Amy Joins the Party
By Amy
That’s me with a Czech coach.
After sleeping for about 12 hours, I decided to start touring London. The forecast was for a 25 percent chance of rain, so of course it started to rain as soon as I stepped out of the hotel.
First stop of the day – back to the hotel room to get my umbrella. Took the Underground from Euston to Embankment, exited the wrong way, of course, then found my way to the walk along the Thames. Walked past the London Eye to Big Ben, where it really started raining. I took cover under an awning for a little while, as did many others, but then ventured out. From there, I went to Westminster Abbey, saw a group dancing on the lawn, as well as someone spray painting a picture of Jesus.
After that, I headed to Buckingham Palace and it stopped raining for a while. There was a sign posted that there would be no changing of the guards ceremony today, so as I looked at the guards standing outside the doors, I thought they were statues…until they started moving. I could never stand that still for that long!
The womens road race was going right by Buckingham Palace, people were packed in waiting for their arrival, which wasn’t for about 2 more hours. It was a lovely walk back towards Big Ben through St. James’s Park.
I took a boat from Embankment to North Greenwich, a great way to see some of the sights. Saw the London Eye and Big Ben again, London Bridge and Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, and the O2. The O2 is where the gymnastics events are held, but there are many other things inside the building.
I got to see the women’s gymnastics qualifiying round for Japan and Romania, from an impressive suite view (thanks, Leah!). With all four events happening at the same time, it was hard to decide which to watch, but I probably watched the floor exercise the most. Unc met me in the suite, then he, Archie and I had dinner and made our way back to the hotel on the Underground. It was a pretty awesome day!!
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- Jersey Boys. I saw this in NY.
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- Athlete’s Village from the mall.
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- The Westfield Mall next to Olympic Park. The largest mall in Europe
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- The Orbit
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- USA boxers at the mall.
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- at St. James’s Park
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- The London Eye and Me
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- Shakespeare’s Theatre
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- The O2, where gymnastics is held
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- The suite attached to the seat i was in. SWEET!
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- With a Czech coach
Eat at Joe’s 
Super post Amy! Glad you are enjoying so far, despite some raindrops here and there. See you tonight hopefully!
Amy, it sure looks like you are having a great time – all the Olympic experiences and the tourist attractions. A trip of a lifetime!!
FABULOUS post and pictures, Amy! Perhaps to give Unc a break, he should hire you and Leah to go to Russia and Rio with him to help with the blog.
Great report Amy! Excellent photos. (the ducks is a good one)
From your photos and the little bit I’ve watched on TV it looks like there are a fair amount of empty seats. Are tickets available or is everything sold out?
Also, nice to see Joey. Hi Joey!!! (Two weeks down, two weeks to go)
I think Amy’s going to need a personal assistant in Russia and Rio. Better budget for 3. Complimentary writing services.
Dear Sort of…I think you two will DEFINITELY need a chaperone. I am offering my services; salary scale is negotiable, but Joe will have to fork over some big bucks for us!
Dear Amy, Thank you for taking me back to London with you. Sounds like you are doing all the fun things. I hope you have made it to the Snuggery tonight for a home-cooked dinner. Love to you all from the Mother
Joe, nice graphics on the Chinese synchronized divers
Suzette, we had a wonderful dinner at Leah’s!!! DM clearly had a long day, he fell asleep on the tube on our way home…and might still be on it if I hadn’t woke him up.
Made it to the Czech, France, and Swiss houses today, as well as a walk along the Thames and over Tower Bridge.
A HUGE SHOUTOUT to Michigan brother-in-law who is working his last day. Retirement starts tomorrow. Enjoy every minute of it Ed! We had a pint in your honor last night!
Yay, Dad!!!
Congratulations, Ed, although I must admit my joy at your retirement is tempered by insane jealousy! Also big congrats to Gam and Pop (aka Mom and Dad), who today celebrate 63 years of wedded bliss…get wild!!
