aliholli: Olympics LONDON 2012 Day 2

Day 2 started early! But we were more than happy to get up at the crack of dawn, we were going to the Aquatic Centre to watch some SWIMMING heats.WHOOP WHOOP! But not before we'd had a Macdonald's porridge and a cup of tea.

We spotted the new BBC studio at the very top of the tower block overlooking the Park. Poor Gary Lineker was stuck up there for days on end, only seeing the action on a screen, until he begged to be let out and into the Park.

The Aquatics Centre is impressive.

I expected it to be ridiculously hot like the viewing area at Northgate Arena but it was pleasantly cool due to the "winged" design, which meant the crowd were air conditioned while the swimming competitors stayed warm. The photo is deceptive, we look like we are sat miles up but in fact we were only half way up and we could see fantastically well.

Every time the crowd saw a red hat they went mental! Some would call it noise but the atmosphere was just superb. Flags, banners, wigs, face paints, there was so much home support for Team GB.

Jamieson and Willis swam well. Later that night Jamieson broke the British record for breaststroke. Husb and I heard the roar from the othe side of the Olympic Park

I was obviously so engrossed in all the action.

Nice transfer, Drakester.

Panoramic view of the Aquatic Centre.

Team GB relay team WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Nice Links bands Drakey

We thoroughly enjoyed the swimming. We like swimming.

("We like swimming" hahahaha -remember Corfu, Dids?!)

Husb had opted out of this event having sat through his fair share of hot, noisy, echoey school swimming galas, but now it was time to find him. (After a photoshoot with Wenlock)

Have I told you how colourful, jolly and pretty the Park is?

Well what do you know.... Husb was engrossed in the equestrian events! I think he watched Zara Phillips getting a Silver medal from her mumski.

So we joined him. And the legend that is CHRIS HOLLINDALE opened his back pack and produced cheese and ham sandwiches for us all, with bananas and juice. WOTAHERO!

You don't grow beautiful flowers like these without a little rain and sure enough, in typical British Summer fashion, it started to drizzle a little.

We were prepared! Husb had brought his 50p ponchos haha

The British red telephone box may be an endangered species but not in the Olympic Park. These installations are part of the BT Artbox project which sees over 40 artists creating an original phonebox with a twist.

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

(This was before the legend that is MO FARAH won his 2nd GOLD MEDAL WHOOPWHOOPIDOOOOOOOOOOO!!)

(I've just watched it!)

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

(I have just watched Tom Daley win a BRONZE MEDAL

WHOOPWHOOPIDOOOOOOOOOOO!!)

The Jolly Hollies split up for the afternoon sessions. Husb and I headed off to the Basketball Arena

which looked a bit like a meringue, and Pixen, Cub and Drakeydrake went to watch some skimpily clad beach bods leaping around in the sandpit at the Horseguards Parade.

Panoramic view of Horseguards Parade-BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Friar Hol with Sister Nem

Your Holinesses Friar Hol with Sister Etty and Sister Nem

Beach Volleyball players indicate moves and tactics on their fingers behind their backs.

The entertainment looked good.

What a fabulous setting. The drizzle soon stopped and it brightened up beautifully.

Team GB

Team Jollyholly minus their habits

Meanwhile Husb and I were sat in the warm and dry Basketball meringue and the atmosphere was incredible (well I thought it was but I've just watched the 5,000m final and heard the stadium ERUPT when MO FARAH won the GOLD. I honestly thought Steve Cram was going to combust)

(The crowd went wild for Tom Daley too)

Team GB v BRAZIL

HOW LONG has CHRIS FINCH been Team GB coach!!!!???!!!.... I remember him coming to the Arena as coach of Sheffield Sharks, along with Nate Reinking. We spent many Sunday evenings supporting the Chester Jets and willing Reinking's shots to miss the basket but this afternoon we were willing them to go in and he played a great second half game. We lost. But it was close, Deng is a quality player, he won all the rebounds for us.

We were done. We had run out of tickets! But we didn't want to leave the Park.

So we delayed leaving and mozyed around , just taking it all in. This turned out to be a bonus because we ended up talking for an hour (over a cup of tea and a muffin) to Ian (and Megan) who had worked on the building of the Park.

The Beat Box

The Velodrome

On the evening of Day 2 Cub and Drakey took the Emirates cable car to the ExCel Centre, home of the Olympics martial arts, boxing and weightlifting events and also TABLETENNIS.

The Pixen made herself comfortable back at the Cub's flat, she was more than happy to watch Becky Adlington swim on tele, who later went on to win the Bronze Medal. Little did we know Diddsville would be meeting Becky a week later at the Open Water swim...