Carry-Out Number THREE- GOMA's coned Wellington is Great Public Art

The mounted statue of Wellington outside Glasgow's Museum of Modern Art I think is a great piece of public art. For me , it's the  equivalent of any Banksy approbation of an old master's work,  even better as Glasgow's public  created, and now sustain, GOMA's coned Wellington, continually re-inventing the piece. It's a great, iconic public art up there with Copenhagen's The Little Mermaid, Rio's Christ the Redeemer. justifying its place centre stage at the Commonwealth Games opening

Should you wish to know more about the work and what I think of it go here.

Carry-Out Number TWO- Volunteer Clyde Siders and Paid Clyde Siders Dressed Exactly The Same

If there was one gripe or niggle with Glasgow 2014, and I had the same one at London 2012 –there was no visual distinction between the paid workforce Clyde Siders and unpaid volunteer Clyde Siders, both wore exactly the same uniform.

Cooking, Cleaning and Security staff were clearly identifiable as each had there own specific uniform. Technical officials at each sport had a blue version of the red Clyde Sider uniform, so they too could be differentiated, while all the Clyde Siders whether paid or unpaid were seen as one, wearing the bright Red, White & Grey uniform

I know the paid workforce Clyde Siders did a great job, evidenced by the fact that the unpaid Clyde Siders were there trained, organized and ready to go. Nevertheless many of the volunteer Clyde Siders had paid a lot of money, given a lot of time over many months to be there, many gave up there holidays and for those sacrifices to be attributed to every Clyde Sider regardless –paid or unpaid- niggled/niggles me.

Carry-Out Number ONE - Glasgow 2014 was not London 2012

The Commonwealth Games was/is not the Olympic Games, I had to continually check myself and was regularly minded by fellow ex Games Makes not to mention the ‘O’ word. That was then this is now!

The money itself tells one story London 2012 £9.3 billion Glasgow 2014 513 million. The resulting Games another story.

Yes, the Commonwealth Games smaller and very different , neater, more compact in every way and lived up to there catchphrase ‘The Friendly Games’ with much random smiling and friendly nods as one strolled around the Village.

Where Glasgow 2012 scored over London 2014 for me was its mascot. London's Wenlock and Mandevillie never really touched me while Clyde despite my intial misgivings grew on me to the point where I was even pictured with Ebun, me and Clyde.

My Ten Carry-Outs aka Take-Aways From Glasgow 2012

I’ve been thinking how to wrap up this blog for a couple weeks now and can’t think of one thing that summed up Glasgow 2014 for me. There's been a number of things that will stay with me. So, rather than have a narrative arc ending , closing the blog where I began I’ll share my take-aways aka carry-outs as the Weggies aka Glasgwegians called 'em – those things that’ll stay with me long after the Games actually ends.

Here they are &  in no particular order......

The Blythswood Hotel to the Menzies Hotel - Traffic Lights & Burning Rubber

The Journey from The Blythswood Hotel to the Menzies Hotel was one I did often as Team Nigeria had officials staying at both hotels, which meant frequent trips between the two.

The hotels are 1.2 miles apart - a '5 min' trip but thanks to Glasgow's traffic lights this could be much longer thanks to the six sets of lights on the journey from the Blythswood to the Menzies which needed to be negotiated thanks to the one way system in place. The trip could take up to 15 frustrating minutes, if the traffic lights decided to be against you.


The return trip from The Menzies to The Blythswood although quicker than the reverse trip as there were ‘only’ three sets of lights on the route did however have one the steepest hills I have ever had to negotiate – the junction Douglas St & St George St.

I held the clutch so long you could smell burning as I did my hill start. For this reason I avoided the manual cars as the smell of burning rubber became very bad, and with me hand wavering over the handbrake and my foot wavering on the clutch it was all very tense and smelly!

The Traffic Lights of Glasgow Part 1

I cannot leave Glasgow without commenting on its traffic lights.

They were one of the most frustrating, excruciating,  agonizing,  time wasting aspects of Glasgow.

