Hzf_z73WW6IDXhkphjP2winpPl5Ekejs8g3nv_IMIgyOhptlMqcWlvs4GX8/s640/DSC_0160-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red thingy makes the sound<br />I think the gun is just ceremonious</td></tr></tbody></table><br />...and they're off!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEgc1IbIQb2N5mSWIfiQ5zELfRsXqkZhtu6FTb5CO9XWDeH4ttY0ALKFU1Oi8e4LyzFIvKQqK-Z9VpsnsVA4OoQdNrA-CYA2w3XWjRc5fBPhc6QG0-X5MIhpGWAfp67ZnAEPHKxFYu80/s1600/DSC_0088-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEgc1IbIQb2N5mSWIfiQ5zELfRsXqkZhtu6FTb5CO9XWDeH4ttY0ALKFU1Oi8e4LyzFIvKQqK-Z9VpsnsVA4OoQdNrA-CYA2w3XWjRc5fBPhc6QG0-X5MIhpGWAfp67ZnAEPHKxFYu80/s640/DSC_0088-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Between Events</b><br />The audience does the wave<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFCycG-Nrevrj0IExl4d4NKP0XggXlFlqkQMozKi7AO7pPxUxcAnDImpxSm-C-eKY8oPtApzjYB1m1l5bRmNjKLzTHEQJraIS6d9RhG_8_ziKE8IK2hQts4aRiWWak196MJOPoYGcXbc/s1600/DSC_0253-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFCycG-Nrevrj0IExl4d4NKP0XggXlFlqkQMozKi7AO7pPxUxcAnDImpxSm-C-eKY8oPtApzjYB1m1l5bRmNjKLzTHEQJraIS6d9RhG_8_ziKE8IK2hQts4aRiWWak196MJOPoYGcXbc/s640/DSC_0253-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />As BBC television commentators often say,<br />'Despite the cold and rain, the crowd's spirit cannot be dampened',<br />it is true!<br />It is cold and drizzly, but we don't care<br /><br /><b>Setting Up</b><br />Next up, the hurdles are laid out methodically<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-x_cqq2cVAC4zVvyJRWYdOOUZlX8Zh34dL_JZALVHimfTZLO3Vi8vJkCRHWBhjLb7eYhxzo8P8m6mkye9Metq55tMgSkkjxAVujwXKnAb5ydUbpWN6FY9OkRAjWakLCQ9amkvshUy7s/s1600/DSC_0169-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-x_cqq2cVAC4zVvyJRWYdOOUZlX8Zh34dL_JZALVHimfTZLO3Vi8vJkCRHWBhjLb7eYhxzo8P8m6mkye9Metq55tMgSkkjxAVujwXKnAb5ydUbpWN6FY9OkRAjWakLCQ9amkvshUy7s/s640/DSC_0169-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTqRfcWwxFrbnYy82Kiygl3lnM5nplwUJvJoZ3uyxaBdA-85w72Ee2U2gDqhWAhbD_pK2j_ohvwgT9kymrhlgq4hu5v7AyEbvzhjf3JNHBBFLUOkft4IfReECuvs-lY8AvAZtXRFkqZ0/s1600/DSC_0173-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTqRfcWwxFrbnYy82Kiygl3lnM5nplwUJvJoZ3uyxaBdA-85w72Ee2U2gDqhWAhbD_pK2j_ohvwgT9kymrhlgq4hu5v7AyEbvzhjf3JNHBBFLUOkft4IfReECuvs-lY8AvAZtXRFkqZ0/s640/DSC_0173-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />And double checked<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbtTT5V3TWS4-9n8QMHEn8Z5TLh0AsgnCbpuhRIND4D9dS81Tk5cdRo3PMNBlDaP3AvIR9xips8jgFC_Jb5oxOTWBWQDY-tbnOV54KIqhxHY4ARiRjICy8zV_A2fpcaUuRi81f2dbRXc/s1600/DSC_0175-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbtTT5V3TWS4-9n8QMHEn8Z5TLh0AsgnCbpuhRIND4D9dS81Tk5cdRo3PMNBlDaP3AvIR9xips8jgFC_Jb5oxOTWBWQDY-tbnOV54KIqhxHY4ARiRjICy8zV_A2fpcaUuRi81f2dbRXc/s640/DSC_0175-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only detailed-oriented people need apply</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I have no good hurdle race photos to share, so on to my<br /><br /><b>Biggest Surprise</b><br />which is seeing Bolt receive his medal for the race the night before<br />(I have no idea