More Olympic Torch!

More photos from the Olympic cavalcade that passed by Hyde Street in Winchester yesterday.

Olympic Torch in Winchester!

I was amazingly excited today when the torch came past the end of my road, even teenage son got out of bed for it!

There was a large cavalcade of police motorcycles, bikes, cars, publicity trucks etc and finally the flame, and it passed so quickly! I'm not sure that the person carrying the torch was anyone famous (despite my son saying 'It's Orlando Bloom' !)

If you're feeling terribly bored here's a video of the route from Reading to Winchester, with the last few minutes of it coming through Hyde in Winchester.


torch relay video

Olympics are coming!

 

On Wednesday the Olympic torch passes through Winchester, infact right past the bottom of my road! Here at the Cathedral they are obviously setting up for the arrival of the flame with a number of Olympic Flags. I have been working on the Olympics since 2010, and to say I have Olympic fatigue is not an understatement! However I really am quite excited about the torch coming here and the games themselves, I have even taken the day off work om Wednesday to try to see the torch!

Hat Fair

I'll admit I was away for most of the weekend so did not go to any of the Hat Fair this year, however I do have one quick photo to add to the blog. It has been so wet, it has rained every day in July so far. I remember last year getting slightly sunburnt! No chance of that at the moment. I imagine the weather put off quite a few people unfortuantely.

Mayfest

Yesterday was Mayfest in Winchester, a celebration of traditional and contemporary music, dance and song. In the High Street they had a couple of Morris Dancing groups. I think of it as a very traditional English dance, although it's not something I've ever done, nor anyone I know of! There were some other Morris Dancers I featured on the blog back in December 2010. As you can see from the sky it's been glorious weather here most of the week!

It's chip week!

All this week is chip week (that's 'fries' to our American friends!). I must say that Winchester lacks a proper central chip shop (sorry, but I am far too lazy to go all the way to St Cross for my chips!) I like chips, with lots of salt and vinegar, but I hardly ever have them to be honest. When stopped by some tourists in town and asked where the nearest chip shop was the only place I could think of was this place in Jewry Street...

Hat Fair

Today, yesterday & tomorrow it is the Hat Fair here in Winchester. The Hat Fair is Britain's longest continually running festival of street theatre and outdoor arts. It has been running since 1974, and the 'hat' refers to the hats that performers passed round after their performance for donations.

Winchester is packed right now and here in the High Street we saw a performance by Matt Pang involving juggling, escaping from a straight jacket whilst riding a unicycle amongst other things!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone reading this!

The calm before the storm

As I mentioned in a previous post Winchester is the Christmas Capital of England! And we are now gearing up for the influx of visitors to the ice rink and Christmas Market. Here it is before the crowds arrive. I don't think the ice is quite frozen yet on the skating rink, I'd love to have a go on it though before the hoards get there!

Winchester's got the X Factor!

Winchester is pitching itself as England's Christmas capital, with its Christmas Market, ice rink, live nativity and carols at the cathedral and today to start it all off  the Christmas lights have been turned on today by X-Factor band The Reason!

Fireworks in Winchester - Guy Fawkes Night

The Firework display in Winchester was held on 6th November. Fireworks and bonfires take place across the UK on or around the 5th November to remember the failed Gunpowder Plot to assassinate James 1.

"Remember remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot... "
History of Guy Fawkes night