Gold Medal Basketball
I am in utter disbelief that I leave tomorrow morning back to the United States. I'm inherently having a plethora of mixed feelings. One the one hand, I am very excited to see my family, my girlfriend, and a few of my friends. However, for the first time, I don't miss my home town at all. I don't miss Eugene, Oregon. I am so beyond ready to move on and live in a faster pace environment. It's a good thing I only have ten days in Oregon before moving to San Francisco. My original flight home was set for August 20th, but I ate the $250 flight change fee to surprise Sarah. She has no idea that I'm coming home a week early, but I've set something up with a few of her friends to make it work. I fly from London to Chicago, Chicago to Denver, and Denver to Eugene - 21 hours in total. It could be a lot worse. I'm just going to relax today, exercise, pack, and clean up around the house. Two nights ago, I reached the apex of my 4.5 month journey at the Men's Gold Medal Basketball game.
There I was, heaven on earth two rows back at the Gold Medal Basketball game in a rematch of the 2008 Beijing game: Team USA v. Spain. Spain created an interesting issue for the USA team because they have three talented NBA players that were all over 7 feet tall, and we are a notoriously small basketball team with only one true center on the roster. Team USA came out of the gates unconscious, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant hitting three pointers left and right. After the first quarter, it appeared as if USA would run away with the game. However, America led by only one point at halftime. The third quarter was back and forth again, but America was up four going into the final quarter. To be honest, I wasn't enjoying the game as much as I should have been. I was a nervous wreck. My shirt was drenched in sweat. My worst nightmare was attending the Gold Medal Basketball game that the USA lost to Spain. We were heavy favorites going in, by 21 points to be exact. While I knew that the spread was slightly exaggerated by bettors, I still felt we should win comfortably. When Spain took the lead in the fourth quarter, I thought my worst dream was becoming reality.
Then, Coach K (also head coach of Duke University) inserted a lineup that would take the lead and not relinquish it again: Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul. Kevin Durant hit a couple clutch three pointers, Love and Bryant each had some huge rebounds, and Chris Paul, the floor general, controlled the tempo and played with poise. But it was Lebron James, the reigning NBA Champion, MVP, and my favorite player that shut the door on the Spaniards. Everything fell into place. With Team USA leading by only six points with three minutes remaining, Lebron brought the house down with a tomahawk dunk followed by a subsequent three pointer. Team USA emerged with a 107-100 victory and the Gold Medal.
I was high on life watching the victory ceremony, and must have been one of the last 100 people in the building as I waited until every player and fan had ushered out. I wanted to relish and remember that moment forever, and I'm confident I will. After 4.5 months in London and the European continent, I can safely say I just had the best time of my entire life. I've created so many lasting memories that I will never forget, but the Gold Medal Basketball game will always stand at the top of the pyramid.
There I was, heaven on earth two rows back at the Gold Medal Basketball game in a rematch of the 2008 Beijing game: Team USA v. Spain. Spain created an interesting issue for the USA team because they have three talented NBA players that were all over 7 feet tall, and we are a notoriously small basketball team with only one true center on the roster. Team USA came out of the gates unconscious, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant hitting three pointers left and right. After the first quarter, it appeared as if USA would run away with the game. However, America led by only one point at halftime. The third quarter was back and forth again, but America was up four going into the final quarter. To be honest, I wasn't enjoying the game as much as I should have been. I was a nervous wreck. My shirt was drenched in sweat. My worst nightmare was attending the Gold Medal Basketball game that the USA lost to Spain. We were heavy favorites going in, by 21 points to be exact. While I knew that the spread was slightly exaggerated by bettors, I still felt we should win comfortably. When Spain took the lead in the fourth quarter, I thought my worst dream was becoming reality.
Then, Coach K (also head coach of Duke University) inserted a lineup that would take the lead and not relinquish it again: Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul. Kevin Durant hit a couple clutch three pointers, Love and Bryant each had some huge rebounds, and Chris Paul, the floor general, controlled the tempo and played with poise. But it was Lebron James, the reigning NBA Champion, MVP, and my favorite player that shut the door on the Spaniards. Everything fell into place. With Team USA leading by only six points with three minutes remaining, Lebron brought the house down with a tomahawk dunk followed by a subsequent three pointer. Team USA emerged with a 107-100 victory and the Gold Medal.
I was high on life watching the victory ceremony, and must have been one of the last 100 people in the building as I waited until every player and fan had ushered out. I wanted to relish and remember that moment forever, and I'm confident I will. After 4.5 months in London and the European continent, I can safely say I just had the best time of my entire life. I've created so many lasting memories that I will never forget, but the Gold Medal Basketball game will always stand at the top of the pyramid.
Gold Medal Men's Soccer Game
Going to Wembley Stadium should be on every sports fan's bucket list. The Gold Medal Men's Football Game was one of the few tickets Oliver and I were lucky enough to get through CoSport's online ticketing distribution system. Unfortunately, the USA men didn't even make the tournament. The women, however, were busy winning the Gold Medal! The match ended up being a battle between Mexico and Brazil. I don't know very much about individual soccer players at the professional level, but I played through high school, so I know the rules, tempo of the game, and talent when I see it.
The train ride to Wembley was complete madness. Brazilians and Mexicans were dressed in their country's respective national colors, screaming their heads off, chanting, in preparation for the Gold Medal Game and momentum heading into the World Cup. I found myself rooting for Mexico, our North American neighbors. Considering that the west coast has millions of Mexican-American citizens, I just kind of felt like they were a big part of our nation's culture. Walking up to the stadium I began to feel nostalgic. Wembley is not just a soccer stadium, it's also an historic national landmark for Great Britain. When I got inside and sat down at my seat, I looked around in silence just soaking everything up. The 80,000 people packed into Wembley was one of the most aesthetically pleasing sports moments I've had. When the wave started, it felt different from other waves. There was something about Wembley you cannot explain to people unless they have been there themselves.
It seemed as soon as the game had started, Mexico scored a goal on Brazil. It took a mere 28 seconds and was apparently the fasted recorded goal scored in Olympic History. Mexico dominated much of the game and led at halftime 1-0. In the second half, Mexico got a free kick right in front of my seats and headed it in: 2-0 Mexico. When the final bell rang, there were four minutes of added time left. The Mexican fans began to get animated, while Brazilians looked miserable. However, before the celebrations could begin, Brazil scored on a breakaway goal to make it 2-1. Then, with 30 seconds remaining, the Brazilians missed a perfect opportunity to tie it up. Mexico had won it's first and only Gold Medal of the 2012 London Olympic Games. The celebrations outside the stadium had commenced.
The train ride to Wembley was complete madness. Brazilians and Mexicans were dressed in their country's respective national colors, screaming their heads off, chanting, in preparation for the Gold Medal Game and momentum heading into the World Cup. I found myself rooting for Mexico, our North American neighbors. Considering that the west coast has millions of Mexican-American citizens, I just kind of felt like they were a big part of our nation's culture. Walking up to the stadium I began to feel nostalgic. Wembley is not just a soccer stadium, it's also an historic national landmark for Great Britain. When I got inside and sat down at my seat, I looked around in silence just soaking everything up. The 80,000 people packed into Wembley was one of the most aesthetically pleasing sports moments I've had. When the wave started, it felt different from other waves. There was something about Wembley you cannot explain to people unless they have been there themselves.
It seemed as soon as the game had started, Mexico scored a goal on Brazil. It took a mere 28 seconds and was apparently the fasted recorded goal scored in Olympic History. Mexico dominated much of the game and led at halftime 1-0. In the second half, Mexico got a free kick right in front of my seats and headed it in: 2-0 Mexico. When the final bell rang, there were four minutes of added time left. The Mexican fans began to get animated, while Brazilians looked miserable. However, before the celebrations could begin, Brazil scored on a breakaway goal to make it 2-1. Then, with 30 seconds remaining, the Brazilians missed a perfect opportunity to tie it up. Mexico had won it's first and only Gold Medal of the 2012 London Olympic Games. The celebrations outside the stadium had commenced.
The Quadruple-Header
After 4 months of waiting, Olympic Basketball at North Greenwich Arena had finally arrived. I was entering it full steam ahead, with 10 straight hours of games ahead of me. The first match-up was Russia v. Lithuania, followed by France v. Spain. I had tickets to both the morning and evening sessions, two sets of two games. The evening match-ups were Brazil v. Argentina and Australia v. USA. I've been a basketball player and fan man entire life. Who am I kidding, I've dedicated more hours to reading, practicing, and learning about professional basketball than anyone I've ever met. For me, ten straight hours of basketball was heaven. It was the quarterfinals, with the winners from each game advancing to play each other in the next round: do or die, win or go home. Unlike the NBA playoffs which is best of 7, the Olympic format is more closely aligned to March Madness, giving it an extra dose of excitement. As my favorite sports writer Bill Simmons eloquently stated:
"The tournament has a staggering amount of world-class talent on hand, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant (NBA superstars); the Gasol Brothers, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kevin Love, Tyson Chandler, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook (NBA stars); Andrei Kirilenko, Nene Hilario, Anderson Varejao, Leandro Barbosa, Serge Ibaka, Nicolas Batum, Boris Diaw, Luis Scola, Andre Iguodala, James Harden, Kevin Seraphin and Anthony Davis (legitimate NBA players); Alexei Shved, Jonas Valanciunas, Sergio Llull, Victor Claver, Nando de Colo and Pablo Prigioni (future NBA players); Tiago Splitter, Carlos Delfino, Patrick Mills, Linas Kleiza, Jose Calderon, Ronny Turiaf and Andres Nocioni (NBA bench guys); and Viktor Khryapa, Sergey Monya, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Darius Songaila, Rudy Fernandez, Alex Garcia, Sergio Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Navarro, Mickael Gelabale and David Andersen (former NBA players). That's 48 quality players, not counting all the other sneaky-decent guys strewn throughout this day."
It is easy to see why I couldn't wait for this day to come. Out of all the games, I was least interested in the Russia v. Lithuania game. While they did have a former NBA All-Star, Andrei Kirilenko, the other players were not as interesting to me. In addition, they all had confusing and hard to pronounce names, so I couldn't follow as closely as I would have liked. I still enjoyed watching the game. Basketball is basketball. However, there were a few points in which I was sorely disappointed. The DJ was horrible, and after 7 years to prepare for the Olympics, I was dumbfounded that they couldn't manage to put an instant replay system into North Greenwich Arena (The 02). Russia was the number one seed, and defeated Lithuania 83-74 without too much difficulty.
I was much more involved in the second game: France v. Spain. Both teams were loaded with NBA players including a few All-Stars. Tony Parker, the point guard for France, is one of my favorite players as he plays the same position as me. Spain has the Gasol brothers who are both over 7 feet tall, as well as 5 other NBA players. It turned out to be a great game to watch. France led the entire game and by one point going into the 4th quarter. When the 4th quarter started, France went ice cold and couldn't hit a single shot. Spain began to pull away, but things got rather confrontational between the two sides. There were two unsportsmanlike fouls, including one really dirty play in which France's Nicolas Batum punched a Spanish player in the groin area. Needless to say, Spain won the game. You can watch the video of the punch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvecHAxvw6U
There was a two hour break in between games, so I went to a restaurant in the 02 Center and ate way too much food. I wasn't even sure if I was going to enjoy the next few games because I was so full. I was lucky there was a two hour break in between. The next game seemed to go by rather quickly, maybe because I was so excited to see Team USA play. Argentina shot the lights out, but somehow Brazil stuck around in the game and made it close. Argentina ended up winning the game by 5. I was hoping Brazil would win because Argentina is the only team to beat the USA several times since year 2000, even winning the Gold Medal at the 2004 Games in Greece.
