On the Town - Together Again, Human Statues, Jamaica House

Together Again

The day before Team GB took on China in basketball, two players who faced each other when the countries met in London’s 1948 Olympics were reunited for the first time in 64 years.

Lionel Price, 85, and Wu Chengzhang, 88, looked back to their experience in the "austerity Games" and reflected on the 2012 event in London.

Price brought with him the only kit he was provided with – one singlet, some very short shorts, a track suit and a blazer. "I also had a beret, but I swapped it for a panama hat with Barney Ewell who won the silver medal in the men’s 100m," he said.

"Looking at Mr. Wu’s photograph from 1948, I think they had better kit than we had."

It’s Wu’s first visit to London since the Games, and he is delighted to be back. Through an interpreter, he said: "I recognize many of the old historic buildings, but there are also lots of new things."

Both men agreed that they were honored to be Olympians and feel that the words that greeted them during the opening ceremony in 1948 should remain true today. "It is not the winning, it is the taking part."

To put their previous meeting in context, it took place one year before the foundation of the People’s Republic of China and four years before Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne.

Human Statues

With athletes displaying blistering speed at events across the Games, there was a slower pace of life outside the Victoria and Albert Museum over the weekend.

Young men and women, dressed in clothing from ancient times, struck a series of dramatic and athletic poses for an admiring public enjoying the street activities along Exhibition Road.

With classical musicians providing the soundtrack to their display, people stood and watched before heading to their next destination.

Let the Games Begin

If you prefer to play games as opposed to sport, Exhibition Road beside the British Museum is the place to go. People of all ages took the opportunity to settle down and play a number of board games dating back more than a century.

While draughts (a.k.a. checkers) is famous around the world, other games were unknown to visitors, including Cottage of Content, Patchisi from India, and perhaps most appropriately at Olympic time, the Cycle Game.

Volunteer Fateh Baig said: "We have been here since the Olympics began until 11 p.m. each night. The games are proving popular and the nice thing is they can take them away with them."

A Piece of the Action

Westminster Bridge may have been closed to traffic ahead of Sunday’s women’s marathon, but a number of early morning joggers took the opportunity to take to the course that would be the center of global attention a few hours later.

The empty streets offered the perfect environment, and TV crews and photographers used the Sunday morning runners to get their focus right.

Full House for Jamaica

Jamaica House offers a taste of all things Jamaican for the duration of the Games while also celebrating 50 years of the island’s independence.

Sunday night was the busiest and rowdiest night at the North Greenwich Arena venue as Jamaican nationals and Olympic fans watched Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake finish 1-2 the 100m final on a big screen set up to show all the major events.

In between events, live bands play to entertain the crowd in what is quite fittingly the British Music Experience. Also included at the end of the house is a gift shop so visitors can take a piece of Jamaica home with them.

While getting into the house is free, those wishing to attend do have to sign up on the website first and state which day they are attending. They can only book two people in at a time and even that is subject to availability.

Visitors were queuing outside the House, which almost passes for an exclusive nightclub with fences, the loud music blaring out of the doors every time they open and stern-looking bouncers guarding the entrance.

Reported by Matt Horn and Christian Radnedge

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