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I even know the names of some of her chickens. Chuck is named after her grandfather and Lafayette is the city she lives in. She is really into this urban farming thing and not dealing with processed foods. She's a regular visitor to farmers markets in her home city and at the ferry terminal in San Francisco.
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Day 4 recap
Megan was able to get tickets for us to rowing in Eton, next to Windsor, and up north of Heathrow Airport, so we all met at Waterloo station at 0800 today for the trip up there. I had to add an extension to my zone 1-3 travelcard to cover that location (extra 13 pounds, about $20 RT). Train time was 50 minutes, bus time about 10 minutes, and the 2 mile walk from bus parking to the stands, via the Windsor Race Track, seemed to take a half hour. My feet were sore. Made it to our seats in the stands for about an hours worth of preliminary competition under blue skies. Saw two different U.S. skulls (I think that is the term) race along a long course.
Back to Windsor for pub lunch at the Carpenters Arms (shepherds pie for me with lamb/gravy/peas/mashed potatoes) and a Caledonian summer ale. Walked around Windsor and got the 1428 train back in to Waterloo and retreated to our hotels.
Back out just after 1700 where I met the Coughins at Picadilly Circus. We walked up Shaftsbury and then onto a side street in Soho where Omega has rented two floors of a large facility, including a large patio with big screen TV, for the Olympics. Natalie is an Omega Ambassador and they invited us over. During our visit we watched the Monday night swimming events on the patio, sampled wine, champagne and assorted drinks, and enjoyed everything from squid to duck canapes. Their staff were exceptionally warm and welcoming and we all enjoyed our visit. My friend Sharon in the U.S. told me that Nicole Kidman opened this center over the weekend and there were 400 guests. Nothing like that tonight, and not a celebrity I would recognize in sight or I'd tell you about it. Back to our hotels just after 2200.
I did not take photos at the Omega House aside from one of me.
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Day 5 and 6 recap
Tuesday
Didn't head out until after 10 this morning. First stop was “Eat” where I intended to buy a breakfast sandwich of egg salad and ham, but the pastrami sandwich next to it, on really good looking bread, jumped off the shelf, and I was forced to buy it. Walked down to the Tower of London, found a comfortable bench, and ate my sandwich there. I do love the sandwich shops here in London.
Heard from the Coughlins right after that and headed by train to the London Bridge station and over to the Proctor and Gamble center for a short visit (they turned in some laundry to be done). I walked by the Borough Market and made a new friend:
They had a lunch buffet set up and I had salmon, pork and beef stew. The salmon was delicious. They've really done an excellent job looking after U.S. Olympic Team families and I'm very fortunate that they allow me to come in as a guest of an Olympic family. Thank you, Proctor and Gamble!
Back to London Bridge train station about 1330 and we headed out on the Jubilee Line to Stratford, the hub train station for the Olympic grounds, and from there by cab to Club Speedo, across the canal behind the Olympic stadium, for their family media day. The Coughlins talked to some media while I enjoyed a Diet Coke and view of the Olympic Stadium from the back deck. When the event was over we walked over to the London Overground station at Hackney Wick, about 15 mins away, and worked our way back to our hotels via Overground and Tube. First time for me on the London Overground line. It's not possible to get to Stratford from the Club Speedo side without going through the Olympic grounds, and without event tickets we did not have that access for a quicker route back into the City.
Met up again at 1830 at the Proctor and Gamble center for dinner and swimming. Had a full plate of salad from a huge salad bar, as well as some beef and potatoes. Left around 2200 and took the Tube over to Westminster Tube station for a walk across Westminster Bridge. Got some photos of Parliament and the London Eye. Great to be out in the fresh air after being cooped up inside.
Wednesday
Wednesday my friend Harvey, who I go back with over 15 years and is a constable here in London, joined me for breakfast at my hotel just after 0900. From there Tube over to meet the Coughlins, and we set off to the Imperial War Museum about a mile away by bus (travel cards cover those).
Monty's Tank:
big guns out front:
Spent about 90 mins viewing tanks, rockets, aircraft, submarines, a spying exhibition with an enigma machine, and a very detailed exhibit on the Holocaust with original documents as well as black and white photos and video.
Off by bus/Tube to Proctor and Gamble center for lunch, arriving just before 1400. Zennie, Natalie's mother, and Megan, her sister, had appointments in the salon here to have their hair and nails done at 1500, so Harvey, Jim and me retreated to the “man-cave” below to watch diving from some very comfortable sofas. Back to my hotel around 1630.
Think this trip is starting to catch up with me as I missed my Tube connection between the Circle and Northern lines tonight while reading a freebie Tube newspaper with Olympic coverage. Just wasn't paying attention as I was en route to Proctor and Gamble. Backtracked about five stations and arrived about 20 mins later than planned, just in time for the first swimming event.