Once the USA game started, my attention was zoned into the court. Surprisingly, Australia gave them a great fight - for 3 quarters. At one point in the second half, they were only down by 4 points! I couldn't believe how close it was. However, once the fourth quarter started, the USA blew the door open. They won the game by 33 points. The best part was that Lebron James, my favorite player and whose jersey I was wearing, recorded the first triple-double in USA basketball history with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. By the end of the day, I was completely exhausted. 10 hours of basketball can really take it out of someone, but it was well worth it. In two days, the USA would match-up against Argentina in the semifinals.
"The tournament has a staggering amount of world-class talent on hand, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant (NBA superstars); the Gasol Brothers, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kevin Love, Tyson Chandler, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook (NBA stars); Andrei Kirilenko, Nene Hilario, Anderson Varejao, Leandro Barbosa, Serge Ibaka, Nicolas Batum, Boris Diaw, Luis Scola, Andre Iguodala, James Harden, Kevin Seraphin and Anthony Davis (legitimate NBA players); Alexei Shved, Jonas Valanciunas, Sergio Llull, Victor Claver, Nando de Colo and Pablo Prigioni (future NBA players); Tiago Splitter, Carlos Delfino, Patrick Mills, Linas Kleiza, Jose Calderon, Ronny Turiaf and Andres Nocioni (NBA bench guys); and Viktor Khryapa, Sergey Monya, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Darius Songaila, Rudy Fernandez, Alex Garcia, Sergio Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Navarro, Mickael Gelabale and David Andersen (former NBA players). That's 48 quality players, not counting all the other sneaky-decent guys strewn throughout this day."
It is easy to see why I couldn't wait for this day to come. Out of all the games, I was least interested in the Russia v. Lithuania game. While they did have a former NBA All-Star, Andrei Kirilenko, the other players were not as interesting to me. In addition, they all had confusing and hard to pronounce names, so I couldn't follow as closely as I would have liked. I still enjoyed watching the game. Basketball is basketball. However, there were a few points in which I was sorely disappointed. The DJ was horrible, and after 7 years to prepare for the Olympics, I was dumbfounded that they couldn't manage to put an instant replay system into North Greenwich Arena (The 02). Russia was the number one seed, and defeated Lithuania 83-74 without too much difficulty.
I was much more involved in the second game: France v. Spain. Both teams were loaded with NBA players including a few All-Stars. Tony Parker, the point guard for France, is one of my favorite players as he plays the same position as me. Spain has the Gasol brothers who are both over 7 feet tall, as well as 5 other NBA players. It turned out to be a great game to watch. France led the entire game and by one point going into the 4th quarter. When the 4th quarter started, France went ice cold and couldn't hit a single shot. Spain began to pull away, but things got rather confrontational between the two sides. There were two unsportsmanlike fouls, including one really dirty play in which France's Nicolas Batum punched a Spanish player in the groin area. Needless to say, Spain won the game. You can watch the video of the punch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvecHAxvw6U
There was a two hour break in between games, so I went to a restaurant in the 02 Center and ate way too much food. I wasn't even sure if I was going to enjoy the next few games because I was so full. I was lucky there was a two hour break in between. The next game seemed to go by rather quickly, maybe because I was so excited to see Team USA play. Argentina shot the lights out, but somehow Brazil stuck around in the game and made it close. Argentina ended up winning the game by 5. I was hoping Brazil would win because Argentina is the only team to beat the USA several times since year 2000, even winning the Gold Medal at the 2004 Games in Greece.
Once the USA game started, my attention was zoned into the court. Surprisingly, Australia gave them a great fight - for 3 quarters. At one point in the second half, they were only down by 4 points! I couldn't believe how close it was. However, once the fourth quarter started, the USA blew the door open. They won the game by 33 points. The best part was that Lebron James, my favorite player and whose jersey I was wearing, recorded the first triple-double in USA basketball history with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. By the end of the day, I was completely exhausted. 10 hours of basketball can really take it out of someone, but it was well worth it. In two days, the USA would match-up against Argentina in the semifinals.
9.63
I got to Olympic Park at 5:30 and went to the Waitrose grocery store to stock up on food for the main event. Food in the venues have been overpriced and poor quality. While waiting in line, I heard my name called: "Baron?" I recognized the voice but wasn't quite sure who it was. I turned around and it was Alex, my roommate from junior year of college. Unbelievable. Alex works for Oregon Track as the assistant to Vin Lananna, the Oregon and USA track and field coach. It is such a small world. I knew he was in London, but we'd been out of touch because he's two years older than me and had been a working man, with different priorities than partying on campus. I understood, and figured we'd end up becoming close again later.
We ended up catching up over some food outside the grocery store and I quickly learned he had tickets to the event, too. I snuck over to his area, and Alex and I ended up sitting next to each other the entire time. Not a single person even asked me to move. I couldn't believe how fast and flawlessly we bonded again. It was remarkable and it made my night to catch up with him.
Of course, it was also surreal to watch Usain Bolt run a 9.63 and break his own Olympic record. That man is a machine. I cannot even explain how long those ten seconds take when you are in the building. It's almost as if you are watching it in one second sequences, with camera flashes lighting up the Olympic Stadium. Alex told me that Jamaica is the only country that does not have drug testing throughout the year, which is why many Americans are suspect about Jamaica's success in the sprinting events. Regardless, it was a memory I will remember for the rest of my life. Aside from the Men's 100m, it was really cool to see Oscar Pistorius run. Many people opposed his participation and said he belonged in the ParaOlympics, but I tend to disagree. Let the man run. The entire crowd got behind him even though he did not medal. I hope USA basketball can win Gold and create another eternal memory a week from today.
We ended up catching up over some food outside the grocery store and I quickly learned he had tickets to the event, too. I snuck over to his area, and Alex and I ended up sitting next to each other the entire time. Not a single person even asked me to move. I couldn't believe how fast and flawlessly we bonded again. It was remarkable and it made my night to catch up with him.
Of course, it was also surreal to watch Usain Bolt run a 9.63 and break his own Olympic record. That man is a machine. I cannot even explain how long those ten seconds take when you are in the building. It's almost as if you are watching it in one second sequences, with camera flashes lighting up the Olympic Stadium. Alex told me that Jamaica is the only country that does not have drug testing throughout the year, which is why many Americans are suspect about Jamaica's success in the sprinting events. Regardless, it was a memory I will remember for the rest of my life. Aside from the Men's 100m, it was really cool to see Oscar Pistorius run. Many people opposed his participation and said he belonged in the ParaOlympics, but I tend to disagree. Let the man run. The entire crowd got behind him even though he did not medal. I hope USA basketball can win Gold and create another eternal memory a week from today.
My Lucky Day
I must have done something right recently, because I don't know if things could have turned out any better for me today. I will start from the beginning:
My friend Sam came in late last night from Frankfurt, so I told him I'd give him a tour of London and hang out for the day. I haven't seen anyone from my Honors Business cohort since I graduated, so it was great to catch up and hear how everything went on campus during spring term. Sam has a finance and accounting internship for an international investment firm in Germany. He told me he's doing cross currency converting and it's nearly impossible. I feel very blessed I'm not in his position, although I'm sure he's getting paid very well.
Sam and I met at Oxford Circus around 10:00am, walked through Carnaby St. and down to Leicester Square. I felt bad because it was early on Sunday so everything was dead. The weather was also particularly horrific. It's a good thing he's an Oregon boy too because he's used to constant rain.
After Leicester Square, we wandered down to Trafalgar Square so Sam could see the National Gallery and official Olympic Countdown clock. Despite only being a ten minute walk, we hopped on the Tube to Westminister and saw Big Ben and Parliament. To both our surprise, there was a huge gathering along the street. It took us both a few minutes to realize, but we were at the mile one mark for the women's marathon. It was great to see another event, and we lucked out to see the marathon at the very beginning. Everyone had an umbrella but was nonetheless cheering loud and waving their flags.
From Westminister, Sam and I took the Tube to Tower Hill to see the Tower Bridge and London Tower. We lucked out yet again: We were just in time to catch up with the women's marathon at around mile 6 or 7. I had no idea the women's marathon was even on Sunday, let alone where they'd be running. We climbed on top of an arch and had a great view of the race, the river, and London Tower. After the women had run by, we wandered across the Tower Bridge and got some lunch.
I had the classic British fish and chips fix for lunch, which was followed by a trip back to CoSport. I didn't mention this in my previous CoSport post, but they made an error and gave me two wrong tickets to basketball. Instead of Team USA matches, CoSport gave us tickets to the wrong time slot.
I was heated, guns blazing, ready to chew out yet another CoSport employee. I tried my best to enter the building calm and composed, but was ready to explode at the slightest excuse. While I was upset internally, my external poise paid off. The women at CoSport apologized profusely and told us she would return shortly. I was shocked when she returned with two category A tickets to the USA men's quarterfinal game. She said sorry for the mixup, and enjoy the game. WE GOT A FREE UPGRADE! My good luck had just begun.
I had been underwhelmed by Buckingham Palace and explained that to Sam, but he was still adamant about going. We were only there for five minutes when he agreed that yes, Buckingham Palace was overrated.
Our next move was to Hyde Park. Five minutes into the walk, I saw a group of Americans and gave my stereotypical "Go USA" chant. They replied similarly and walked by us. A few seconds later, the older man yelled back, "Do any of you boys want to go to Athletics tonight?" I'm thinking, "Is this some kind of sick joke?" The man explained that his son wasn't able to attend and he had an extra ticket he'd sell at face value for 125 pounds. I had exactly 125 pounds in my wallet. It felt like a minor miracle because I'd seen tickets to athletics on Craigslist for thousands. Needless to say, I jumped on the opportunity. I bought an Athletics ticket for the Men's 100m final for face value in the middle of a park on a whim. Part 2 of my lucky day was at Olympic Stadium.
My friend Sam came in late last night from Frankfurt, so I told him I'd give him a tour of London and hang out for the day. I haven't seen anyone from my Honors Business cohort since I graduated, so it was great to catch up and hear how everything went on campus during spring term. Sam has a finance and accounting internship for an international investment firm in Germany. He told me he's doing cross currency converting and it's nearly impossible. I feel very blessed I'm not in his position, although I'm sure he's getting paid very well.
Sam and I met at Oxford Circus around 10:00am, walked through Carnaby St. and down to Leicester Square. I felt bad because it was early on Sunday so everything was dead. The weather was also particularly horrific. It's a good thing he's an Oregon boy too because he's used to constant rain.