why he didn't receive his medal the night he won)<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNeDYJIT0n5DhxDJAuHsVIBSuxjp-iAfamevDX2AlQGiN06ytSmI0kKD-H4xRFICPUBt6BjdinNYf77PJXMFNwIUtqiHCOY2544WFL_BovpJZh3ZngOdv7A7NkxVmUv74ei-mmxSyEns/s1600/DSC_0209-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNeDYJIT0n5DhxDJAuHsVIBSuxjp-iAfamevDX2AlQGiN06ytSmI0kKD-H4xRFICPUBt6BjdinNYf77PJXMFNwIUtqiHCOY2544WFL_BovpJZh3ZngOdv7A7NkxVmUv74ei-mmxSyEns/s640/DSC_0209-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the Olympic Flame here<br />Pity it can't be seen outside the stadium</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The backside of the podium<br />Blurry - it's a big stadium and we are on the other side<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnP3KSxUWMv2zrYoTvCkF7DckYMo6aCyhtkvHk6OucCuwEuiMFfkSy1mskhVsTiWXPqtUmFle8wE20dswzgrBekfvPerI0k7hJxMEnZlgzMetk8SC_zHYVBZ_u6RpC79ldYA9xzN8uQM/s1600/DSC_0219-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnP3KSxUWMv2zrYoTvCkF7DckYMo6aCyhtkvHk6OucCuwEuiMFfkSy1mskhVsTiWXPqtUmFle8wE20dswzgrBekfvPerI0k7hJxMEnZlgzMetk8SC_zHYVBZ_u6RpC79ldYA9xzN8uQM/s640/DSC_0219-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />There are many more races<br />throughout the night<br /><br /><b>But now it is 10pm</b><br />and time to go home<br /><br />Goodnight, stadium<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNj1PrB9b6i_a9PnGEWWn9b6V6h_ZmNWwFMZAf-jIyYG3Oc7PGc-XWrhiCfwN2UsO3tdoD_ORHCE_TsCP4f8msr7h2rymPSLZk-xSFRhXbdmqGe4HOF9uz3z1rGVxPypJAOsoGCn6_sU/s1600/DSC02380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNj1PrB9b6i_a9PnGEWWn9b6V6h_ZmNWwFMZAf-jIyYG3Oc7PGc-XWrhiCfwN2UsO3tdoD_ORHCE_TsCP4f8msr7h2rymPSLZk-xSFRhXbdmqGe4HOF9uz3z1rGVxPypJAOsoGCn6_sU/s640/DSC02380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Goodnight, Orbit<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMGBozSJb738xGVNqm4mnL4FZeKi5kUe_YEAA20to9EXHy0u1iye8DYu0mczphCfsich4JpJlVi5FVfj25iry2eyisdjo74-z3lcgRGEtUSJtGCuIQ7cnsffafAvJ08CTkyRSvsTIYJU/s1600/DSC02381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMGBozSJb738xGVNqm4mnL4FZeKi5kUe_YEAA20to9EXHy0u1iye8DYu0mczphCfsich4JpJlVi5FVfj25iry2eyisdjo74-z3lcgRGEtUSJtGCuIQ7cnsffafAvJ08CTkyRSvsTIYJU/s640/DSC02381.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Goodnight, beautiful rings backlit on the Aquatics Centre<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf55T3P5-7cWtS3ZguXeNoG2sxc3mIWF2ZeOi087_1ijNnTnP5PFAg-NfmiUs5Vn1lc32cGQcpJDyUpwQlDg-oIZs_I0CDiEwfLj1W7z55LeUFKEHzyv4vaTrUdyn-sFd8Py1_95Hw144/s1600/DSC02406-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf55T3P5-7cWtS3ZguXeNoG2sxc3mIWF2ZeOi087_1ijNnTnP5PFAg-NfmiUs5Vn1lc32cGQcpJDyUpwQlDg-oIZs_I0CDiEwfLj1W7z55LeUFKEHzyv4vaTrUdyn-sFd8Py1_95Hw144/s640/DSC02406-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Goodnight, lovely spectators from all over the world<br />with colorful flags I so adore<br /><br />And goodnight to the police (in yellow) who helped keep us safe<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SfM7IVATAmEtRN3CdEHK77HY4AVWMGgn0OenE54znYIo56rOIJq7ZLdlp5qRV_MwIKrhYAeewogCUjhLtMEOBBhAG6w2ADNeJV_Gqd_TLaWcNqQuFz3ZMOMSMTY6q1QuRRkuGsEc95Q/s1600/DSC02387-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SfM7IVATAmEtRN3CdEHK77HY4AVWMGgn0OenE54znYIo56rOIJq7ZLdlp5qRV_MwIKrhYAeewogCUjhLtMEOBBhAG6w2ADNeJV_Gqd_TLaWcNqQuFz3ZMOMSMTY6q1QuRRkuGsEc95Q/s640/DSC02387-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO. MANY. PEOPLE.