Afternoon Delight-Congratulations Aunt Sheila and Uncle Joe! I KNOW I won’t be checking on you in the love nest THIS afternoon! PS to Ed-You’ll LOVE it!
“Some enchanted evening you may see a stranger, you may see a stranger across a crowded room(stage)”… Wishing Andrew and Leah an enchanted day-August 1st. 2012
Yes, hard to believe 1 year tomorrow. Thanks Suzette the Mother! Congratulations Uncle Joe and Aunt Sheila on your anniversary and Ed on your retirement. We did toast all life milestones in the Southwark Tavern last night, and the meetup of Team Blog and most of Team Top Floor after a lasagna dinner next door to the Snuggery. We were surrounded by other groups of Team USA fans who were in the mood to be loud Americans. I still haven’t had time to organize photos and a writeup about the weekend Road Races but I will soon. How did July pass so quickly?!
Amy, awesome job on your debut! Sounds like you are having a spectacular time! Glad we have you and Leah to hear from this year…seems like DM might be busy with that silly newspaper…you’d think the family would come first, ya know? Anyway, congrats to all the celebrations on this post and keep the London news coming! Also…some suggestions to NBC: I am unable to stay up till midnight every night, please please put the good stuff on earlier. And STOP GIVING AWAY THE RESULTS SO EASILY! (rant over, thank you)
Trisha,
Maybe you already know this, but you can watch a number of good events on a live feed at http://www.nbcolympics.com. Right now women’s gymnastics team final is on (12:30p.m.)
I watched Lochte beat Phelps live this way.
I did have to sign in through my cable company (Optimum) and create a user and password, but other than that small annoyance it’s easy.
Say hi to Julia!
Thanks Anne! I do have the NBC Olympic app that I just watched the women’s final on – yay for a slow work day! But I’d like to watch some stuff on my couch and be surprised! Oh well I’ll take what I can get. Thanks for the info though.
As painful as it is for me to agree with Patricia, I feel I must! I don’t generally like surprises, but I decided not to find out about the women’s “genastics” (in Julia-ese) finals until tonight, also on the couch. I opened the computer to check my e-mail, and there was an alert from – yes – the Times, shouting out the result in my list of e-mails ; I didn’t even have to open it, as it was right there in the title. Maybe “click here for results if you don’t want to be surprised” would be better? Note that I didn’t blurt out the results here!!
It’s so much better for my physical and mental health to know ahead of time! 🙂 🙂
Yes I concur #2. On every possible media outlet, the results are in your face. Not even an option to keep the suspense. If NBC wants the prime time ratings then at least try to make it a surprise. I will now punish them tonight by going to bed early as I have already watched the womens finals! So there NBC!
the days of keeping the results secret are long gone (that cat is out of the bag – right tarzan?)
because, as you know, everybody else (the whole world) is reporting live.
nbc should be showing the events live and then replaying or showing on one of their other stations at night.
I agree, Joanne, but I can sleep in tomorrow, so I thought I’d stay up late like a big girl and be surprised by something! I at least want the option to know or not know. Currently watching a pretty darn exciting water polo match! There’s so much on, it’s hard to choose. Just got a news alert from the Times about Phelps!! LADY ANNE OF SCARSDALE!! MAKE THEM STOP, PLEASE! Note to Patricia: it doesn’t sound like your clients are getting your full attention! Or any, for that matter. I would expect, however, that the NBC executives are writhing in agony at their fall from your good graces…their ratings will suffer tonight!
OMG! Another text alert spoiler! I’m glad the Times is so on top of things, but really…a hint would be fine!!
My thoughts exactly Anne, just show it when it’s on!!! I know NBC will be tormented by my absence tonight #2 but they deserve it. I’m mad at their terrible broadcasting decisions. Although I still love my Matt!
Ps…I am, however, glad that Michigan sisters blood pressure will remain stable tonight!
@ #2 sister, you could just turn off the alerts: http://www.nytimes.com/myalerts
@ G&P Happy Anniversary even though you and I know it was yesterday but your two daughters insist it is today. I’m going with G&P on this one. they were there.