After Leicester Square, we wandered down to Trafalgar Square so Sam could see the National Gallery and official Olympic Countdown clock. Despite only being a ten minute walk, we hopped on the Tube to Westminister and saw Big Ben and Parliament. To both our surprise, there was a huge gathering along the street. It took us both a few minutes to realize, but we were at the mile one mark for the women's marathon. It was great to see another event, and we lucked out to see the marathon at the very beginning. Everyone had an umbrella but was nonetheless cheering loud and waving their flags.
From Westminister, Sam and I took the Tube to Tower Hill to see the Tower Bridge and London Tower. We lucked out yet again: We were just in time to catch up with the women's marathon at around mile 6 or 7. I had no idea the women's marathon was even on Sunday, let alone where they'd be running. We climbed on top of an arch and had a great view of the race, the river, and London Tower. After the women had run by, we wandered across the Tower Bridge and got some lunch.
I had the classic British fish and chips fix for lunch, which was followed by a trip back to CoSport. I didn't mention this in my previous CoSport post, but they made an error and gave me two wrong tickets to basketball. Instead of Team USA matches, CoSport gave us tickets to the wrong time slot.
I was heated, guns blazing, ready to chew out yet another CoSport employee. I tried my best to enter the building calm and composed, but was ready to explode at the slightest excuse. While I was upset internally, my external poise paid off. The women at CoSport apologized profusely and told us she would return shortly. I was shocked when she returned with two category A tickets to the USA men's quarterfinal game. She said sorry for the mixup, and enjoy the game. WE GOT A FREE UPGRADE! My good luck had just begun.
I had been underwhelmed by Buckingham Palace and explained that to Sam, but he was still adamant about going. We were only there for five minutes when he agreed that yes, Buckingham Palace was overrated.
Our next move was to Hyde Park. Five minutes into the walk, I saw a group of Americans and gave my stereotypical "Go USA" chant. They replied similarly and walked by us. A few seconds later, the older man yelled back, "Do any of you boys want to go to Athletics tonight?" I'm thinking, "Is this some kind of sick joke?" The man explained that his son wasn't able to attend and he had an extra ticket he'd sell at face value for 125 pounds. I had exactly 125 pounds in my wallet. It felt like a minor miracle because I'd seen tickets to athletics on Craigslist for thousands. Needless to say, I jumped on the opportunity. I bought an Athletics ticket for the Men's 100m final for face value in the middle of a park on a whim. Part 2 of my lucky day was at Olympic Stadium.
Swimming
Before the Games began I had three priorities. I wanted to see Phelps, Bolt, and the Gold Medal basketball game. At this point, I only had tickets for basketball. I had been playing the Craigslist game throughout the Olympics, buying and selling tickets. I was very pleased to find a ticket to the 4 x 100 men's medley swimming final. I met a couple through Craigslist and we decided to exchange the ticket at King's Cross. After they realized I was a student, they sold me the ticket for face value. I was excited for my first event and my first time in Olympic Park.
I had to leave about three hours early from Potters Bar to make the commute to Stratford International and see the event start on time. First, however, I wanted to spend some time at the Olympic Park just wandering around. While exploring the Park, I noticed the unprecedented size and beauty of Olympic Stadium. From the moment I set my eyes on it, I knew I wanted to get inside.
I really admired the layout of the Park because it felt like a carnival. The two McDonalds on opposite sides of the Park were the size of hotels. I'm confident that their sponsorship is paying off quite handsomely. The swimming arena also stood out with its giant wings. I wanted to go to the top of the highest structure, but I couldn't justify paying fifteen pounds knowing I had to buy gifts for friends and family back home.
I walked over to the London 2012 Megastore and waited in the enormous line for twenty minutes before getting a chance to enter. Inside was consumer pandemonium. There were shirts, sweatshirts, apparel, memorabilia, pins, really anything and everything associated with the Games on sale. The Megastore was utter chaos. I hate environments like that so I tried my best to get in and out quickly. I ended up buying shirts for my girlfriend's brother and my brother, totaling 50 pounds. It could have been much, much worse.
By the time I got out of the Megastore, it was time for swimming. I was alone, so I had to be that annoying person asking people for photos. Events are exponentially more enjoyable when you are with someone, but I had fun regardless. The swimming venue was stunning and very well put together.
I could not believe how loud the crowd got, too! The announcer did a fantastic job getting everyone involved. I had no idea swimming could get so exciting. When Phelps and the other Americans entered, the crowd erupted. He is not just a swimmer, but a celebrity with a net worth over $40 million. I feel very lucky to have go to see him swim during his last Olympics, and even more so get one of his 22 gold medals. He just may be the greatest Olympian ever - certainly the most decorated. As an occasional swimmer for exercise purposes, it was astounding to see some of the longer distance swims. While the shorter races get more publicity, I was more impressed with the men and women swimming for 15-30 minutes at a time. I felt like I would have drowned. My first Olympic event went in the books as a success.
I had to leave about three hours early from Potters Bar to make the commute to Stratford International and see the event start on time. First, however, I wanted to spend some time at the Olympic Park just wandering around. While exploring the Park, I noticed the unprecedented size and beauty of Olympic Stadium. From the moment I set my eyes on it, I knew I wanted to get inside.
I really admired the layout of the Park because it felt like a carnival. The two McDonalds on opposite sides of the Park were the size of hotels. I'm confident that their sponsorship is paying off quite handsomely. The swimming arena also stood out with its giant wings. I wanted to go to the top of the highest structure, but I couldn't justify paying fifteen pounds knowing I had to buy gifts for friends and family back home.
I walked over to the London 2012 Megastore and waited in the enormous line for twenty minutes before getting a chance to enter. Inside was consumer pandemonium. There were shirts, sweatshirts, apparel, memorabilia, pins, really anything and everything associated with the Games on sale. The Megastore was utter chaos. I hate environments like that so I tried my best to get in and out quickly. I ended up buying shirts for my girlfriend's brother and my brother, totaling 50 pounds. It could have been much, much worse.
By the time I got out of the Megastore, it was time for swimming. I was alone, so I had to be that annoying person asking people for photos. Events are exponentially more enjoyable when you are with someone, but I had fun regardless. The swimming venue was stunning and very well put together.
I could not believe how loud the crowd got, too! The announcer did a fantastic job getting everyone involved. I had no idea swimming could get so exciting. When Phelps and the other Americans entered, the crowd erupted. He is not just a swimmer, but a celebrity with a net worth over $40 million. I feel very lucky to have go to see him swim during his last Olympics, and even more so get one of his 22 gold medals. He just may be the greatest Olympian ever - certainly the most decorated. As an occasional swimmer for exercise purposes, it was astounding to see some of the longer distance swims. While the shorter races get more publicity, I was more impressed with the men and women swimming for 15-30 minutes at a time. I felt like I would have drowned. My first Olympic event went in the books as a success.
July 30th
Dr. Tiell's email about how fun July 30th would be certainly rang true for me.
I arrived at the gargantuan Oxford Circus Niketown at around 11:45, and we all talked out front for 45 minutes waiting for the last few students to arrive. It was nice to catch up with people after a few days to find out what they did for the Opening Ceremony and during their days in the city. I found out that Zack and I both had tickets to events together on August 3rd and 4th, boxing and basketball, respectively. It will be a lot more fun going through the experience with someone else than by myself.
Getting from Oxford Circus to St. James place was relatively easy, but it nonetheless reiterated what it's like to travel with twenty people. I've had similar experiences traveling internationally with 20 students in Guatemala and Jamaica, so I had a very high patience for the extra few minutes it required.
Things started slow at the Justice Department building, but once the students, guards, and Olympians arrived, everything started to pick up. I had an absolute blast rolling the dice and playing icebreaker games. It always amazes me how fast you get to know someone through learning random details like their most embarrassing moment or favorite food. I really appreciated how happy and upbeat everyone was and how seamlessly we all bonded. My favorite part was learning what the younger students wanted to be when they grew up. In our group we had a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher. Three of the four kids also said they wanted to live in America for our education. I am very grateful for the opportunities I've had, and hearing these young kids say they want to live in America gave me a great sense of pride.
After the icebreaker games, we had three Olympians give autobiographical speeches filled with anecdotes. I thought the first man was gracious and bright as he repeatedly said how much he valued having a ton of friends instead of money. Clearly, any former Olympian with two doctorates and the networking base he has could have done anything he wanted. Seeing someone choose the path he did was eye-opening.
The former swimmer was an electric, passionate speaker. She seemed so happy, confident and content with her life, which is always refreshing. She had a "spread the love" mantra that obviously bred success for her.
The last woman, a runner from Barbados, hit a major wall when the USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. She emphasized how important it is not to let anyone knock you down, or tell you that you're incapable of doing something.
Overall, all the speakers brought different backgrounds, experiences, and stories to the room, but they all shared a few common themes: 1) follow your dream. 2) practice Olympism and follow the Olympic spirit under all circumstances.
Our group's mini version of the Olympic Games was also extremely fun. We were team blue, Thailand. It was a great idea to have one competitor from the younger students and one from Tiffin. I could not believe how athletic some of my cohort members were. Colleen was extremely impressive doing planks, and Alexandria nearly beat Rocky in a pushup contest. Everyone was laughing, hollering, and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I was disappointed I did not have the requisite attire to go to the banquet, but I was okay with it. No point in dwelling over something I cannot control. I did not know we were supposed to have suits and ties, and I could not afford to buy all of the clothes on the spot. Overall, I had an perfect day hanging out with everyone and getting to know some great kids!
I arrived at the gargantuan Oxford Circus Niketown at around 11:45, and we all talked out front for 45 minutes waiting for the last few students to arrive. It was nice to catch up with people after a few days to find out what they did for the Opening Ceremony and during their days in the city. I found out that Zack and I both had tickets to events together on August 3rd and 4th, boxing and basketball, respectively. It will be a lot more fun going through the experience with someone else than by myself.
Getting from Oxford Circus to St. James place was relatively easy, but it nonetheless reiterated what it's like to travel with twenty people. I've had similar experiences traveling internationally with 20 students in Guatemala and Jamaica, so I had a very high patience for the extra few minutes it required.
Things started slow at the Justice Department building, but once the students, guards, and Olympians arrived, everything started to pick up. I had an absolute blast rolling the dice and playing icebreaker games. It always amazes me how fast you get to know someone through learning random details like their most embarrassing moment or favorite food. I really appreciated how happy and upbeat everyone was and how seamlessly we all bonded. My favorite part was learning what the younger students wanted to be when they grew up. In our group we had a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher. Three of the four kids also said they wanted to live in America for our education. I am very grateful for the opportunities I've had, and hearing these young kids say they want to live in America gave me a great sense of pride.
After the icebreaker games, we had three Olympians give autobiographical speeches filled with anecdotes. I thought the first man was gracious and bright as he repeatedly said how much he valued having a ton of friends instead of money. Clearly, any former Olympian with two doctorates and the networking base he has could have done anything he wanted. Seeing someone choose the path he did was eye-opening.
The former swimmer was an electric, passionate speaker. She seemed so happy, confident and content with her life, which is always refreshing. She had a "spread the love" mantra that obviously bred success for her.
The last woman, a runner from Barbados, hit a major wall when the USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. She emphasized how important it is not to let anyone knock you down, or tell you that you're incapable of doing something.
Overall, all the speakers brought different backgrounds, experiences, and stories to the room, but they all shared a few common themes: 1) follow your dream. 2) practice Olympism and follow the Olympic spirit under all circumstances.
