Jubilympics

There is a television show over here called Twenty-Twelve.  It’s a comedic, spoof on-location documentary (or mockumentary as they’ve dubbed it) about the team planning the 2012 Olympics.  Over the series, the Olympic Deliverance Commission (ODC) have to overcome logistical difficulties, production errors, infrastructure problems and troublesome contributors.  Each character’s persona is developed to the extreme.  For instance, the marketing person only speaks in marketing clichés and never actually says anything of substance.  Amanda thinks it’s hilarious.  It’s a bit too much for me & I rarely make it through an entire episode.  If you think you’d like it, BBC America is starting to air it on June 28th.

In one episode of the show, the ODC are trying to figure out how to combine the build up to the Olympics with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  The ever present marketing lady comes up with the word ‘Jubilympics’.  Probably a more literal combination than the organizers had in mind.

However, Jubilmpics is a perfect way to describe our latest weekend in London.  We traveled in to experience the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in their full intensity and also were able to tour a bit of the Olympic Park prior to the Opening Ceremonies. We started off early Monday making our way to London with our most recent guests Ginny and Richard. Upon arriving at Paddington station we tubed towards the Olympic park for a walking tour of the surrounding area. The two hour tour wasn’t quite what we expected with the primary focus revolving around the “legacy” the upcoming games will leave on the city. We knew going into the tour that we wouldn’t be able to get onto the grounds but I think we all thought the general focus we on the different venues were the games are to take place and not on the improved infrastructure that now exists because of the games.

None of that is to say that it was a disappointing tour because it was actually quite interesting and we managed to take more than a few photos of the Olympic park once we got to that part of the tour. It just wasn’t what we were expecting.

Anyway after the tour we had a long tube ride back towards central London and Hyde Park for the Queens Diamond Jubilee concert. The concert was staged in front of Buckingham Palace and only a few thousand tickets had been made available to the general public for the stands that were constructed around the stage. We were not one of the lucky few to get seats at Buckingham but fortunately there were several massive Jumbotrons constructed around Hyde Park for our viewing pleasure. There were also numerous vendors selling everything from tea and coffee to fish and chips. There were even a few burger stands interspersed amongst the more traditional dining fair, although I chose to stick with what the English do best.

The concert was great fun, despite the rain – we’ve just gotten used to being wet,  and featured mostly British artists, past and present, including Kylie Minogue, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, Jessie Jay and Sir Paul McCartney. Oddly enough Will.i.am. even made an appearance and it seems as if he has overrun the country showing up on shows such as The Voice UK and as a torch bearer as it made its way through western England. The concert closed with a fireworks display over the Palace and Prince Charles honoring his mum with brief expression of thanks for her 60 years of service on behalf of the nation.

The next morning, Amanda and I made our way to St. Paul’s Cathedral where the Royal Family was scheduled to arrive for a special Jubilee service for the Queen. We arrived about an hour and a half before the queen’s caravan and had a decent spot to take pictures. Unfortunately, the row of people directly in front of us contained a line of amateur/professional/paparazzi photographers who were perched on stools and ladders effectively blocking the view of everyone from the third row back. Even with this set back we were able to get a few shots of the Queen as she scaled the steps in front of the Cathedral as well as a pretty good shot of all the family leaving after the ceremony.

Her Majesty arriving

Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge leaving the ceremony

Prince Edward & family leaving

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie with Prince Andrew

The Queen being escorted to her car

As we approached lunch time, we made our way to Amanda’s favorite Moroccan restaurant in London, Leon, to meet up with Ginny and Richard before our tour of the National Portrait Gallery. The gallery had on display a Queens Jubilee exhibit celebrating 60 years of the Queen in an artistic collage of paintings and photos. On our way to lunch we unintentionally managed to intercept the Queen on her way to Trafalgar Square and got a few more photos as her cavalcade drove past.

The National Portrait Gallery is one of Amanda’s favorites (I prefer the National Gallery) and the Queen’s exhibit was very well done and had art spanning her sixty year reign that gave a since of all that had transpired during her time on the throne. It really is remarkable how effectively an individual’s life story can be portrayed through art and the exhibit certainly does not disappoint.  (It’s on display through mid-October if you’re going to be here before then, we’ll gladly go again!)

Once the tour was finished we ended our time with Ginny and Richard enjoying a traditional English Cream Tea before making our way back to Paddington and the train home. In all it was a very Jubilmpic trip and delivered some wonderful memories that will stay with us forever.