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I am about to turn into a pumpkin,<br />so home we go via tube and then train<br />(2 hours, door-to-door)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQzNEA5ZpoaLVxM5gk6lwWqusimTR5tEXaarYAnkYNRhKf6zkRwXv1PH-md-HBI7q0f-k6OZHRflUkT7tvjeZ2rBlVTKh7gXGZRvN04Qo21WqTG1j-X8L7jxI8qgq_ueQISQJOgGQKBc/s1600/DSC02416-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQzNEA5ZpoaLVxM5gk6lwWqusimTR5tEXaarYAnkYNRhKf6zkRwXv1PH-md-HBI7q0f-k6OZHRflUkT7tvjeZ2rBlVTKh7gXGZRvN04Qo21WqTG1j-X8L7jxI8qgq_ueQISQJOgGQKBc/s640/DSC02416-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />And I fall fast asleep in bed<br />while visions of jumping, running sugar-plums dance in my head...<br /><br />Nighty night ;)<br /><br /><i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">- all photos by me -</span></i><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/temporary_olympic_park_mcdonalds_company_busiest/1475424.html">McDonalds</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Stadium_(London)">Olympic Stadium</a></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>More Summer Olympics Posts:</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/olympic-beach-volleyball.html">Olympic Beach Volleyball</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/london-dressed-for-olympics.html">London Dressed For The Olympics</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/behind-scenes-olympic-opening-ceremony.html">Behind The Scenes: An Olympic Opening Ceremony Performer</a> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/summer-olympics-i-just-cant-get-enough.html" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Summer Olympics: I Just Can't Get Enough</a> </span><br /><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-summer-olympic-games.html" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Summer Games Begin</span></a><br /><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-olympic-torch.html">The Olympic Torch</a></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/signs-summer-olympics-are-coming.html">'Signs' The Olympics Are Coming</a></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://happyhomemakeruk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/let-games-begin-olympic-tour.html">Let The Games Begin: An Olympic Tour in 2011</a> </span></div></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

A Day At The Olympic Park

Posted By Happy Homemaker UKHeadlines of yesterday's newsMy first and last chance to visit The Olympic Parkduring the Games...A night to remember!As if you were by my side,here's 'our' highlightsEnjoy!Walking Out Of Tube StationGates remain open for a speedy exitPink signage everywhereCrowds flow ou…

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