Our group's mini version of the Olympic Games was also extremely fun. We were team blue, Thailand. It was a great idea to have one competitor from the younger students and one from Tiffin. I could not believe how athletic some of my cohort members were. Colleen was extremely impressive doing planks, and Alexandria nearly beat Rocky in a pushup contest. Everyone was laughing, hollering, and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I was disappointed I did not have the requisite attire to go to the banquet, but I was okay with it. No point in dwelling over something I cannot control. I did not know we were supposed to have suits and ties, and I could not afford to buy all of the clothes on the spot. Overall, I had an perfect day hanging out with everyone and getting to know some great kids!
Opening Ceremonies
My opening ceremony experience could not have been any more "British" unless I were to have been inside the Olympic Stadium itself. I ended up going to a bar called the Admiral Byng, the local hangout place in Potters Bar. Inevitably, it seemed like every single person in the 20,000 person town was packed into Admiral Byng with their eyes locked on the screen for 4.5 hours. I was eating fish and chips, drinking lager, and chatting with the locals during the entire Opening Ceremonies. I felt like I was suffocating from British pride in the bar. Through their beaming eyes and stating it themselves, I heard the words "I am so proud to be a Brit tonight" at least 100 times, and for good reason. The 2012 Opening Ceremonies for the London Olympic Games were nearly flawless, a magnificent spectacle of British history, culture, and talent.
I could go on forever detail by detail about the entire Opening Ceremony (after all, it was 4.5 hours long), but for brevity's sake I will keep my post down to the highlights. I loved the British sense of humor throughout the entire Ceremony. First, to have James Bond go to the Queen's Palace and escort her to the Stadium was priceless, particularly via helicopter. While the Queen's entrance was magnificent, it must have been exhausting because by the time her country's athletes appeared on the screen, she looked half-asleep. I also loved seeing David Beckham ride in on a speed boat. I could not believe he was left off Great Britain's Olympic team, so this was a good way to repay him for playing such a big role in bringing the Games to London.
At the beginning of the ceremonies, I was a little confused what was going on with the large mutton chops, grassy hills, and village people. Once the industrial revolution scene began, I started to understand that it was a performance representing the evolution of British society. Many of my favorite British celebrities also made appearances. Although it was not surprising to see the likes of Mr. Bean, JK Rowling, Voldemort, Cruella De Vil, Mary Poppins, or Paul McCartney, I really enjoyed how each person fit into the show. I was disappointed there was not a huge Rolling Stones concert, but I am holding out for the Closing Ceremonies. I think my favorite performance was of the tribute to the NHS. It was so cool that the choreographer was able to incorporate real children and nurses into the show. There were children in their pajamas dancing on the lit-up beds. Whoever had the idea of including NHS into the opening ceremonies had a clear message: free healthcare is very import to us. My only complaint of the opening ceremonies is how long it is. However, with 207 different countries being represented, it seems impossible to trim it down.
I could go on forever detail by detail about the entire Opening Ceremony (after all, it was 4.5 hours long), but for brevity's sake I will keep my post down to the highlights. I loved the British sense of humor throughout the entire Ceremony. First, to have James Bond go to the Queen's Palace and escort her to the Stadium was priceless, particularly via helicopter. While the Queen's entrance was magnificent, it must have been exhausting because by the time her country's athletes appeared on the screen, she looked half-asleep. I also loved seeing David Beckham ride in on a speed boat. I could not believe he was left off Great Britain's Olympic team, so this was a good way to repay him for playing such a big role in bringing the Games to London.
At the beginning of the ceremonies, I was a little confused what was going on with the large mutton chops, grassy hills, and village people. Once the industrial revolution scene began, I started to understand that it was a performance representing the evolution of British society. Many of my favorite British celebrities also made appearances. Although it was not surprising to see the likes of Mr. Bean, JK Rowling, Voldemort, Cruella De Vil, Mary Poppins, or Paul McCartney, I really enjoyed how each person fit into the show. I was disappointed there was not a huge Rolling Stones concert, but I am holding out for the Closing Ceremonies. I think my favorite performance was of the tribute to the NHS. It was so cool that the choreographer was able to incorporate real children and nurses into the show. There were children in their pajamas dancing on the lit-up beds. Whoever had the idea of including NHS into the opening ceremonies had a clear message: free healthcare is very import to us. My only complaint of the opening ceremonies is how long it is. However, with 207 different countries being represented, it seems impossible to trim it down.
Day One
I had been waiting for the group to arrive for a few weeks since I returned to London, and July 26th was the day. I was excited to meet all of the other students and faculty. I woke up at 7am and went to the gym to lift weights, ate a big breakfast, and took the Tube to King's Cross St. Pancras. The other students were staying at Clink261 hostel just a few blocks from the station - prime central location. I was bummed to find out there was no room for me to stay there, but my funds have been very limited so it was probably a blessing in disguise.
I got to the hostel at 11:30am expecting the group to arrive at noon. Traveling with a big group takes exponentially more time, so I wasn't surprised when the first flight of students stumbled in at 1:00. At around 1:45, everyone had settled in and gotten changed, and we were off to search for some food. It took us another half hour to find a place that could seat us all, but we found an English pub that turned out to be well priced and good food. Zack, James, Rocky, and I sat down at a table together and bonded immediately. We all had a lot in common and were easy going. I ordered Chicken Fajitas and an English ale.
At the end of the meal, Dr. Tiell offered to buy a round of shots for some of the students. It was definitely the first time I had taken shots with a professor, but it was a lot fun and something I'll never forget. My drink tasted like mint scope mouthwash. After the drinks, the group gathered outside and embarked towards Hyde Park for a concert. I couldn't believe how fortunate the group was to have sunny weather on their first day because it was nothing like I'd experienced up to date in London. Hyde Park was packed, and so too was the concert venue. Everyone split up at the torch relay concert into groups of four or five, and our group headed straight to the beer garden. The garden served mega beers that were about 1.5 pints of Heineken. I had more than my fair share throughout the concert and was having a great time. Our group was very social, chatting up everyone and getting to know some locals. The only way we could gage whether the group on stage was good or not was through the crowd's cheers, as we had never heard of any of them.
I learned that there were 80,000 fans at the venue in Hyde Park, all partying and enjoying the sunshine. Dizzee Rascal and Eliza Doolittle must have been the headliners of the concert, because they received the biggest roar on stage. For £15, the concert could not have been more worth it. It was such a cheap price to pay for a great time, and seeing the torch on stage was awesome. After tens of cities and traveling along some of London's most famous landmarks, the torch was one night away from the opening ceremonies.
I got to the hostel at 11:30am expecting the group to arrive at noon. Traveling with a big group takes exponentially more time, so I wasn't surprised when the first flight of students stumbled in at 1:00. At around 1:45, everyone had settled in and gotten changed, and we were off to search for some food. It took us another half hour to find a place that could seat us all, but we found an English pub that turned out to be well priced and good food. Zack, James, Rocky, and I sat down at a table together and bonded immediately. We all had a lot in common and were easy going. I ordered Chicken Fajitas and an English ale.
At the end of the meal, Dr. Tiell offered to buy a round of shots for some of the students. It was definitely the first time I had taken shots with a professor, but it was a lot fun and something I'll never forget. My drink tasted like mint scope mouthwash. After the drinks, the group gathered outside and embarked towards Hyde Park for a concert. I couldn't believe how fortunate the group was to have sunny weather on their first day because it was nothing like I'd experienced up to date in London. Hyde Park was packed, and so too was the concert venue. Everyone split up at the torch relay concert into groups of four or five, and our group headed straight to the beer garden. The garden served mega beers that were about 1.5 pints of Heineken. I had more than my fair share throughout the concert and was having a great time. Our group was very social, chatting up everyone and getting to know some locals. The only way we could gage whether the group on stage was good or not was through the crowd's cheers, as we had never heard of any of them.
I learned that there were 80,000 fans at the venue in Hyde Park, all partying and enjoying the sunshine. Dizzee Rascal and Eliza Doolittle must have been the headliners of the concert, because they received the biggest roar on stage. For £15, the concert could not have been more worth it. It was such a cheap price to pay for a great time, and seeing the torch on stage was awesome. After tens of cities and traveling along some of London's most famous landmarks, the torch was one night away from the opening ceremonies.
CoSport
In general, I'm a very optimistic person, always happy and taking the glass half-full perspective. While there were a few bright spots about my day in the CoSport queue, it took every ounce of my being to find them. It was nice to meet a group of people from various backgrounds and bond over a common disappointment in CoSport's poor customer service and efficiency. Moreover, the weather could have been much worse. It was not raining, but it was extremely hot. CoSport tried to make up for everything by handing out Nature Valley granola bars, water bottles, and free umbrellas. I know it is stupid, but I have way too much pride to use an umbrella in the rain, let alone the sunshine.
I arrived at the CoSport will call center at 10:30am, and didn't leave until 5:45pm. I felt terrible because I was supposed to meet Oliver at Niketown Oxford Circus at noon, and because neither of us had cell phones I couldn't let him know it was going to be much, much longer. When I came home with a package full of tickets, he seemed to be fine with it all. While waiting in line, I met a woman that had been to 14 different Olympic Games, and she definitely had the pins to prove it. I knew the queue had gotten out of control when BBC News, London Times, and many other news stations appeared on the scenes for interviews. When I finally got to the front of the line, I could see why it was taking so long. There were tens of employees standing around aimlessly, and only four different help desks. The employees were literally going up to a big room with boxes full of tickets and pulling individual tickets out and placing them in the correct orders. CoSport could not have been more underprepared.
It is shocking to me that they have been the official Olympic Ticket distributor for several Olympic Games. I heard through the grapevine that there has actually been some corruption involved in CoSport's acquisition of official distributor status, such as paying the NOC under the table millions of dollars. In the future, I support dividing the ticket distribution responsibilities amongst several organizations. I believe this would be the only way to void monopolistic behavior and blatant abuse of customers. I paid a total of $296USD in "handling" fees. There is no way I should have had to wait that long in line. After receiving my tickets, I complained to higher management about the wait and they gave me two days worth of Olympic Park tickets.
When I got back to Potters Bar, I was completely drained. It didn't hit me until the next morning how blessed and lucky I am to be given the opportunity to be at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. I quickly got over my CoSport experienced, and relished while thinking the tickets and Games I would be attending over the next few weeks.
I arrived at the CoSport will call center at 10:30am, and didn't leave until 5:45pm. I felt terrible because I was supposed to meet Oliver at Niketown Oxford Circus at noon, and because neither of us had cell phones I couldn't let him know it was going to be much, much longer. When I came home with a package full of tickets, he seemed to be fine with it all. While waiting in line, I met a woman that had been to 14 different Olympic Games, and she definitely had the pins to prove it. I knew the queue had gotten out of control when BBC News, London Times, and many other news stations appeared on the scenes for interviews. When I finally got to the front of the line, I could see why it was taking so long. There were tens of employees standing around aimlessly, and only four different help desks. The employees were literally going up to a big room with boxes full of tickets and pulling individual tickets out and placing them in the correct orders. CoSport could not have been more underprepared.
