Contrasting 6th August 2012 with the 6th August 2011
This time last year, I was on the Isle of Wight enjoying Cowes Week. A day’s sailing with my friend Andreas Widegren was proceeded by a stay in a rather strange Holiday Inn in Southampton. The surreal contrast between the hotel full of noisy travelling salesman and the wonderful time that we had on the boat was quite something. As news came in that London was burning and the streets full of rioting yobs, we, however, became utterly relieved to be out in the sunshine onboard a yacht rather than in a city full of chaos.
Today, 6th August 2012, in contrast to 6th August 2011, London is full of visiting athletes and the thousands who have come to cheer them on. As the city shows itself as one of the best in the world, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, appeared on Radio 4’s Today programme and rightly pointed out that London today is showing “national self-confidence” instead of the “deep social problems” we saw last year.
Boris is right. Thank goodness that the riots have been replaced with riotous celebrations on the streets of London. This and our brilliantly run Olympic Games are genuinely worthy of a mighty cheer.