Dinner tonight was lasagna, pasta in olive oil, and shrimp. Plenty of other dishes to choose from, too, and the salad bar is proving to be very popular. Left around 2200 and back to our hotels. I did not pass the transfer station and trip only took about 15 minutes.
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Day 7 and 8 recap
Thursday morning I met the Coughlins at their hotel with the intent to walk around the center of London. We got a good start walking across Westminster Bridge, past Parliament and 10 Downing Street, over past Horse Guards, site of beach volleyball, and then over to Trafalgar Square, where I expected a venue with a big screen TV, but not much there except an Olympic countdown clock.
Walked down to Pall Mall and Haymarket where Chase Visa had a hospitality center. Grabbed our free gifts for registering (baseball caps with the London Olympics logo on one side and Visa on the other side). Had some finger sandwiches and a bottle of water and chips. We all registered for a drawing, and before we left 30 mins later Tom was the winner of two tickets to the medal rounds of table tennis at the Excel Center.
Made a quick stop at Proctor and Gamble's center where Natalie's grandmother volunteered to come along with me, and arrived right before the 1430 start.
First match was for the Bronze Medal, Germany vs Chinese Taipei. Second match was for the Gold and Silver Medals and was China vs China. I had never been to a competitive table tennis match before so this was new for me. The audience was very excited about the matches and I got caught up in that, too, cheering for the good serves and plays. Left here just before 5pm and spent the rest of the evening at the Proctor and Gamble family center near London Bridge.
Excel Centre:
China vs China- gold medalist on left and silver medalist on right
Transportation around London, and to and from the Olympic venues, has been flawless. No complaints from me at all.
Should note that Megan and Ethan did make it out to the Olympic Village to meet Natalie for lunch, as she was able to get a pass to come out for a short visit. They went to an Indian restaurant near Carnaby Street and then right back to the Olympic Village.
FRIDAY
Met the Coughlins at their hotel and made our second visit to the Omega House in Soho. Noticed that astronaut Buzz Aldrin had been there since out last visit and there was a photo of him inside. Just had some tea and pastries, and watched some swimming prelims on the big screen in the patio, before we left and met Megan and Ethan at Leicester Square for lunch. I had a Thai chicken curry dish that was mediocre at best (of course, I wasn't at a Thai restaurant, so guess I had that coming).
Afterward we walked up Regent Street to Hamleys Toy Store, my favorite shop in all of London, which was packed to the rafters. We just visited the ground floor which features stuffed animals.
Entrance at Hamley's Toy Store:
Along Regent Street:
From there over to Carnaby Street, with some trendy shops, and Megan and Ethan left us. Next off by train from Oxford Circus to Green Park, and a walk over to Hyde Park to see the entertainment venue with big screen TVs. Marble Arch Tube was closed so we got a bus over to Victoria Station and then Tube back to our hotels. We just walked by and did not enter the fenced area.
At 1900 we met at Proctor and Gamble for dinner and to watch swimming, and left there about 2130 to go back to our hotels.
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Just missed seeing Natalie at USA House next to Royal Albert Hall. Swimmers were being bused in and I couldn't wait around as I needed to get out to LHR for my last night's hotel. Got the 2300 train from Gloucester Road.
I know she is happy with her dozen medals A record she an be proud of, for sure.
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Tom, are the athletes sequestered in the Olympic Village during the entire time of the Games, or do they get to sightsee, etc on days when they are not competing?
Twelve Olympic medals is an amazing records and Natalie will be featured in those "where are they now?" articles for many years to come. Sounds like your Olympics were great yet again. Have a good trip home.
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Hard to say. I know Natalie has only been out twice this week to see family, but she's a team captain and might have more responsibilities there, along with media stuff. I know she's been on both Today and Good Morning America this week, so she may have a full agenda that precludes her from getting out more often. I haven't seen her at all this week, missing her at USA House last night when the team came over around 2330.
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bumped at LHR
Hello from the BA F lounge. Bumped out of my coach award seat LHR-LAX and have an alternate AA routing in business across the Atlantic and continuing on in coach. Just had a burger delivered to my seat (trying to charge my tablet here).
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Safe travels Tom and thanks for a great report. I saw Natalie being interviewed by NBC from my row 1 seat just above the TV booths in the Aquatics Centre on Thursday morning session. I did not know who she was at the time, but I do know when I see a gorgeous interesting woman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom911
I know she is happy with her dozen medals A record she an be proud of, for sure.
And so she should be.
There are so many young stars coming up through the ranks at the moment. I remember the speculation that the banning of all body suits would mean that some oft he world records would stand for along time --> look at how many have fallen with the sheer speed and skill of many of these young men and women.
I can see bright futures ahead for many of them and brilliant race days for us viewers.
((((