It is shocking to me that they have been the official Olympic Ticket distributor for several Olympic Games. I heard through the grapevine that there has actually been some corruption involved in CoSport's acquisition of official distributor status, such as paying the NOC under the table millions of dollars. In the future, I support dividing the ticket distribution responsibilities amongst several organizations. I believe this would be the only way to void monopolistic behavior and blatant abuse of customers. I paid a total of $296USD in "handling" fees. There is no way I should have had to wait that long in line. After receiving my tickets, I complained to higher management about the wait and they gave me two days worth of Olympic Park tickets.
When I got back to Potters Bar, I was completely drained. It didn't hit me until the next morning how blessed and lucky I am to be given the opportunity to be at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. I quickly got over my CoSport experienced, and relished while thinking the tickets and Games I would be attending over the next few weeks.
Amalfi Coast
Oliver, Nate, and I arrived in Salerno at about 2:30 in the afternoon on a scorching hot day. The bus headed towards Amalfi was supposed to take about sixty minutes, and come half past each hour. Unfortunately, we barely missed the first bus and were forced to wait until 3:30. When the 3:30 bus pulled up to the station, the driver for some reason wouldn't let us on. We had paid for our tickets, but he didn't speak English so we couldn't understand why we weren't allowed on. We went back to the ticket office and the man explained in broken English that the bus was too full. Finally at 4:30 we were able to catch the bus to Amalfi.
We were actually staying in a town called Minori, just minutes down the road from Amalfi. Between Salerno and Sorrento there are tens of little towns scattered along the coastline, quaint, gorgeous and full of culture. No one spoke English, but I could still manage to get across words like "bathroom" "please" "pizza" "gelato" and "pasta" during my time on the Amalfi Coast. We upgraded to a bed and breakfast in Minori, but it didn't cost us anymore than a hostel would have. I can't tell you how nice it was to have our own bathroom, free internet, and room. These are little amenities that are often overlooked, but for someone on the road two months, I greatly appreciated the small luxury. The bed and breakfast was owned by an Italian family representing three generations, and they treated our group of friends like we were a part of it.
Within a hundred feet of our room was a black sand beach, restaurants, and gelato shops. We were set for a few nights. In fact, we eventually extended our stay from three to five nights. Each day we would take a "city" bus along the snake shaped, winding road to another town. We covered Minori, Positano, Maori, and Amalfi. They all had similarities, but also their own unique characteristics as well. Positano was my favorite and I know I want to stay there on my next visit. The eldest man at our bed and breakfast who seemed to know everyone and everything on the entire Amalfi Coast suggested we go on a hike. He called it the "Sentiero degli dei". Translated into English, it was called the Path of Gods.
The Path of Gods was a 12 km hike from Positano to Amalfi. The trail head is hardly marked other than a small tile sign off the road. From the start it is all up hill: 1750 steps straight up. The stairs alone took 30 minutes and I was already exhausted. I definitely didn't think we were going to make it all the way, and our view was so amazing initially that we contemplated turning back. We didn't. Throughout the 5 hour hike, we saw multi-colored lizards, black snakes, goats, mountains and rain forest. By the end of the hike I was feeling accomplished and deserving. I had earned myself a double scoop of gelato with a side of cannoli. I don't think I ever enjoyed anything as much as that sugar loaded dinner.
We were actually staying in a town called Minori, just minutes down the road from Amalfi. Between Salerno and Sorrento there are tens of little towns scattered along the coastline, quaint, gorgeous and full of culture. No one spoke English, but I could still manage to get across words like "bathroom" "please" "pizza" "gelato" and "pasta" during my time on the Amalfi Coast. We upgraded to a bed and breakfast in Minori, but it didn't cost us anymore than a hostel would have. I can't tell you how nice it was to have our own bathroom, free internet, and room. These are little amenities that are often overlooked, but for someone on the road two months, I greatly appreciated the small luxury. The bed and breakfast was owned by an Italian family representing three generations, and they treated our group of friends like we were a part of it.
Within a hundred feet of our room was a black sand beach, restaurants, and gelato shops. We were set for a few nights. In fact, we eventually extended our stay from three to five nights. Each day we would take a "city" bus along the snake shaped, winding road to another town. We covered Minori, Positano, Maori, and Amalfi. They all had similarities, but also their own unique characteristics as well. Positano was my favorite and I know I want to stay there on my next visit. The eldest man at our bed and breakfast who seemed to know everyone and everything on the entire Amalfi Coast suggested we go on a hike. He called it the "Sentiero degli dei". Translated into English, it was called the Path of Gods.
The Path of Gods was a 12 km hike from Positano to Amalfi. The trail head is hardly marked other than a small tile sign off the road. From the start it is all up hill: 1750 steps straight up. The stairs alone took 30 minutes and I was already exhausted. I definitely didn't think we were going to make it all the way, and our view was so amazing initially that we contemplated turning back. We didn't. Throughout the 5 hour hike, we saw multi-colored lizards, black snakes, goats, mountains and rain forest. By the end of the hike I was feeling accomplished and deserving. I had earned myself a double scoop of gelato with a side of cannoli. I don't think I ever enjoyed anything as much as that sugar loaded dinner.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre was unequivocally my favorite place on the Eurail trip. Five small towns were littered on a northwest coast of Italy, none of them holding a population of more than a few hundred. From north to south, the towns were named Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The five towns were separated by a total of nine kilometers, and they could each be accessed from a stunning hiking trail along the coastline. For less able bodies, there was an inter-rail train available. It was a total of 15 minutes from Riomaggiore to Monterosso on rail. We had four nights in the Cinque Terre and split our time two and two nights between Riomaggiore and Monterosso, but I could have spent a lifetime in either town. The food was reasonably priced at about eight Euros or under for a meal, and it seemed impossibly fresh. The tomatoes literally melted in my mouth, and the pesto was blended in front of my own eyes. The seafood was caught just hours before consumption.
I've never enjoyed running more than I did in the Cinque Terre along the path between towns. I must have knocked an entire minute off my average mile, adrenaline pumping, endorphins flooding to my brain. I was in the zone every morning. Monterosso had a black sand beach along the Mediterranean's translucent turquoise waters. Oliver and I spent the first two days soaking up rays to make up for London's weather. Our only movement came to get double and triple scoops of Italian gelato - hardly overrated. I fell in love with coconut and mixed berry flavours.
On the third day, we decided to hike with our backpacks from Monterosso to Riomaggiore to our next hostel. It turned out to be more like an apartment. A middle-aged Italian women who barely spoke a word of English guided us to the room. She was so sweet and welcoming to us. I was in disbelief that the room was only twenty Euros per night. I would have paid triple that. I was literally a stair's walk to the ocean, and a stone's throw to the most romantic, quaint sunset view I've ever seen. Cinque Terre made me miss my girlfriend tremendously. I decided to write her a note, stuff it in a wine bottle, and send it home to her. I also got her an authentic leather back from a Riomaggiore market.
Simple things like buying food and shopping for gifts were a blast to me. I loved communicating with the locals through body language, smiles, and a combination of my broken Italian and their broken English. It just proves that language goes far beyond what is spoken. There is a universal aspect to communication that crosses language barriers.
Riomaggiore lacked a beach, but it did have huge boulders and cliffs to jump into the sea. You can call me weird, but I actually prefer that to a beach. The southernmost town of Riomaggiore also had better snorkeling.
When it was time to leave, I wanted to extend our stay for a few more days in the Cinque Terre before continuing our journey to Florence and Rome. Oliver talked me out of it, wanting to stay on schedule (in reality he just wanted to meet up with a Spanish girl he met on the plane over to Italy - and who could blame him).
I've never enjoyed running more than I did in the Cinque Terre along the path between towns. I must have knocked an entire minute off my average mile, adrenaline pumping, endorphins flooding to my brain. I was in the zone every morning. Monterosso had a black sand beach along the Mediterranean's translucent turquoise waters. Oliver and I spent the first two days soaking up rays to make up for London's weather. Our only movement came to get double and triple scoops of Italian gelato - hardly overrated. I fell in love with coconut and mixed berry flavours.
On the third day, we decided to hike with our backpacks from Monterosso to Riomaggiore to our next hostel. It turned out to be more like an apartment. A middle-aged Italian women who barely spoke a word of English guided us to the room. She was so sweet and welcoming to us. I was in disbelief that the room was only twenty Euros per night. I would have paid triple that. I was literally a stair's walk to the ocean, and a stone's throw to the most romantic, quaint sunset view I've ever seen. Cinque Terre made me miss my girlfriend tremendously. I decided to write her a note, stuff it in a wine bottle, and send it home to her. I also got her an authentic leather back from a Riomaggiore market.
Simple things like buying food and shopping for gifts were a blast to me. I loved communicating with the locals through body language, smiles, and a combination of my broken Italian and their broken English. It just proves that language goes far beyond what is spoken. There is a universal aspect to communication that crosses language barriers.
Riomaggiore lacked a beach, but it did have huge boulders and cliffs to jump into the sea. You can call me weird, but I actually prefer that to a beach. The southernmost town of Riomaggiore also had better snorkeling.
When it was time to leave, I wanted to extend our stay for a few more days in the Cinque Terre before continuing our journey to Florence and Rome. Oliver talked me out of it, wanting to stay on schedule (in reality he just wanted to meet up with a Spanish girl he met on the plane over to Italy - and who could blame him).
Barcelona
After traveling through Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, and Holland, I was relieved to get to Spain because I could use my Spanish. I had been told that Central American Spanish and Spain's were different, but it was nonetheless the same language. I learned that the differences were barely noticeable, small things like pronunciation for a few sounds, using the "you all" verb tense, and some slang. It was not so different from English where I'm from and the South.
Our hostel in Barcelona turned out to be one of the best on the trip. It served breakfast AND dinner, had Internet throughout, a very friendly staff, and prime location. Oliver, Nate, and I probably rushed through a lot of the tourist attractions and "must see" places because we wanted to spend as much time near the Mediterranean Sea as possible. We did, however, spend a whole day at the different '92 Olympic venues: the basketball arena, the swimming pool, and the Olympic stadium. As a basketball fan, to see where the Dream Team won its Gold Medal in 1992 was nostalgic. It's amazing to be able to compare and contrast the venues from different Olympic cities.
Some of my favorite attractions in Barcelona were the Guell park, La Sagrada Familia cathedral, and the Boqueria market near Las Ramblas. I had a great time just wandering around Las Ramblas, people watching, and soaking up the culture; but, my favorite experience was the Boqueria market. The market had so many people selling duplicate goods that all the prices were driven down to meet demand. The butchers had meats I'd never seen before. There were several salespeople selling fresh fruit smoothies for one Euro. I think I got four per day. I cannot explain how many different flavor combinations there were, the picture barely touches the surface.
I'm an early to bed, early to rise type of person. That lifestyle simply doesn't fly in Barcelona. They don't even start to go out and party until 2am, and if you miss the sunrise, then the night doesn't qualify as a good time according to Spaniards. We had a 7am flight to Italy, so we decided on our last night to see the sunrise. Nate, Oliver, and I went to a club called Opium, literally right on the beach. There were men walking along the boardwalk outside the club trying to sell Fedoras. We were having fun and decided to buy a couple. Nate and I bargained from fifteen Euros each, to two for five. Even though we looked quite ridiculous, it was worth it. In fact, that was kind of the point. I don't know how, but we somehow made our flight to Italy.
