Sunday, March 31, 2013

Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race

Easter Sunday
"Row, row, row your boat...not so gently down the stream" is what one sign said. This referred to the annual Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race. Begun in 1829, and held annually since 1856 (except during the world wars), this race down the Thames between the rowing clubs of Oxford and Cambridge is just the type of cultural/social/sporting event that I really wanted to see upon moving here. The race is 4.2 miles long and Cambridge leads the series 81-77 (prior to this year's event) with one dead heat. There were expected to be about a quarter million people watching live along the riverbank. I positioned myself just a couple hundred yards from the start, and people were at least 3 deep on the north side of the river.

Packed south bank of the Thames

North bank looking east

Looking west

BNY Mellon was the sponsor this year (an Investment company)

Might go to this side next year, they had a party going on over there.

Several boat clubs clustered together on the south bank.
Race route

The BBC also broadcast this event live. They had some large video screens for people to watch the race on once it had passed them, which took about 10 seconds before they were out of your field of view due to the crowds...and that they were really hauling arse. These crews often contain several Olympians and they are not all English. In fact, in 1987 there were several Americans that mutinied due to politics within the Oxford team and pulled out. They were replaced by reserves and Oxford surprised many by still winning.

Camera operator on a crane...

...quite high up there.

Oxford leading (dark blue on the right)




The large flotilla that followed them.







Some really nice animation of the course. Even I didn't realize it was animation right away.

Mixed reaction to Oxford's 2 boat-length victory.
There were some very 'posh' types watching. Definitely from well-to-do families that could afford schools like Oxford and Cambridge. This park was right next to Craven Cottage, the stadium for Fulham Football Club and an Arsenal rival (though nothing like the rivalry with Tottenham). Fulham is nicknamed FulAmericans because so many American expats choose to live in this neighborhood.

Craven Cottage stadium in the background
Also, in the Irish's continued attempt to take over the world one pub at a time, there was a Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey bus there and they were giving out free samples. I may have had one, or three.


Hey, they were small, don't judge.
This is off-topic, but since I mentioned it above: Tracy and I have a theory that the Irish are taking over the world one pub at a time. We've been to Paddy Flaherty's, a self-proclaimed highest Irish pub in the world in Cuzco, Peru. And there was the southern-most Irish pub in Ushuaia, Argentina. There has been an Irish Pub in every country we've been to, I believe, including Turkey, Cambodia, Thailand, Germany, Spain, Croatia, Mexico, etc. Someday every city will have one, or many more. That's just the start though. They have to then expand beyond the drinking to start taking control. That could take awhile. Once they go to the pub, their motivation to be productive does diminish. I never said we'd see it happen in our lifetime.







Saturday, March 23, 2013

St. Paddy's Day

Before we left for Galway, I read a post on Facebook about how it should always be written 'St. Patty's Day' with 2 T's and not 'St. Paddy's Day" with 2 D's. Now, after having been to Ireland for the holiday, I feel confident in saying that it should be St. Paddy's Day. Patty is a woman's name and Paddy is a derivation of Patrick despite Patrick not having any 'D's' in it. Like Jim is short for James, though James doesn't have an 'I'. Stores and signs all over Ireland were consistent with the 'DD' spelling.


On to the parade...
Tracy and I staked our a good spot at a turn in the route and were right up against the barricades...though we did get edged out from below by young kids. I was curious how touristy this would be, as I'd heard people were coming from Dublin for it and the day was going to be crazy. Turns out, it felt like a very local parade with all the normal groups:

Military

Folk music and dance

Cheerleaders (nice to see they didn't whore it up like so many in Charlotte)

Marching bands (with a violin?, a first for me)

Ummm....

Footballers

Boy Scouts hauling a viking ship

Judo club...OK

Parade Queen


Tribute to Pope John Paul II's visit...in 1979


Red-Headed bagpipers...gotta have 'em, but pretty rare in this parade actually
Older cheerleaders

The Philippine community

Dancers in period dress

Ponies

Dancers

The Polish community

Jugglers

More cheerleaders
It was actually a quaint parade that felt like it was more small-town than Galway actually is. There were plenty of people in silly hats watching though.


Tracy in her super cute hat


Me in my "Tall, Dark and Had Some!" hat (I hadn't 'had any' yet) and Jameson's scarf



Cat and Tracy in their matching little hats


These were Leprechaun heads, like the rock formation in my previous post

Still hadn't "had any" yet...really

Off to the pubs and they were busy well into the night. One thing I have to say about the Irish pubs, their beer taps are so much nicer than I've seen anywhere else. Here's one with an LCD screen, though I don't understand the poor quality American beers on tap.


Other scenes from Galway.




City Walls

Home of the original Claddagh Ring


Banners for the 13 Tribes of Galway

Spanish Arch
 One more thing checked off the bucket list.


A few more shots if St. Paddy's Day silliness:






Slainte!