As the Mayors of Beijing and London entered, the Olympic Flag Handover Ceremony began, and London Mayor Boris Johnson symbolically waved the Olympic flag. A red double-decker bus entered the stadium labeled “London-Beijing-London,” and inside it were the themes of the 2012 London Summer Olympics: sport, culture, social change, urban transformation, and changing lives.
Out from the vehicle sprang British rock royalty.
Jimmy Page, founder of Led Zeppelin, and pop songstress Leona Lewis sang on top of the bus, in meaningful collaboration that bound newness with an aged classic. When David Beckham sent a soccer ball flying across the arena into the crowd, he officially “kicked off” London’s reign.
The year 2012 marks the third time London has hosted the Olympics, so
it’s certainly experienced in all things Games. Its simple brand
“Everyone’s 2012” is a non-traditional slogan. The numbers will speak
for themselves as a universal connection for all competing countries.
Like Beijing, London’s star venues will be both its aquatics and
athletics centers.
The new Olympic Stadium – scheduled for completion in 2011 – will house all athletic events, and both the opening and closing ceremonies. Its sustainability qualities include post-Games plans for sporting, educational, cultural, and community use. Currently, a contest to design the venue’s greenery is underway. The architectural spotlight, however, will be on the geometrically curvy Aquatics Center, which will shine as the gateway to the Olympic Park as the first thing visitors see.
Although the venues themselves draw world-wide attention for stunning design and graceful stature, it’s what happens inside the venues during the games that truly make the show. We still have more than two years to anticipate the drama that will unfold inside “Everyone’s 2012.”
Read more Olympics Travel:
Olympics Past: Beijing
Olympics Present: London
Olympics Future: Rio
Olympics Travel: Vancouver
© Cheapflights Ltd Andrea Mooney
