The Party’s Over, Let The Hard Work Begin
The London 2012 Olympic Games were a triumph. Nobody can dispute that London rose to the tremendous challenge and hosted a Games that was enjoyed as much by athletes in the Olympic Village as it was valued by the many millions who watched on screen. Memories that will endure beyond a generation were forged in the passion and determination displayed on track, field and pool.
All good things must end and, after more than two weeks of inspirational performances and countless displays of sporting excellence, the spectacular Olympic party is over. The decorations are coming down, the athletes have all gone home, and the big clean up has already started. Even the Olympic venues have been transformed to await the start of the Paralympic Games, next week, when even more new heroes will be made.
Tattooed Olympians Display Their Pride
The London 2012 Olympic Games are only a matter of days away. Venues have been unveiled, athletes are set up in the Olympic Village, and London has been spruced up in readiness for the attention of the thousands of excited tourists who have already descended on the capital.
Finally the excitement and anticipation can be released after such a lengthy run up. For the first time, many of the athletes have social media profiles and it is interesting to see how many have taken up the habit of having the Olympic rings tattooed on their bodies.
As a permanent souvenir and recognisable symbol of the ultimate members club, this is a sign that they deserve to carry with honour. These athletes have reached the peak in their discipline. They wear their badge with pride.
Life’s Rich Grind
Life’s simple pleasures are the best. A satisfying cup of well-prepared coffee is up there among the very finest and it is stealing a lead on its lighter rival. A refreshing tea is often described as the cup that cheers, but coffee beats tea hands down when it comes to giving life a much-needed lift.
Coffee has been my saviour during many dull meetings, it has sparked me up on a fuzzy morning, and it has delivered a swift after-dinner kick towards the next stage of many a long night. I take it strong, black and without sugar. Preferably in double shots and definitely without cream. Don’t even dare mention decaf, as that pale pretender to the heady brew of deep flavour and rich aroma will just not hit the spot.
When I am in the Balkans, I drink so much good coffee. Not all of it is to my taste, I should add. Specifically, Turkish coffee (and the same brew by any other name) is not really for me.
The Cyclist Conspiracy: A Book Review
Some things in life come easily while others need more effort. When extra effort is required, the rewards can be even greater. In art this is regularly the case, and it is definitely the situation with The Cyclist Conspiracy by Svetislav Basara, a prolific and awarded figure in contemporary Serbian literature.
When published in Serbia in 1988, this challenging and ambitious book attracted mixed reactions. Some claimed it was an academic indulgence that went one step too far, while others proclaimed it as a masterpiece from one of Serbia’s literary figureheads.
The style of the book (translated by Randall A Major) was often related to the work of Argentina’s Jorge Luis Borges, to the great Umberto Eco, and even to the current big-hitter of the conspiracy romp, Dan Brown. But while this book shares a fashionable fixation with secret societies and conspiracy theories, here the symbolism is neither over-bloated nor dumbed-down.
