London 2012 Handover Party & Notting Hill Carnival

Well London is basking in the joy of hosting the next Olympics in 2012. The Beijing Olympics have just finished, controversy and all. But hey, you gotta give it to the mainlanders for putting on a magnificent, captivating, flawless opening ceremony - lip synching, aethestically-pleasing child and all. It was all executed with military precision. Hang on! The performers were subject to a gruelling military schedule.

Well, comparatively it's better to be subject to such a schedule and have a guaranteed roof over your head than being scooted out of your own home or being a 'problem resident'. Good on China too for having the best medal tally - suspect-aged gymnasts and all. Need I mention the sell-out venues too? Even if the spectators were rent-a-crowds. Oh but of course! I jest, I jest!! If you want to learn more, here's a good summary

The Olympic coverage over here was a bit random. But I guess each country will televise the sports that their countrymen are participating in, hence the obscure-why-is-this-a-legitimate-Olympic-sport coverage. I'm used to seeing swimming dominate the first few days, but nope, nothing of the sort unless a Brit was competing. Fair enough. I do have to hand it the Brits for their medal tally. For a country usually renown for losing sporting events, yep it sure is a good effort. The media had (several) field days.

Anyway, I digress. The handover closing ceremony was today. It all looked like a bit of fun. Andy Lau was there. Jackie Chan was there. Both were part of the closing song - "Beijing, Beijing, Wo ai Beijing" - cheesy and annoyingly catchy. The handing over to London and the showcasing of the next host city was a bit...embarrassing and tacky? There was something a bit last minute and Rock Eisteddfod about it. I guess the Brits have conceded that they would never equal the sheer perfection of the Beijing games ceremony.

London itself celebrated the handover with a street party near Buckingham Palace.

It was a ticket-only event but we arrived and hey, security was lax and we mingled our way into the crowd. McFly were playing and did a version of ABBA's "The Winner Takes it All". M-People performed! Or at least the lead singer from M-People was there performing her song.

A couple of fighter jets (me thinks) flew by and left their mark.

It was a jolly good time and to mark the occasion I got some exclusive souvenirs.

One day... one day... people will envy my mug and t-shirt!!!!

"Oh, were you at the London Olympics handover party?"
"Yes, indeed I was."
"Wow, that is so darn, freaking cool."

Or something like that.

The party broke up and so we made our way to the Notting Hill Carnival. Probably similar to the carnivals held in Rio and the Caribbean (not that I've been), this was a colourful and noisy affair. I'm getting old; at times, I felt it was a bit too noisy. There were a lot of teenagers loitering around, trying to pick-up members of the opposite sex - again, I'm showing my age.

We missed the parade but saw a few trucks bleating carnivale-type musik.

(T-B, L-R) I was here to try the Caribbean food! Jerk chicken skewers. Jerk chicken and rice. I can't remember why it's purply. I think it's the beans. Fresh coconut juice. Chicken being cooked in a drum. I think it's the convection currents.

At one of the stalls. Yes, I am eating my skewer near a giant bin.

Yes that is Notting Hill in the backgroudn. Ignore the boarded up stores and graffiti. It's not a permanent fixture. Just protection from the rowdy crowds!

Smoke fills the air with all the chicken-y goodness.

Another pit stop for a coconut juice.

Well, I'm pretty glad to tick off the Notting Hill Festival on my to-do list. The only reason why I hadn't been before it is held on a long weekend and I'm usually not in London!