We all know the sequence and what to do as the lights change:

Red STOP,
Red&Amber PREPARE TO GO,
Green GO
Amber PREPARE TO STOP

Most times Red STOP &  Green GO times are reasonable based on traffic visible conditions. You have the sense the lights are fair based on the traffic flows one can see but not in Glasgow.

The traffic light timings and phasing between on set of lights and another are totally without rhyme or reason.

You could wait upto three minutes on Red STOP with nothing in the junction moving., then  for that split second they run - Red&Amber PREPARE TO GO,Green GO, Amber PREPARE TO STOP.– just enough to let three or four cars thru.

Now three minutes may not seem long but when you’re not sure of the roads AND you don’t fully trust the directions from the satnav AND your passenger is a hurry to reach their destination AND they know you’re not fro Glasgow  – result stress, stress stress! I would sooner become lost fast rather than the slow agonizing stress build up as I was  sometimes not 100% certain that the left or right I was about to take was correct

I would sooner become lost quicker and so take corrective action quicker rather than being held, waiting to know if the route was right or wrong!

Home Countries in the Village

Each country demonstrates its presence in the Village by flying its flag some flags are bigger than others while some countries go even further and brand their allotted area - rooms and offices with motifs and images to create a themed space designed to motivate as well a give a sense of national identity & pride. 

Some were understated others in your face, England was especially up there having said that England's in-your-faceness was reflected in the medal table where it was top ahead of Australia who were equally brash. 

For example here's the Home Countries presence in the Village.....

Demonstrations at Glasgow2014

I saw two forms of Demonstration at the Games - peaceful serene in contrast to  noisy agitated - the Referendum YES vote and the Sri Lankan Tamil protest.

The YES vote Demonstration turned up outside the Blytheswood Hotel in an appropriately branded bus complete with YES flags, hoping to attract the eye of the many dignitaries staying at this exclusive luxury 5 star hotel. they even came with their own photographer to capture the act of demonstration - very organised.

The Sri Lankan Tamil protestors were equally well organised. They hijacked the Big G in St George's Square in the centre of Glasgow for at least 15 mins. There was no security to stop them delivering a carefully choreographed demonstration, complete with music, movement and banners.

A member of the public approached me asking "What's going on?" I initially thought the action was part of the show but the hand painted signs were a give way this wasn't official. To my amazement I couldn't find a security officer , in the end had to phone 101 to summon help. The protestors had had their time in the sun it was time to give the Big G back to the people of Glasgow and visitors to the Games.

The Sri Lankan protestors turned up again at the Opening Ceremony this time out side the Media Center at Parkhead, again  making sure they were both seen and heard -with flags and loud hailers

The YES vote made its point genteelly while the Sri Lankan protest was much more aggressive but just as well planned & considered. 

Glasgow A Renaissance City ?

  Ideal City, 15th Century

While waiting outside The Blytheswood Hotel for one of the NGR delegation to return to the Village I was looking around Blytheswood Square and I was caught by how the  mix of old and new buildings had been integrated, putting me in mind of the Renaissance painting The Ideal City.

The modern architect must have been aware of the painting I am sure while the town planner must have had a say, the two professions working together to create a little bit of a Renaissance City in Central Glasgow.

Separated by West George Street we have on the one side The Blytheswood Hotel and on the other a Government Building – Creative Scotland.

The two complement each other in colour and in form, with the modern architect seemingly respecting and reflecting the three stories on the Blytheswood Hotel building, taking into account the slope Creative Scotland is build on. In doing so they have created virtual lines, that capture the eye, creating continuity across the road and the time that separates the two buildings. I am sure that the acceptance of the building’s plan by Glasgow’s town planners  was made easier because of this sympathetic design in the modern, acknowledging and respecting the past while creating a very contemporary building.