Our hostel in Barcelona turned out to be one of the best on the trip. It served breakfast AND dinner, had Internet throughout, a very friendly staff, and prime location. Oliver, Nate, and I probably rushed through a lot of the tourist attractions and "must see" places because we wanted to spend as much time near the Mediterranean Sea as possible. We did, however, spend a whole day at the different '92 Olympic venues: the basketball arena, the swimming pool, and the Olympic stadium. As a basketball fan, to see where the Dream Team won its Gold Medal in 1992 was nostalgic. It's amazing to be able to compare and contrast the venues from different Olympic cities.
Some of my favorite attractions in Barcelona were the Guell park, La Sagrada Familia cathedral, and the Boqueria market near Las Ramblas. I had a great time just wandering around Las Ramblas, people watching, and soaking up the culture; but, my favorite experience was the Boqueria market. The market had so many people selling duplicate goods that all the prices were driven down to meet demand. The butchers had meats I'd never seen before. There were several salespeople selling fresh fruit smoothies for one Euro. I think I got four per day. I cannot explain how many different flavor combinations there were, the picture barely touches the surface.
I'm an early to bed, early to rise type of person. That lifestyle simply doesn't fly in Barcelona. They don't even start to go out and party until 2am, and if you miss the sunrise, then the night doesn't qualify as a good time according to Spaniards. We had a 7am flight to Italy, so we decided on our last night to see the sunrise. Nate, Oliver, and I went to a club called Opium, literally right on the beach. There were men walking along the boardwalk outside the club trying to sell Fedoras. We were having fun and decided to buy a couple. Nate and I bargained from fifteen Euros each, to two for five. Even though we looked quite ridiculous, it was worth it. In fact, that was kind of the point. I don't know how, but we somehow made our flight to Italy.
Interlaken, Switzerland
The train from Paris to Interlaken was took eight hours, providing enough time to read several chapters from my book while going in and out of a prolonged nap. One of my favorite parts about being a college graduate and traveling is that I can check out and delve into any book I please. I've felt much more intrinsically motivated to read since I finished up at Oregon. With an hour left on the train until Interlaken we had crossed the Swiss border. The scenery was truly breathtaking as I stared out the window at lakes, rivers, trees, and mountains. I felt like I was back home in the Pacific Northwest. I couldn't wait to get out from behind the train's windows, off the tracks, and into the fresh air. I got the feeling I was going to love Interlaken before the train even arrived.
Once we settled into our hostel, Oliver and I went to the ATM and discovered that Switzerland's currency was not the Euro, but instead they used the Swiss Franc. We went to a local bar searching for the NBA playoffs, and landed at a Hooters because it was the only place playing American sports. I couldn't believe how expensive everything was on the menu, especially taking into consideration that the Franc had a higher value than the USD. I brushed off the expensive meal, ate some chicken wings, and watched Lebron explode against the Pacers for 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists in a winning effort. No player in the NBA had reached those statistical levels in the same playoff game in over 25 years.
The next day, Oliver and I met an Indian couple at the hostel and we all decided to go for a hike in the Swiss Alps to a little town called Lauterbrunnen. I love hiking and have been on some spectacular tracks throughout New Zealand, South America and in my own backyard. The Swiss Alps lived up to every expectation and rank near the top of my "favorite hikes of all time" list. The photos don't serve justice. In Lauterbrunnen we ate our packed lunches and sat and stared at the scenery for a few hours. It was so peaceful and nothing needed to be said. Before heading back down the mountain, Oliver and I gorged on some Swiss chocolate and I bought a Swiss Army Knife.
On our last day, Oliver and I got separated early in the day. The story is too long to describe, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When you're traveling with the same person for 5 months, it's good to get some space and alone time every once in a while. I rented a bike and cruised around Interlaken and neighboring towns for hours. It was one of those times I just checked out, escaped all thoughts, and enjoyed each moment. I rode along a crystal clear lake, into a wildlife reserve area, and under the Alps. If there was a short list of places I think I could live outside the USA, Switzerland would be on it.
Once we settled into our hostel, Oliver and I went to the ATM and discovered that Switzerland's currency was not the Euro, but instead they used the Swiss Franc. We went to a local bar searching for the NBA playoffs, and landed at a Hooters because it was the only place playing American sports. I couldn't believe how expensive everything was on the menu, especially taking into consideration that the Franc had a higher value than the USD. I brushed off the expensive meal, ate some chicken wings, and watched Lebron explode against the Pacers for 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists in a winning effort. No player in the NBA had reached those statistical levels in the same playoff game in over 25 years.
The next day, Oliver and I met an Indian couple at the hostel and we all decided to go for a hike in the Swiss Alps to a little town called Lauterbrunnen. I love hiking and have been on some spectacular tracks throughout New Zealand, South America and in my own backyard. The Swiss Alps lived up to every expectation and rank near the top of my "favorite hikes of all time" list. The photos don't serve justice. In Lauterbrunnen we ate our packed lunches and sat and stared at the scenery for a few hours. It was so peaceful and nothing needed to be said. Before heading back down the mountain, Oliver and I gorged on some Swiss chocolate and I bought a Swiss Army Knife.
On our last day, Oliver and I got separated early in the day. The story is too long to describe, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When you're traveling with the same person for 5 months, it's good to get some space and alone time every once in a while. I rented a bike and cruised around Interlaken and neighboring towns for hours. It was one of those times I just checked out, escaped all thoughts, and enjoyed each moment. I rode along a crystal clear lake, into a wildlife reserve area, and under the Alps. If there was a short list of places I think I could live outside the USA, Switzerland would be on it.
Paris
After just one day in Belgium, we hopped on a train heading south to Paris. We planned for six days, but even that didn't feel like enough. Oliver and I were able to save money on accommodation because my uncle Dean has lived in Paris for the last ten years. He could not have been a more gracious host, and as an added plus, his apartment was in District One just a few blocks from the Opera House, the Louvre, and the Seine river. Prior to getting each day started, I would wake up and run 6-8 miles along the river. I got a completely different feel for the city before everyone woke up and was at work. There was so much more space and less clutter.
Similar to most tourists, my top priority was seeing and going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I opted to pay half the price and walk halfway up the tower rather than taking the elevator the whole way. It did not disappoint. I loved being able to view the whole city, getting a feel of where sights were in relation to one another. Gazing at the Tower's shadow cast over the smaller buildings while the sun set had to be one of the top experiences of my life. After sitting at the top for an hour or so, I walked to back to the ground, bought some wine, cheese and a baguette, and watched the Eiffel Tower light up in the dark against the city. For the first ten minutes of every hour after 10:00pm, the Eiffel Tower glows like a Christmas Tree. To understand the magnitude of the sight, you have to see it with your own eyes.
The next day Oliver and I decided to wander around some other districts in search for a meal. We landed in the Jewish quarter and saw a huge line and a lot of commotion outside of a falafel place. As a general rule, if there is a long line, the food is worth the wait. We followed the rule and ended up devouring an extravagant falafel. It was so big, so juicy, and so filling, that we were not even capable of setting it down. I felt like a robot going from hands to mouth until it disappeared. We opted for a French crepe as a chaser, and were essentially in a food coma afterwards. We sluggishly crawled back to Dean's apartment after a long day of walking and called it a day. We put on the movie Bourne Identity because it some parts were filmed in Paris and we wanted to see if we could recognize any buildings in the film.
On the last day in Paris we took an intercity train out to the Palace of Versailles. In more ways than one, it was overwhelming. I was stunned to learn about all of the history, Marie Antoinette, and stroll through the gardens, but I had never been to a place more clogged with tourists. It honestly took away from my experience as it was difficult to enjoy the Palace when I could barely breathe. While the Gardens were inherently much less packed, it started to rain after half an hour outside. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Paris and it is a city I would love to visit again.
Similar to most tourists, my top priority was seeing and going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I opted to pay half the price and walk halfway up the tower rather than taking the elevator the whole way. It did not disappoint. I loved being able to view the whole city, getting a feel of where sights were in relation to one another. Gazing at the Tower's shadow cast over the smaller buildings while the sun set had to be one of the top experiences of my life. After sitting at the top for an hour or so, I walked to back to the ground, bought some wine, cheese and a baguette, and watched the Eiffel Tower light up in the dark against the city. For the first ten minutes of every hour after 10:00pm, the Eiffel Tower glows like a Christmas Tree. To understand the magnitude of the sight, you have to see it with your own eyes.
The next day Oliver and I decided to wander around some other districts in search for a meal. We landed in the Jewish quarter and saw a huge line and a lot of commotion outside of a falafel place. As a general rule, if there is a long line, the food is worth the wait. We followed the rule and ended up devouring an extravagant falafel. It was so big, so juicy, and so filling, that we were not even capable of setting it down. I felt like a robot going from hands to mouth until it disappeared. We opted for a French crepe as a chaser, and were essentially in a food coma afterwards. We sluggishly crawled back to Dean's apartment after a long day of walking and called it a day. We put on the movie Bourne Identity because it some parts were filmed in Paris and we wanted to see if we could recognize any buildings in the film.
On the last day in Paris we took an intercity train out to the Palace of Versailles. In more ways than one, it was overwhelming. I was stunned to learn about all of the history, Marie Antoinette, and stroll through the gardens, but I had never been to a place more clogged with tourists. It honestly took away from my experience as it was difficult to enjoy the Palace when I could barely breathe. While the Gardens were inherently much less packed, it started to rain after half an hour outside. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Paris and it is a city I would love to visit again.
Amsterdam/Brugge
If there is one thing I'll take away from Amsterdam, it's how good the food was and how much of it I ate. The city is so diverse (51% not Dutch) that there is a plethora of different meal options. I love being in places with cultural diversity, looking one way and seeing a Marrocan restaurant and a Thai wok in the other direction.
Unfortunately we only had one sunny day in Amsterdam, with the other three days torrential downpours. Needless to say we took full advantage of our nice day. Oliver and I rented bikes and road through the canals, walked to the Anne Frank and Van Gogh museums, and drank a few beers at the Heineken factory.
Our hostel will go down in infamy for one of the sketchiest places I've ever slept. It was called "Dirty Nellys" and was right in the heart of the Red Light district. I honestly feel lucky to have survived. I suppose when you are on a tight budget, you never know what kind of accommodation you are signing up for.
Brugge was a small city of less than 25,000 and it felt like it was plucked right out of the tenth century. There are gothic churches everywhere and the streets are littered with cobblestone. Everything felt in slow motion. We only stayed in Brugge for one night, but it was a great way to relax and recoup after the craziness of Amsterdam.
Unfortunately we only had one sunny day in Amsterdam, with the other three days torrential downpours. Needless to say we took full advantage of our nice day. Oliver and I rented bikes and road through the canals, walked to the Anne Frank and Van Gogh museums, and drank a few beers at the Heineken factory.
Our hostel will go down in infamy for one of the sketchiest places I've ever slept. It was called "Dirty Nellys" and was right in the heart of the Red Light district. I honestly feel lucky to have survived. I suppose when you are on a tight budget, you never know what kind of accommodation you are signing up for.
