A crowded city

[peterbirks]

Shortly before 1pm today it will be announced that either Paris or London will host the 2012 Olypmpic Games. The BBC News will then show shots of keen fans looking at big screens set up in a public place, either cheering or looking bereft.

In London it's going to be Trafalgar Square.

Have these people ever been to Trafalgar Square on a summer's day? I mean, how many people from London do they expect to be there? I would reckon that fans from Paris and Madrid will outnumber the Londoners (none of whom particularly want London to host the games anyway). There might be a few people from the UK, but the majority of those in Trafalgar Square at this time of year are kiddy tourists being shepherded around by harrassed schoolteachers. I know that one of the justifications for tourism is the amount of money that tourists bring into the London economy, but I don't see how 30 teenagers with about 30 euros in their pocket between them are going to provide an economic stimulus. Investment bankers, yes, rich tourists, yes. Thousands of kids blocking the pavement. Well, not really.


One of the hot bands at the moment is Antony & The Johnsons (Anthony and the Johnsons? Anthony and the Jonsons? Ah, the pains of the silent "h"). I was listening to Sparks on the walk to work this morning and it struck me how influenced Anthony has been by Ron and Russell Mael. A great band, somewhat misunderstood at the time, I feel.

Comments

Not none...

[jellymillion.livejournal.com]

I want it. My kids will be 13 & 11 in 2012, I rather like the idea of being able to take them to the Olympics in London. Actually, I rather like the idea of taking them to Madrid as well, but logistically that would be rather more tedious. Paris? I suppose so, if we have to but it's not on my list of favourite cities, unlike Madrid.

Mike

Paris is one of my favourite

[iadams.livejournal.com]

cities, so I'm already looking forward to the excuse for going for a fortnight to get away from the overcrowding in London.

And another thing...

[jellymillion.livejournal.com]

... the announcement is on Wednesday. Today is Tuesday. Or it was the last time I looked. But you fooled me - I went for a stroll at lunchtime and listened to the radio to find out the result. Result came there none.

Suggest you edit the post but leave the comments so I can appear to be a complete idiot...

Re: And another thing...

[(Anonymous)]

Please please please, fingers crossed we lose this bid. I can't bear the thought of tens of thousands of extra visitors to this city. The infrastructure can't cope as it is. Imagine the embarrasment of having half the competitors miss the start of the 100 meters due to signal failures at Dollis Hill.

It's bad enough that so much of London is overpriced and run-down. The last thing we need is the whole world finding out.

DY

Re: And another thing...

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

Ahh, mid-40s, and already you are living your life vicariously, Mike. A worrying portent of things to come. "It's not for me, but it would be nice for the kids..." We've heard it all before....

Mr Young (see below), I fear, represents my point of view more accurately.