London’s historic royal parks will play host to several Summer Olympics and Paralympics events in July, August, and September 2012. Throughout the Olympic Games from July 28 through August 11, 2012, there will be six giant screens with live coverage throughout the day for spectators in Hyde Park. Opening and closing ceremonies concerts in Hyde Park will be held on July 27 and August 12. Information about obtaining tickets is found here.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens…and more unusual venues
Filed under England, Europe, London, London 2012 Summer Olympics, Travel & Leisure
Currently aged 99, Dinah Gould will be living her 15 minutes of fame – and more – this July when she carries the Olympic Flame for 300 meters bringing it closer to its destination, the opening ceremonies at Olympic Stadium. After celebrating her centennial birthday on May 23, Dinah will be the oldest in the torchbearers parade for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
8,000 Torchbearers
Prospective torchbearers will walk throughout England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and touch down in Dublin, Ireland. Each was put forward to the nominating committee by someone in their community and will help to transport the flame 115 miles per day across some 8,000 miles over 70 days to travel, via more than 1,000 towns and villages to pass within 10 miles of approximately 95% of the U.K.’s people.
Dinah is getting ready 
… Go Dinah!
Filed under Europe, Lifestyle, London, Travel & Leisure
With the 2012 London Olympics opening date of July 27 drawing near, concerns exist on the hotel front. 15,000 athletes from over 200 countries will attend in addition to press, officials and spectators all pouring into the capital city. Estimates call for between 5 and 6 million people over the two weeks through August 12 which is followed by the Paralympics scheduled for August 29 through September 9, 2012.
Hotel price gouging?
The Telegraph reports that hotel prices in Central London are at least doubled over the rates of summer of 2011. A recent online search of hotel booking sites shows a generous sprinkling of red alert messages: “no rooms available on these dates”, “last room just booked” or “one room left”.
Private accommodation for the 2012 London Summer Olympics
However…
Enter Yahoo! Travel news site here
Stay in a private home during the 2012 London Summer Olympics
Filed under Europe, Hotels, Lifestyle, London, Residential Property, Tips for Saving Money, Travel & Leisure
Though it seemed forever and a day in the future at the time of the announcement, Londoners and others will note that the opening day of the 2012 Summer Olympics is just a year away, with the Olympic torch parade arriving on July 27, 2012.
San Francisco made a pitch as finalist for the Olympics for both 2012 and 2016. While New York City won the chance to compete in next year’s event, lost to London, it was Chicago that took the heat against surprise winner Rio de Janeiro for summer 2016. Let us consider sighing in relief; as it turns out, our hands will be quite full.
Eclipsed only in prestige by the Olympics and soccer’s World Cup, the 34th America’s Cup opening day is set for July 4, 2013 and we should realize how quickly the date approaches.
Filed under Lifestyle, London, San Francisco & California, Travel & Leisure
