For today's trip, we visited the host of the 2012 Olympics, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and a West Ham United v Nottingham Forest match.
We started our day with a little bit of breakfast from the hotel before taking the underground to the Olympic Park, where we learned about the history of the 2012 games. The opening ceremony and closing ceremony were performed in the Olympic Stadium where the game was being held today.. During the opening ceremony, Her Majesty the Queen parachuted down into the Olympic Stadium alongside actor Daniel Craig as James Bond, creating a very iconic and memorable opening ceremony. We discussed the importance of London hosting the Olympics this year and how it helped the area have an economic boost. Creating jobs, new sites for tourist attractions to bring in money, as well as helping London gain some more popularity, are among the few positives that these games brought.
As we walked through the park, we viewed the buildings where some of the venues were held. These included the aquatics center, handball venue, and cycling areas. Along the walk, we viewed where the Olympic village was built. This village is now being utilized as apartments, showcasing another economic boost of the games. Also, seeing how the park was still being used by locals to bike, walk, exercise, and enjoy the weather was neat. We came across a monument of the Olympic rings, which we took some fun pictures for the Olympic Odyssey trip next year. Then we toured through the BMX and track cycling venue. This venue is still in use, allowing locals to bike, exercise, play pickleball, and so much more. People were all throughout these venues, utilizing them just like the athletes would in the games themselves.
On our way back, we stopped to get some lunch in the mall before heading over to the EPL match. The mall at Olympic Park was big, contributing to the longevity that the Olympics helped to bring. Once we got to the stadium, we found our seats and got to witness the glory of sport and what the Olympics had brought. Unfortunately, West Ham did not end up on top, but experiencing the atmosphere of a local EPL match was unforgettable. West Ham's iconic chant was performed today too, and it was cool to listen along. I was very excited to see my first European match. Also, within the stadium, we were able to see where the track and field venue was set up for the Olympics. It's cool to see how each venue is being used today.
After the game, we took a walk back to the underground and came back to the hotel. Soon after that, we ended the day with a delicious dinner from Din Tai Fung, which I had for the first time, and this concluded our fun for today.
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