Brugge was a small city of less than 25,000 and it felt like it was plucked right out of the tenth century. There are gothic churches everywhere and the streets are littered with cobblestone. Everything felt in slow motion. We only stayed in Brugge for one night, but it was a great way to relax and recoup after the craziness of Amsterdam.
Berlin, Germany
Four nights in Prague did not feel like enough, but we had already booked a hostel in Berlin so we hopped on a morning train to Germany. To no one's surprise, the train was experiencing technical difficulties - with no air conditioning - and was an hour late to depart. Oliver and I had no idea what was going on because we don't speak German or Czech, so the updates over the intercom were useless. Then on the train ride itself, a person was suicidally lying in the middle of the tracks and we were forced to wait an additional 2 hours. When we finally arrived in Berlin, it was dark and we were too exhausted from travel to go out.
The next few days were completely swamped with exploring different areas of the city. I had the best kebab of my life at a food stand called Mustafas. The line was 45 minutes long, but it was well worth the wait: fried vegetables, three sauces, fresh vegetables, feta cheese and chicken wrapped in a tortilla or durum.
Coming from Jewish heritage, the memorial and museum were pretty intense. Reading the testimonies of the victims and seeing photos of Nazi camps was draining. One exhibit that was especially depressing was of metal faces covering the ground, representing Jews that had been extinguished at a concentration camp. The rest of that day was pretty grim as Oliver and I went back to the hostel to decompress everything we had just experienced.
The other days we visited different World War II sights and the Berlin Wall. What is most fascinating to me is how young the city's history is. World War II was less than 100 years ago, and the fall of the Berlin Wall happened in just 1989. I spent hours walking along the Eastside Gallery in amazement admiring the phenomenal artwork.
The next few days were completely swamped with exploring different areas of the city. I had the best kebab of my life at a food stand called Mustafas. The line was 45 minutes long, but it was well worth the wait: fried vegetables, three sauces, fresh vegetables, feta cheese and chicken wrapped in a tortilla or durum.
Coming from Jewish heritage, the memorial and museum were pretty intense. Reading the testimonies of the victims and seeing photos of Nazi camps was draining. One exhibit that was especially depressing was of metal faces covering the ground, representing Jews that had been extinguished at a concentration camp. The rest of that day was pretty grim as Oliver and I went back to the hostel to decompress everything we had just experienced.
The other days we visited different World War II sights and the Berlin Wall. What is most fascinating to me is how young the city's history is. World War II was less than 100 years ago, and the fall of the Berlin Wall happened in just 1989. I spent hours walking along the Eastside Gallery in amazement admiring the phenomenal artwork.
Prague
After Iceland, Oliver and I spent 4 days back in Potters Bar to rest up for a 2.5 month trip through Europe. We used Eurail passes and cheap airlines such as Ryan Air and Easy Jet for longer distances. We decided it was better not to waste a day traveling from Barcelona to Milan and Rome to Athens. I still can't fathom how these airlines earn a profit charging only charging 25-35 Euros. It makes me feel like companies such as United and America Airlines are getting away with robbery charging $500-700 USD for a domestic flight. How are do their income statements show operating losses? This is something that completely blows my mind
We landed in Prague at about 10:00am with a full day ahead of us. For each city on our itinerary, we made a "to do/see" list, planning about 3-5 days in each place with a little flexibility in case we really liked or disliked a destination. The hostel lifestyle had officially begun.
Czech Republic does not use the Euro and it turned out to be the cheapest city we visited. In retrospect for my budget's sake, I wish I had put more Eastern European countries into the itinerary.
Our time in Prague was truly exceptional. The weather was stunning, and because it was April, the big summer flux of tourists had not yet arrived. The highlights of Prague were the view from the Prague Castle, walking across the Charles Bridge, and the big Cathedral on top of the Prague Castle. The history of the castle cannot be understated. Dating back to the 10th century, it is the biggest castle in the world. The complex also contains the St. Vitus Cathedral.
When my dad was 23, he did a similar backpacking trip. He sent me a long email about his time in Prague, and suggested I go to the same pub that he drank at 30 years earlier. It was not easy, but after walking an hour we found the Pivovarsky Klub. I went and found the same seat he had sat in at the pub and ordered a beer.
We landed in Prague at about 10:00am with a full day ahead of us. For each city on our itinerary, we made a "to do/see" list, planning about 3-5 days in each place with a little flexibility in case we really liked or disliked a destination. The hostel lifestyle had officially begun.
Czech Republic does not use the Euro and it turned out to be the cheapest city we visited. In retrospect for my budget's sake, I wish I had put more Eastern European countries into the itinerary.
Our time in Prague was truly exceptional. The weather was stunning, and because it was April, the big summer flux of tourists had not yet arrived. The highlights of Prague were the view from the Prague Castle, walking across the Charles Bridge, and the big Cathedral on top of the Prague Castle. The history of the castle cannot be understated. Dating back to the 10th century, it is the biggest castle in the world. The complex also contains the St. Vitus Cathedral.
When my dad was 23, he did a similar backpacking trip. He sent me a long email about his time in Prague, and suggested I go to the same pub that he drank at 30 years earlier. It was not easy, but after walking an hour we found the Pivovarsky Klub. I went and found the same seat he had sat in at the pub and ordered a beer.
Iceland
Both before and after I traveled to Iceland, I must have heard the question, "Why Iceland?" hundreds of times. It seems so "desolate, isolated, and uninhabited." Exactly. For all of those reasons, I wanted to go to Iceland. After growing up surrounded by nature, mountains, rivers, and ocean, I have a special appreciation for untouched, virgin lands. How many places can you visit and not see or hear a single other human being?
Oliver and I landed in Reykjavic completely discombobulated. We could not read a single sign in the entire airport, and it actually wasn't even close. Icelandic is certainly not in the same Germanic language family as English and is notorious for being exceptionally difficult to read and speak.
Oliver and I had plans to rent a car from a company called SadCars and we were expecting a man to be waiting at the airport with a sign. SadCars seemed like a pretty sketchy name for a car rental company, but they were the cheapest one we could find. Fortunately, the guy was waiting outside the terminal. Even more lucky, we were quick to learn that Icelanders did in fact drive on the same side of the road as Americans.
Within a matter of only a few hours, Oliver and I had left London, the English language, and everything else that was just starting to become familiar; we were handed the keys to a Toyota Yaris in Iceland where we could not read a single sign. We barely had a clue which way was north and which was south. Who am I kidding? We didn't know at all which way was north or south. All we had was a map of where the gas stations and youth hostels were on the island. We also had a plan: to drive around the Golden Circle and Ring Road. I had read in numerous travel blogs and a New York Times article that these two routes were filled with spectacular sights, and all I had to do was stay on a single road, Highway One.
Oliver and I had five days plotted out in Iceland with different waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers we wanted to visit by the end of each day. The problem was that the names read Gullfoss, Þingvellir, Hveragerði, and Vatnajökull. We planned to find a youth hostel in the vicinity of our last destination each day.
The first day we set out to conquer the Golden Circle, a 7 hour loop that contained two huge waterfalls, a geyser, and a national park. After taking the same exit three times without consensus on which direction to take, we finally set out - in the right direction - with four burnt CDs and an open road. Surprisingly, the weather was perfect. Cold and crisp, but the sun shining. With just an hour of driving under our belts, we reached the national park. We got out, snapped some photographs, ate our lunches, and enjoyed the scenery. We had found a small grocery store and bought some groceries there. Not until later did we find out that whale and horse were Icelandic specialties. Iceland does not use the Euro, but rather the Icelandic Krona. $25 USD equates to about 3200 IK, so you feel like your spending monopoly money.
There are only 300,000 people on the entire island, and 150,000 of them live in the capital. This is more than likely the reason everything felt so untouched and sacred. Oliver and I saw a multitude of waterfalls, swam in a geothermal pool, went whale watching, and hiked on glaciers. We were in the middle of nowhere and we enjoyed every moment of it.
Oliver and I landed in Reykjavic completely discombobulated. We could not read a single sign in the entire airport, and it actually wasn't even close. Icelandic is certainly not in the same Germanic language family as English and is notorious for being exceptionally difficult to read and speak.
Oliver and I had plans to rent a car from a company called SadCars and we were expecting a man to be waiting at the airport with a sign. SadCars seemed like a pretty sketchy name for a car rental company, but they were the cheapest one we could find. Fortunately, the guy was waiting outside the terminal. Even more lucky, we were quick to learn that Icelanders did in fact drive on the same side of the road as Americans.
Within a matter of only a few hours, Oliver and I had left London, the English language, and everything else that was just starting to become familiar; we were handed the keys to a Toyota Yaris in Iceland where we could not read a single sign. We barely had a clue which way was north and which was south. Who am I kidding? We didn't know at all which way was north or south. All we had was a map of where the gas stations and youth hostels were on the island. We also had a plan: to drive around the Golden Circle and Ring Road. I had read in numerous travel blogs and a New York Times article that these two routes were filled with spectacular sights, and all I had to do was stay on a single road, Highway One.
Oliver and I had five days plotted out in Iceland with different waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers we wanted to visit by the end of each day. The problem was that the names read Gullfoss, Þingvellir, Hveragerði, and Vatnajökull. We planned to find a youth hostel in the vicinity of our last destination each day.
The first day we set out to conquer the Golden Circle, a 7 hour loop that contained two huge waterfalls, a geyser, and a national park. After taking the same exit three times without consensus on which direction to take, we finally set out - in the right direction - with four burnt CDs and an open road. Surprisingly, the weather was perfect. Cold and crisp, but the sun shining. With just an hour of driving under our belts, we reached the national park. We got out, snapped some photographs, ate our lunches, and enjoyed the scenery. We had found a small grocery store and bought some groceries there. Not until later did we find out that whale and horse were Icelandic specialties. Iceland does not use the Euro, but rather the Icelandic Krona. $25 USD equates to about 3200 IK, so you feel like your spending monopoly money.
There are only 300,000 people on the entire island, and 150,000 of them live in the capital. This is more than likely the reason everything felt so untouched and sacred. Oliver and I saw a multitude of waterfalls, swam in a geothermal pool, went whale watching, and hiked on glaciers. We were in the middle of nowhere and we enjoyed every moment of it.
Sightseeing in London
I thought the Pacific Northwest - and Oregon in particular - had rainy, gloomy, miserable weather. I could not have been more wrong. To put it in Olympic jargon, London takes the Gold Medal for unpredictable and terrible weather. The volatile weather makes it difficult to enjoy all of the sights in London without getting down poured on. I didn't mind the the first few days of rain because I was jet-lagged, sluggish, and spending time resting up. However, after a week of rain it got old and I was itching to go into the city and explore. I left Potters Bar on April 11th at about 9:00am on the Tube in the rain expecting to just suck it up all day and see what I could. Luckily, when I got out at Leicester Square downtown, the weather had taken a complete 180 degree turn. It was sunny and very conducive to walking around. Finally.
