And crankier than ever! Hey, just kidding, folks. Being away for a month was quite relaxing. It was an amazing time in London, and those folks got a preview of what they can expect to happen in 2012.
One of the big issues while I was over there was the spiraling cost of their soon-to-be-Games. 9 billion pounds-and going up. Way up. And Red Ken's now-infamous comment about how he bid for the Olympics "because that is the only way I will get the east end of London redeveloped." Oops.
It took ages for Montreal to pay off their debt from 1976. Fast forward some thirty-plus years and it will get even worse if London's organisers aren't careful.
Perhaps in light of Ken Livingstone's comments, the IOC should be more careful and examine further the motives of cities that want to bid for the Games. It will be a spectacular show in London (perhaps even eclipsing Sydney's) but speaking from experience, once the show has left town, all that's left is that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach, and a feeling of it really is all over, perhaps forever.
London is going to experience one huge letdown when all is said and done. As in the financial kind if they aren't careful.
And if the organisers aren't careful, Londoners will be left with one souvenir-that will hit them square in the wallet for years to come.
