Alex's Historical Fiction

Olympics 2012

Being a typical Brit, I reckoned we wouldn't get the Olympics, though didn't doubt our bid team was doing a good job. But, again, sometimes, nice things do happen! What a lovely surprise. And in Trafalgar Square, as people went wild, the 'victory' music from William Walton's Henry V was played, which was also extremely apt. More apt than a lot of people might appreciate, as, of course, Henry V is the Brits vs the French, and for this Olympic bid, it got down to either London or Paris. Can't help feeling a little regretful for the French, though, as they haven't had the Summer Olympics since the 1920s, I think, and perhaps they're overdue a visit now; they been trying to get it for the last three or four times, but can't even expect to get the 2016, as it will probably got out of Europe.

We last had the Olympics in 1948. I sort of reckoned, that I wouldn't see them in this country within my expected lifespan, so as long as I'm still around in 2012, I'll be going :-)

As a downer, I have to say my fellow archaeologists were damning the games within hours of London winning the bid. Is it no wonder I can't stand the profession any more? But at least a few voices subsequently spoke up in an optimistic manner. I understand the prevailing conditions in archaeology (after all, I am actually a victim of them) but I feel so much bettter when I keep my distance from my archaeological colleagues.

posted by Alex Bordessa @ Thursday, July 07, 2005