That first day in the city I covered a lot of ground. I must have walked ten miles around London and did not get back on the Tube until about 7:00 at night. Londoners would say it was 18:00, which is something I will never get used to. I was particularly impressed with Buckingham Palace, but Big Ben and Parliament stood out to me. I absolutely loved the size, architecture, and age of the building. My other two favorite structures were the London Tower and the Tower Bridge. Coming from a country as young as the United States, touring the London Tower was unbelievable. Built in the 1078 and used as a prison during the 12th century, the London Tower has an indescribable feel to it. Before heading back to Potters Bar, Oliver and I had a stereotypical British meal: Fish n' Chips! I didn't necessarily feel great afterwards, but it was well worth it. I still find it funny that chips are crisps and chips are french fries.
I spent two weeks in Potters Bar before the first leg of my European trip journey. However, before embarking on the trip, Maura sent us off with another classic British meal: turkey, veggies, Yorkshire Puddings (a doughy bread with a crater), mashed potatoes, and roast potatoes with everything smothered in gravy. On April 19th at 5:45 am, Oliver and I departed London Luton Airport for Iceland.
That first day in the city I covered a lot of ground. I must have walked ten miles around London and did not get back on the Tube until about 7:00 at night. Londoners would say it was 18:00, which is something I will never get used to. I was particularly impressed with Buckingham Palace, but Big Ben and Parliament stood out to me. I absolutely loved the size, architecture, and age of the building. My other two favorite structures were the London Tower and the Tower Bridge. Coming from a country as young as the United States, touring the London Tower was unbelievable. Built in the 1078 and used as a prison during the 12th century, the London Tower has an indescribable feel to it. Before heading back to Potters Bar, Oliver and I had a stereotypical British meal: Fish n' Chips! I didn't necessarily feel great afterwards, but it was well worth it. I still find it funny that chips are crisps and chips are french fries.
I spent two weeks in Potters Bar before the first leg of my European trip journey. However, before embarking on the trip, Maura sent us off with another classic British meal: turkey, veggies, Yorkshire Puddings (a doughy bread with a crater), mashed potatoes, and roast potatoes with everything smothered in gravy. On April 19th at 5:45 am, Oliver and I departed London Luton Airport for Iceland.
Landing in London
I landed at London Heathrow International Airport at around 11:00 a.m. completely drained of energy. I didn't even have a bad travel schedule: Eugene to San Francisco to London. Nonetheless, the nine hour time difference and red-eye flight really took it out of me. A Lebanese man on the plane also could not stop buying me whiskey shots and over-priced beers, which could not have helped my exhaustion to say the least. While picking up my bags and waiting in line for customs, I was praying that my friend Oliver and his family would be waiting for me in the arrivals section of the terminal. After traveling that long, the last thing I wanted is to be lost in a foreign country unable to find my ride. At least I kept in mind that everyone speaks English, albeit slightly different than back home.
Sure enough, Oliver was waiting with a sign that humorously read, "Mr. Baron." Oliver and I have known each other since we were eight years old and played basketball, soccer, and football together growing up. His mom never rescinded her British citizenship (but she lives in Oregon with a green card), so Oliver is a dual-citizen of the United Kingdom. When I go home in the middle of August, he is going to stay and try to earn some pounds. I have been staying with Oliver's Aunt, a kind, generous, affectionate, motherly British woman with a daughter nearly our age. Maura has done everything in her power to make Oliver and I feel at home, and you just cannot beat free accommodation. We have been living about 45 minutes Northwest of downtown London on the Tube, in a little community called Potter's Bar.
To be honest, there is not much to say about Potter's Bar. There are 20,000 residents and it is nothing special, nothing distinct that separates from other towns of similar size (except that it is a suburb of London). Everyday I have been able to afford to do so, I take the Tube into the city on the dark blue Picadilly line from Cockfosters station to King's Cross, Leicester Square, or Oxford Circus - somewhere in the center. I have also joined a gym here - Parkwood Fitness - so I generally exercise every morning before going into the city.
Sure enough, Oliver was waiting with a sign that humorously read, "Mr. Baron." Oliver and I have known each other since we were eight years old and played basketball, soccer, and football together growing up. His mom never rescinded her British citizenship (but she lives in Oregon with a green card), so Oliver is a dual-citizen of the United Kingdom. When I go home in the middle of August, he is going to stay and try to earn some pounds. I have been staying with Oliver's Aunt, a kind, generous, affectionate, motherly British woman with a daughter nearly our age. Maura has done everything in her power to make Oliver and I feel at home, and you just cannot beat free accommodation. We have been living about 45 minutes Northwest of downtown London on the Tube, in a little community called Potter's Bar.
To be honest, there is not much to say about Potter's Bar. There are 20,000 residents and it is nothing special, nothing distinct that separates from other towns of similar size (except that it is a suburb of London). Everyday I have been able to afford to do so, I take the Tube into the city on the dark blue Picadilly line from Cockfosters station to King's Cross, Leicester Square, or Oxford Circus - somewhere in the center. I have also joined a gym here - Parkwood Fitness - so I generally exercise every morning before going into the city.
My Hopes
The top thing on my list of "to dos" was to walk through and explore Hyde Park. There have been so many (in)famous political gatherings and rallies at Hyde Park, it was just a place I needed to see for myself. I also wanted to see Big Ben, Tower of London, and the Tower Bridge. Tower of London has so much history and it is imperative to visit it while in London. I'd also like to go for a run in St. James park. It goes without saying, but Buckingham Palace (and Changing of the Guards) are also vital for my trip to London. I've heard that Camden Market is an open air market with a young crowd and cheap food. London is also famous for a multitude of museums, and if there is time I'd love to venture into some of them - especially Natural History and Science.
I would like to meet many of the athletes, my list could go on forever. The 2012 Men's USA Olympic Basketball team would be first on my list, every player included. It would also be awesome to meet Michael Phelps (swimming), Usain Bolt (Men's Track), and other World Record holders. Aside from athletes, any potential career networking opportunities are always valued.
Through the the research paper process, I have learned more about the Olympics in a few weeks worth of work than I knew from my entire life of being a sports fan. The amount of progress made - from drug testing to communication outlets to athletic performance - cannot be overstated and would have been impossible to foreshadow. The Olympics are a truly remarkable way for different countries to gather together, put political oppositions and disputes aside, and thoroughly enjoy the spectacle. For more on what I've learned about the Olympics, read my research paper!
I would like to meet many of the athletes, my list could go on forever. The 2012 Men's USA Olympic Basketball team would be first on my list, every player included. It would also be awesome to meet Michael Phelps (swimming), Usain Bolt (Men's Track), and other World Record holders. Aside from athletes, any potential career networking opportunities are always valued.
Through the the research paper process, I have learned more about the Olympics in a few weeks worth of work than I knew from my entire life of being a sports fan. The amount of progress made - from drug testing to communication outlets to athletic performance - cannot be overstated and would have been impossible to foreshadow. The Olympics are a truly remarkable way for different countries to gather together, put political oppositions and disputes aside, and thoroughly enjoy the spectacle. For more on what I've learned about the Olympics, read my research paper!
Personal and Professional Goals
1) My first personal goal is to completely familiarize myself with London's famous public transportation system: the Tube. Although this goal is impossible to objectively measure, I want to be able to naturally get to and from destinations without having to stare at the Tube map every few minutes. The Tube is one of London's defining public features and conquering it would be self-rewarding. I would love to be able to know London's tube map by the back of my hand.
2) My second goal, professional, is to expand my networking web to include sports business professionals from the United Kingdom. To be more specific, I want to seek out people working at the Games that are affiliated with MNCs - socialize with them and become friendly. Ideally, I want to gain contact information so I can potentially work in London at some point. With an increasingly globalized economy, it is important to make connections outside of the states.
3) Another personal goal I have for this trip is to become more independent. In essence, I want to be able to do more things by myself. I've lived in Eugene my entire life and have had a girlfriend for two years. It will be rewarding to know I can rely on myself in an unfamiliar environment.
4) Professionally, I cannot express in writing how much I want to work and/or volunteer for Nike in London during the Olympic Games. I've been in contact with the general manager of Nike London since April 2011, which is why I graduated early and moved to London 5 months before the games. I am lucky to have gone to the University of Oregon, the birthplace of Nike, just miles from the corporate headquarters in Beaverton. Unfortunately, she has been extremely busy and infrequently returns my emails. However, I am confident that if there is an available position, she will contact me.
5) My last personal goal is to stay in shape while I am abroad. My health and fitness are paramount to me, and while I won't have a gym to go to, I can still run around and do push-ups and pull-ups.
2) My second goal, professional, is to expand my networking web to include sports business professionals from the United Kingdom. To be more specific, I want to seek out people working at the Games that are affiliated with MNCs - socialize with them and become friendly. Ideally, I want to gain contact information so I can potentially work in London at some point. With an increasingly globalized economy, it is important to make connections outside of the states.
3) Another personal goal I have for this trip is to become more independent. In essence, I want to be able to do more things by myself. I've lived in Eugene my entire life and have had a girlfriend for two years. It will be rewarding to know I can rely on myself in an unfamiliar environment.
4) Professionally, I cannot express in writing how much I want to work and/or volunteer for Nike in London during the Olympic Games. I've been in contact with the general manager of Nike London since April 2011, which is why I graduated early and moved to London 5 months before the games. I am lucky to have gone to the University of Oregon, the birthplace of Nike, just miles from the corporate headquarters in Beaverton. Unfortunately, she has been extremely busy and infrequently returns my emails. However, I am confident that if there is an available position, she will contact me.
5) My last personal goal is to stay in shape while I am abroad. My health and fitness are paramount to me, and while I won't have a gym to go to, I can still run around and do push-ups and pull-ups.
Trip Preparations
Rather than packing for a two week trip, I had to prepare by packing for a five month trip. This was no easy task. Luckily, I had already studied abroad in New Zealand for six months so I had some idea of what I was getting myself into. For New Zealand, I completely overpacked. I am pretty sure I left one of my suitcases completely untouched. That trip made me realize how little someone needs to survive, and how flawed the Western definition of "need" really is. I have two bags with me: one backpacking backpack and one roller suitcase. Fortunately I already had my passport in hand and did not need to worry about getting one. I made a huge checklist consisting of clothing, electronics, backpacking essentials, and my passport, wallet, and debit/credit cards. The last few days in Eugene were extremely hectic. In a matter of one week, I had to present my thesis, graduate, move out of my house, and pack for this trip. I was happy to arrive in London and put that behind me to say the least. In regards to preparing for London's city itself, I did very little. The fact the British speak English is comforting, and I assumed I would learn a lot with all the time I had before the Games.
Olympic Academic Experience
I have already been in London for two weeks now, which inherently implies that my preparation posts will slightly deviate from the other students. With that said, I learned about the Olympic Academic Experience from my thesis advisor, Whitney Wagoner. She is also the director of the Warsaw Sports Business Club at the University of Oregon, and an instructor of sports business and sports sponsorship. She encouraged me to look into the program. I decided to participate because I was already planning to attend the London Olympics, and it seemed like an invaluable opportunity to connect with other students that shared a similar passion for sports, international travel, and new experiences. It sounded fun! In addition, I was ecstatic that I could earn school credit (management) for doing something I love. I've graduated from the University of Oregon except for this final class. I essentially thought to myself, "what better way to finish my undergraduate education than at the Summer 2012 London Olympics?"