@ ED, How is retirement so far?
@ Leah, Thanks for a delicious dinner
@ Andrew, thanks for the pint
@ QAL, I miss you!
@ Suzette, I have finally seen the snuggery
@ CANDT2ANDJ, have you turned Julia into an Olympics fan?
@ everyone reading but not commenting, feel free to join in.
This is what we were up to today: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/07/31/sports/olympics/womens-gymnastics.html
Nicely done by Jordan and by the NYT crew! And thank you for the tip…it might possibly be beyond my techno ability, but I’ll give it a try!
Julia is definitely a fan. Whenever we mention the olympics she says “OLYMPICS!!!”. She’s mostly intrigued by the swimming and of course the genastics. I believe she thinks she does what they do on tv! Are you enjoying the games DM?
When I had her the other day, the Today show had some clips of genastics. She was transfixed! “WOW! Loot, (aka “look”) Dramma…dere flipping over and over!” this morning she heard the theme and started yelling, “Olympics!! Olympics” after the first few bars. Her mother has trained her well!
Yay Jordyn and Team USA. Yay NYT team. Nice work!!
Uhhh…Joanne, would that have been a spoiler????
Sure has been a long morning with no new posts on here…and very few posters actually work during the day! Wouldn’t mind hearing from the Londoners. Hint hint.
Doesn’t sound like you’re doing much work either, T! Although I do agree with you…if we don’t get some action on here, we may have to demand our subscription money back! Note to Amy – did you think you went there for your personal enjoyment??! It was solely to keep us informed so we could live vicariously through you!
I don’t have time to work, I have to keep checking the blog!!!
Of course! What was I thinking??
tonight. i promise
Don’t be pressured by that Yustein woman, Joe! By the way, NBC announces “Spoiler Alerts.” NYT, not so much. Just sayin’. 🙂
Ok, another post is in the works, but in the meantime, check this out:
Damn cool!
I have to keep busy during the day, seeing the sights and taking pictures so we can add to the blog. Leave the hotel in the morning, get back at night…tough crowd!! 🙂
That was so cool! The information is amazing! I see that one of the photos is attributed to #1 Nhewep’s friend and former co-worker Doug Mills. Be sure to give Mr. Mills a shoutout from Ed, Joe!
@Amy…not feeling any pity for your difficult life over there!! Maybe fewer pints and more blogging are in order!
Interactive, very cool!!! (splish splash)
Also very cool, the Das piece about how they get the cameras underwater:
Pints? Ask her about her Tuscan Sunset!!!
It was only 1!! But it was the best 1 I’ve ever had!
Uh oh…I’ll leave that one for her mother! Although I seem to remember Michigan sister attempting to act out “toast” in a game of Cranium after throwing down a few glasses of DM’s sangria. Priceless!
You should have seen her after one drink at Fed’s!
If you watch the video of the Today Show interview at beach volleyball this morning you can see Amy http://todayinlondonblog.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/08/01/13069636-beach-volleyball-and-its-dance-squad-takes-today-by-storm?lite About 1:45 into it, on the far right.Beach volleyball (and its dance squad) takes TODAY by storm
todayinlondonblog.today.msnbc.msn.com
Amy! We need photographic evidence!! (Coming from #2 sister, who had to be driven home to Cape Porpoise after 3/4’s of a Margarita at Pedro’s!)
Also @Amy. I believe that Ryan Lochte is single. And you know how to swim. Match made in heaven, or what???
@DM, I know it’s very late where you are and you should be sleeping. But I just heard you went back to work to post on the blog. Don’t let us bully you into giving up your sleep!!
I agree with Joanne! You’re not getting any younger, and you need your sleep!! Go back and go to bed.
Love your tv debut Amy!!! You met Matt!!! Did you remember to tell him I said hi? I agree with the sisters that DM should not go out of his way to blog for us. We can survive on commenting alone!
Btw what’s in a Tuscan sunset??