Olympic Park and Stadium

The time arrived -- my only Olympic session. In a stadium with 79,999 other people. I've never experienced a crowd that large.

I was starting to get hoarse by 8pm so had to rein back my shouting for Team GB. Every British athlete was cheered even for warming up.  The highlights were Di Greene just missing the bronze and Usain Bolt receiving his medal for the 100m.

The number of people in the Park was enormous. Every vantage point to view the large screens positioned in the centre of the river was taken. Even the large thoroughfares were divided up to keep people flowing.

The whole park was built along the banks of a river. Much of the park was made to look natural. Especially by the main stadium. Meadow flowers in full bloom covered the river banks.

Check out my photos here

Transport to and from the Park was excellent. I got from the Stadium to Milton Keynes in 90 minutes and was back at Ann's in Towcester by 23:40. Many thanks to Geoff for staying up to drive me on the final leg!!

Ethan Stays the Week

Its English schools holidays so we enjoy Ethan off and on for the next few weeks.

Ethan

Gateshead 10K Road Race

I've been training for this run for a while now and 3 weeks ago I strained my back taking rubbish to the coop. That cleared up reasonably well but was left with a bad case of sciatica which stopped me dead.  The physio Andy got me rolling again a few days before the race. The result was that I had not ran consistently for a month and certainly not a 10K distance.

We decided to run as a team and finish together. We were assigned to the slow group which was at the back of the start line up. 4 groups assembled behind the elite runners. We were due to start about 18 minutes after these fast runners. This ended up as 12 minutes. Each group was started by the Mayor of   Gateshead.

A nice steady down hill first couple of Ks would be our fastest. Once down on the quay side the course was fairly flat apart from some rolling sections by the bridges. The course is roughly an out and back format. The final 2 K were the most strenuous as they required a climb back up to the stadium.  Our time was 70 minutes. Surprisingly I came 41st in my age group!!!

Nice and fresh at the start

The finish was in the stadium on the welcoming tartan track.

Here we are afterwards.

L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria

Jean and I had a couple of days in the Lakes.

Lake Windermere

I've been going to the Lakes since my teens originally for walking and climbing but this trip was to have a new gastronomic experience. We were booked in the hotel and the restaurants of L'Enclume.

Simon Rohan was one of the chefs chosen to produce the Great British Menu this year. The critics praised all of the food he produced but he was asked to cook the final cause of the banquet for the Olympians. L'Enclume is his establishment.

He has a small hotel and two restaurants in the small village. Due to the land availability in the Lakes they are made of 5 separate building. All are within a couple of minutes walk based around the square.

Cartmel village square

On Sunday we were at his bistro restaurant. The full menu that Simon had prepared as entries for the Great British Menu was offered which we could not refuse.

The two meals this weekend struck home the saying "less is more". I wondered why the portions in these places are so small. I was suspicious about it. The first course put paid to that - the intensity of the flavours were a completely new experience for us. To taste just one leaf of a herb or a small vegetable, a fraction of the size that I would eat for Sunday lunch.



The roasted suckling pig was so tender. It had been cooked for 24 hours and was that good Jean even ate the fat and all the crackling!! Lobster and longoustine where the fish course.

The main restaurant L'Enclume opened at 6:30 and we were scheduled to be one of the first. The whole 12 course tasting menu was to take nearly 3 hours.  Here is the menu.

There are too many course to describe in detail here. The overall impression for me was the starters and sweet courses had a greater immediate impact as they delivered startling flavours which were surprises. This perhaps does a disservice to the meat/fish dishes which still were outstanding but with less novelty.

The highlight for me was tasting one leaf which I could not recognised. I had expected a bland sensation but was hit by a far stronger aniseed taste. The disappointment was the venison - not as strong a taste I had expected.

The most novel was the Oyster pebbles. These came in a bowl with real pebbles. At first glance I did not spot the two edible ones. They were places next to two seashore leaves. We were recommended to eat the leaves first. The "pebbles" were meringues flavoured with apple to make them look grey. The emulsion was in the centre.

The wine list was extensive but we passed on the £830 bottle of red.

Just missing my sheep dog

Other photos can be found  HERE

Olympic Torch in Ayr

We went down near the Carrick Lodge Hotel to view the torch pass through Ayr. A good crowd even this far from the town centre.

I managed to get by a change over point between two runners. Before the first runner arrived the receiving running had her torch "primed" to accept the flame.

Here is the exchange.

Unfortunately my photos of the runner actually running was blocked by a "friendly" Met policeman running along side.

Met Danny by chance. Wearing his flash Ayr Storm basketball sweat shirt

Rhys

Burns Festival

In Wellington Square there were large sculptures made of cardboard boxes including this big arch.

Plus a number of musical entertainers and food stalls.