Queen

Tonight I made my way to spectator plaza to grab an ice cream for dinner. (Mom, I know that's not very healthy but it was the only thing that sounded good to me.) I met an Indian friend on my way there so we visited while we made our way there.

We hadn't been there long when a kid stopped to asked me for a pin from my country. This happens to me frequently as at this event the spectators and athletes mingle together each evening at spectator plaza and the cultural center. The local kids have quickly discovered that the athletes and officials usually carry national pins that they are willing to give away. I apologized and explained my country wasn't competing in this event and that I didn't have pins. This happened to me a couple more times while we were there - we were getting quite a laugh over it.

Just as we finished our cones a group of teenage boys asked me if they could have their picture taken with me. It crossed my mind to try and explain that I wasn't an athlete or part of the team, but like I did yesterday, I just decided to grin and bask in the false fame that comes from having very pale skin in the middle of India.

When I arrive at the airport on Monday someone may need to inform the paparazzi that the "Queen of Hollywood" has landed.

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Autograph

Today I left the athlete's village on my way to the competition venues. A volunteer stopped me and asked for my autograph, I tried telling that I wasn't anyone famous or important, but he still wanted me to sign his book. I grinned to myself and signed my very first autograph. For a brief moment I felt like "one of the brightest stars." Luckily for my rapidly growing ego, the volunteer quickly brought me back to earth when he asked me for some money from my country to add to his collection. Sadly, I only had rupees on me.

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Crave

The "will they get it finished on time" mystery is over; competition is going on at every venue and the competitors seem to be having a great time. The stands, which were empty for the first day or two, are now full of school kids (which since this is a youth event is quite fitting.)


Which leaves me time to move on to other things - like a great debate over whether I can afford to splurge on the shiny new Macbook. I've been craving a Mac for a while now, but I don't know if I want it because it is sleek, shiny and cool or if it is the type of laptop I need. Input is welcome - am I a Mac or a PC, can a person be both?

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Relief?

The Opening Ceremony ended just minutes ago - it was a crazy day, but when it is all said and done the ceremony happened and everyone seemed to have a great time.


I don't have many pictures from today - I got kicked out of the venue for having a camera at one point and needed some fast talking by some friends to get me back in, so I put the camera away. But I did manage to get a couple of shots of the welcome provided to the dignitaries coming to the show.
I'm not really sure how everything came together to make it all happen today, but in it's own "extraordinary way" the team pulled it off.

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24

What a difference 24 hours has made. Yesterday the focus seemed to be construction and clean-up. Today, it seems to be beautification. The venue was crawling with people planting flowers and putting up signs and banners.


Everyone seemed to be moving a little faster and talking a little louder, I'm feeling a lot more positive - although a thunderstorm tonight could slow things a bit. Still, today everything seems to be "Closer to Fine."

The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

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Together

The pace seems to have picked up over night, today I found athletes on the fields/courts practicing - always a good sign.

Everywhere you walk there are people cleaning up - this group of women in their sarees (along with an adorable little boy who was tagging along with his mom) were cleaning up the field next to the office I'm working out of.



In the shooting range the sod was going down. It's brought in by a truck to the front door of the venue and the workers carry several pieces on their heads in through the venue.


Still there is work left to be done. The picture above is of the media entrance at one of the venues. The picture below is the staff entry at the same venue - you have to jump over a ditch and wade through the mud to get to the door.

There is a lot of work left to do in a little more than 2 days, but if they keep working at this pace it just may "Come Together"

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Progress?

Remember the flooded field from yesterday? Today it was back in use for Ceremonies Rehearsal - no standing water, but look close and you'll see a mud pit at the bottom of the picture. Still I have to admit, it looks better than I thought it would.


Today I visited the Athlete Village, I had to walk on a dirt road, which was uneven, unpaved, covered in garbage and patrolled by a very skinny (and slightly scary) dog. It is hard to see but there are about 70 flag poles with the flags of all of the countries competing. Right now the flag poles are in the middle of a muddy field surrounded by garbage and twisted metal. I'm hoping they get some sod laid before all the teams arrive.

As we get closer to running out of time, I can't help but think from a line from an old Smith's song:

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
When exactly do you mean?

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OnTour

As if I'm not already excited to be headed home in a couple of weeks, it seems that late Oct / early Nov is a great time to be in the Salt Lake area if you are a music fan.

Several weeks ago I bought tickets to The Hotel Cafe Tour a concert full of some of my very favorite female singer-songwriters which is coming to SLC in Nov.

Today I discovered Ray LaMontagne, the guy I love to listen to as I fall asleep, when I'm waking up and pretty much any other part of the day, is coming to Murray (?) on Oct 28. Count me in!

This just makes me even more excited about coming home! UPDATE: I just discovered the Ray LaMontagne concert is SOLD OUT already! So sad!

Picking a song to go on this post is nearly impossible but since I just found out about the Ray LaMontagne show tonight and Nic said she didn't know he was when I asked her to help me buy tickets, here is a song for her so she can hear his AMAZING voice!

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Downpour

I spent a little more time at the venues today, some progress had been made but there was a lot of work left to do - and now it will be even more challenging.

Around noon it started to rain - well, perhaps downpour is a more accurate description

Within 30 minutes the road in front of the building I was in had turned into a river and the water was about to reach the level of the sidewalks. The dirt field that is to be the VVIP parking area in 5 days was a lake.

The main stadium, where just minutes before the performers were rehearsing for Opening Ceremonies, was completely flooded. It is going to take a lot of work and luck to get everything ready on time now.

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Unfinished

I arrived in Pune yesterday and headed out to the venues to see how they looked. They are beautiful - but not quite finished. Everyone says they will be done in time (as will the new road they are building to the venue.) My American eyes think there is a lot of work to be done in the next 5 days, but I'm hoping it is just one of those cultural differences I keep running into.

In case you can't tell from the picture, that is a ladder made out of bamboo and rope - glad I don't have to climb it!

I loved spending Monday away from the routine of the office. It feels great to have some variety in the day along with the adrenaline that comes from an event.

I'll try and take a few more photos of the venue tomorrow, hopefully by then we'll be singing "It's All Been Done!"

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