Tuesday 10 July 2012

The Olympic Torch Relay

Yesterday, I took my family along to see a local leg of the Olympic Torch Relay. We don't have tickets for the games, so I thought this would be a good way to help the children understand that the Olympics is really happening here in the UK and not just somewhere in magical TV land! I was surprised by how much I enjoyed seeing the parade and torch myself.

I hope you will forgive me for sharing a few pictures from the occasion. We watched the parade pass through the pretty village of Waddesdon (home of Waddesdon Manor, for anyone who has ever visited). The torchbearer for this leg of the relay was Tina Read, who was touchingly nominated by her friend to carry the torch. Until yesterday, I was completely unaware that people had been nominated and I assumed all the torchbearers were athletes and celebrities.

Olympic Torch Parade4

Olympic torch

My children really enjoyed themselves and even my youngest really got into the flag waving. Apparently the highlight for them was seeing Wenlock the Olympic mascot. I suspect they have been learning about the mascots at school as I had no idea there were two different mascots (one for the Olympics and one for the Paralympics). They've even made some animated shorts starring the mascots. Who knew?!

Wenlock
Wenlock waving

Olympic Torch Parade2
Miss MB and Son2

Olympic Torch Parade1

Have you been to see the Olympic parade in your local area? Will you be going to watch any of the games in London?

8 comments:

  1. We went on Sunday! I might have had a little weep.....

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    1. Aww, bless you. I found it far more emotional and engaging than I expected to. I certainly welled up when I read the story about the torchbearer.

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  2. We must be in the same neck of the woods, torch came by the school I work at eeearly yesterday morning, so the kids got morning off to watch. They loved it, and the lady who ran with the torch came in for a talk and we got to hold her torch! ;) Love it xxx

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    1. Oh how lovely that the lady came in to talk to the children! We went to see the parade with my in laws, which is about 40 mins drive from where I live. I think the parade made it to Oxford in the evening and I know others from our school got up very early to see the parade the next day. I'm rubbish at early starts! :D x

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  3. I would have loved to go see the games, but sadly didn't get any tickets, although I'm still hoping to soak up the atmosphere around London.
    It's exciting seeing all the signage and marquees/various fixtures for the games go up (work is down the road from one of the venues).

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    1. It'll be really interesting to hear how the atmosphere changes once the games start. I'll be in London the day before the opening ceremony and I'm already nervous about how busy it will be!

      I know a handful of people that got tickets but many more that applied and didn't get any. I'm hoping me children get into it enough for me to watch it on the TV during the day ;)

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  4. ...but but but... isn't Miss MB STILL A BABY?! How did she get so big all of a sudden?

    You have beautiful kids. Mr and Miss L went to see it in Stevenage on Sunday (someone we knew was carrying it) and it was very cool indeed.

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    1. I know, totally not baby anymore!! I can't believe she'll be starting nursery two days a week in September. I still think of her as the little dot from my twitter avatar. They grow up too fast!

      How special that you knew the person carrying the torch. I think it's really good that the parades have been personalised according to the area.

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