London 2012 Means the OLYMPICS!
Are you crazy about the Olympics? If not, then you’ll be fine with the fact that we’ll be in London for only 3 days of Olympic insanity, but if the thrill of competition and the excitement of different countries and cultures coming together in the name of sport and healthy competition (as opposed to strife and enmity), then those 3 days of overlap will give you the chance to be part of something rather wonderful.
While tickets to the Opening Games are quite pricey — $300 for the cheapest ticket, over $2,000 for the good seats — you may be surprised at how affordable are other options. For example, on June 28 and 29, you can get grounds passes for tennis matches at Wimbledon for just $40; tickets to Centre Court & Court 1 are pricier, at around $65. That’s quite a bargain considering you get to explore the glamorous All-England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, where the Wimbledon tournament is held each summer, in addition to seeing some of the world’s best tennis players on the grass.
Tennis not your thing? How about beach volleyball at Horse Guards Parade (with Buckingham Palace & the Mall in the background)? Tickets available for $40 there, too. Swimming events at the new Aquatics Center are also on sale for $40, while you watch cycling events down the Mall for the same price. Or pop out to Greenwich for the Equestrian events, same price.
Everything will be quite busy, but if you don’t mind crowds, and you welcome the chance to enjoy a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity, then make plans now to attend the Olympics. You can order tickets in the US before we leave!
Shakespeare’s Globe: 2012 Season
The 2012 season for the Globe has recently been announced, and it appears we have a real winner this year. Going with the classic tagline “The Play’s the Thing,” the Globe is boasting two powerful histories and one of Shakespeare’s funniest (and most frustrating) comedies. Reprising his role as “Hal” from Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 during the 2010 season, Jamie Parker steps in as King Henry for Henry V. Be prepared to hear theatre-goers whispering along when Parker reaches Henry’s most famous speech, usually known as the St. Crispin’s Day Speech. Next up is the hilarious and disturbing Taming of the Shrew, which follows the story of Kate and Petruchio, the former sworn to independence and the latter sworn to “tame” her as his wife. For those who love their histories, Richard III begins mid-July, in plenty of time for us to make another trip to the Globe. All three plays offer something wonderful for our trip this summer.
