The 2012 Summer Olympics – or “The Games of the XXX Olympiad” - will take place in London, England from July 26 - August 13, 2012. They are expected to be the biggest games ever, featuring over 10 000 athletes from 205 participating nations. Venues for the 2012 Summer Games will be primarily located in the Greater London area. However, some sports will take place at other venues throughout England and the UK; and some football games will be held in Wales and Scotland. In London, the venues will be divided up into three zones:
THE OLYMPIC ZONE, based in London’s east area of Stratford, will encompass all of the venues and facilities within the 2 km² of Olympic Park. The Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Center and the Basketball Arena are just a few of the venues in this zone.
THE RIVER ZONE, straddling the River Thames, contains venues for boxing, artistic gymnastics and equestrian, among several others. The relatively new O2 Arena, where several sports are held, is the former Millennium Dome.
THE CENTRAL ZONE will include the remaining venues in the Greater London area. Wembley Stadium, Lord’s Cricket Ground and Hyde Park, as well as most of the Olympic Marathon Course, are all part of several venues in this zone.
If you are going, you MUST explore as much of the region as possible! Take a side trip to Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath; go Into the Land of Shakespeare-Stratford, Oxford and the Cotswolds; Canterbury, The White Cliffs of Dover or Beatles Magical Mystery Tour of Liverpool featuring key Beatles locations. You can also extend and explore the best of Edinburgh, Paris, or Wales.
Some interesting attractions while in London are:
- Mudchute City Farm is the largest urban farm in London. It was started in 1977 and has grown from there to include over 200 animals, an equestrian center, a nature trail, an education center, a shop, and an award winning café, Mudchute Kitchens.
- The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology which houses an estimated 80,000 objects, making it one of the greatest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology in the world. It illustrates life in the Nile Valley from prehistory through the time of the pharaohs.
- The London Dungeon is a popular London tourist attraction that has been around since the 70s. I was there many years ago, and I found it very entertaining. It recreates horrific historic events using special effects, video and interactive experiences with live actors and rides. Segments include The Crypt, Labyrinth of the Lost, the Great Plague of London, the Great Fire of London, Jack the Ripper, Bloody Mary: Killer Queen, Traitor: Boat Ride to Hell, and Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom. Of course it all comes to an end in the gift shop. LOL
- Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising – (direct from their web site): “It’s all here...the brands and packs, posters and adverts, fads and fashions, toys and games. Evocative and inspiring, it’s a kaleidoscope of images and iconic brands. Featuring over 12,000 original items from the Robert Opie Collection, the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising is a recent addition to the museums in London, located just off the famous Portobello Road in Notting Hill. The history of consumer culture is revealed through household products and shopping basket favorites in our 'time tunnel', which charts a nostalgic journey from Victorian times to the present day. Discover how well-loved brands evolved through their creative use of packaging and advertising, and how we evolved with them."
Oh and you know you can also get a London Pass for entry to over 55 London Attractions. Make the most of it. Cheerio!
~Marianne Cook Windham
Windham Travel & Leisure (Palm Coast Travel)
http://www.windhamtravelandleisure.com