That little bit of a Renaissance City I found all over the Glasgow City centre here are a few:

US SatNav Rant

The in car SatNav continues to confuse and confound:

SatNav TURN RIGHT onto Waterloo Lane Reality NO RIGHT TURN onto Waterloo Lane from Waterloo Street

SatNav Straight on into Hope St Reality Entry into Hope St only for Buses and Taxis

<rant mode ON>

The Ford SatNav is a reflection of technology in cars - it is invariably 2 or 3 years behind the technology we use in our everyday lives. It had a very ill considered user interface with inconsistent use of names Bluetooth sometimes BT others , no help or guidance along with much clutter on the screen as they mixed the Radio screen and SatNav screen all very confusing as smaller version of the SatNav is presented with the Speedometer and Rev counter making for too many confusing screens. And buttons, switches , dials, knobs  all littered around the driving wheel - confusing and ugly.

AND that reminder in the middle of the wheel I'm driving a Ford - why do I need to know or be reminded, does this help me drive better? What's needed is simplicity and beauty, to make the whole SatNav and driving experience better.

The answer is simple - replicate the iPhone's touch screen in the display then the very latest SatNav can be used along with the very latest traffic info. Not mention giving the user a familiar, friendly interface, it has to happen if not that then at least Apple designing an interface to the car removing all that  junk and clutter to create a simple , elegant use interface.

<rant mode OFF>

The Google Games

I liked the Seychelles flag's use of a bold. bright, primary colour palette - Blue Red Yellow Green. It put me in mind of the Google logo.

I then saw how the logo for the games used Google's colours:

And Seychelles neighbour Mauritius uses Google's bright, cheerful colours :in horizontal bands rather than radially. 

I have even seen Google's colours on the high street in H&M's window display so not only the Game's influenced by Google's colours. 

Not to mention the Google people at the Opening Ceremony welcoming the Athletes...

......and the Google fly pass by The Red Arrows as the Queen entered the Stadium on the Opening Night.....

My First Day....

It's my first day off today and a chance to reflect on past few days. In short they have passed like a whirl wind so much has happened and changed. It's the changes that keep you on your toes, as we all work together  to fully understand the exactly what resources we need, where they are and how to reach them working as a team to make things happen. Keeps the mind and body active!

The Village day by day is coming more and more alive as more and more countries arrive creating  an ever growing buzz. Also time to note some things I’d meant to note but haven't done so:

Meeting Village Head

I had the great pleasure of bumping into the Village Manager -Tony Sainsbury - he was kind enough to let me have a photo with him and despite being rushed off his feet even had time for a chat. He had the same role at London 2012 where he was equally enthusiastic and committed about the event - a great motivator.

I know this'll sound creepy but I complimented him on how good the food was but it was, and is, good to excellent. Always served fresh at the right temperature, texture and taste , looks good and served with smile. The catering team are doing a great job despite having to serve thousands of meals a day.

Loving The Food

The Treiaki chicken with rice and fat choi the other day was brilliant. The sauce was full of flavour, very tasty while the chicken was soft & succulent with the rice just right, fat choy is a vegetable I don't have often it went well with the  Teriaki sauce.

The Phone

Each CGA Assistant is issued with a phone, to mange expectations we were advised it would be basic - voice and text only - we weren’t surprised or disappointed!

The Nokia 106  gave me the opportunity to reflect on how much I’d forgotten about texting, how long a battery should really last and how lazy  I’d become inputing and finding stuff on the phone.

Theres a full review here 

I used to love predictive texting now I found it a chore and confusing so I switched it off.In fact I'd write the text on my iPhone and send it to the 106 to forward it on.

The 106 does what it says on the tin but it does  have a very nice radio , a flashlight aka torch and it’ll speak the time - very useful. In fact when my iPhone power failed the 106 was there - I could use its radio to stay in touch - all night AND still have enough power to get me thru the day. Incredible in the age of the iPhone with its half day , if you're lucky.

The106’s  battery is simply incredible it lasts forever quite unlike my iPhone battery which lasts half a morning at best hence I carry around a huge 13000A power pack. I've had real problems charging the power pack as there's no power at the campsite. So sadly, my iPad has been off for the past few days as there was no power for it, and so this post has taken forever to complete. But we got there, eventually!