This gallery contains 7 photos.
On the move in London by Kim Alderden In any Olympic city transportation is always a hot item. You can imagine in London this subject is hotter than hot! On normal days the traffic in London is already hectic. … Continue reading
Winners in da house! by Kim Alderden
In one of my posts I tried to explain the atmosphere in the Holland Heineken House. The one-and-only Dutch fan zone in London.
Well, I can tell you out of my own experience: it’s a real happening there. Every night thousands of fans gather in the House. The location? Alexandra Palace; an enormous event venue with a capacity of 6000 sports lovers per night. And indeed, there are 6000 fans in da house when a winner of the bronze, silver or golden medal is honored!
This is one of the major experiences during the period of the Olympic Games for the Dutch fans. And I am sure not only for the fans…
Edith Bosch (judo) and Marianne Vos (cycling) were the first athletes who experienced an awesome celebration on August,1st. The medal of the House, an XXL version of the original, is brought to them via the cheering and yelling crowd and not seldom the medal winner enjoys a cool crowd surfing experience!
Oh what a night… by Kim Alderden
He did it! RESPECT for Danny Boyle, the man who created yesterday night THE greatest show on earth! A triple A event; ASWESOME, ABFAB and AMAZING!
The show was on ongoing trip of highlights. Among my personal fav’s was definitely the moment where James Bond invited Her Majesty the Queen for a ride in his helicopter which ended in a parachute jump in the stadium! I love this 80-something old Queen! Furthermore mister Bean played a hilarious role with a one-finger piano play momentum on stage with the London Philharmonic Orchestra led by Sir Simon Rattle conducting Chariots of Fire. And I have to admit that I was moved to tears when Muhammad Ali entered the stage to bring the Olympic flag to place…
Four years ago I left the Olympic Stadium in Being overwhelmed by the Ceremony which took place. The Opening Ceremony in London was completely different but again a MOMENTUM in life. I can only call myself a lucky bastard for being here in London today!
Ever heard of the Holland Heineken House? by Kim Alderden
Today the official opening of the Holland Heineken House took place. Heineken, what’s in a name? This global brand is since 1992 the well-respected partner of this Dutch home base during the Olympics. The National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands knows how to treat the Dutch Olympic fans, sponsors, family and athletes. During 18 days this Holland House is the ultimate celebration experience for the Dutch scene in London.
Welcome!
This year the House is celebrating its 20-year anniversary and the place is bigger and better than ever. Alexandra Palace is turned into a green and orange fan zone complete with XXL Heineken bars, a major stage, 2 restaurants and a sponsor village. Well known Dutch artists fly-in to London to perform and major TV and Radio stations settle down in this Dutch House of Sports.
What’s all the fuzz about a fan house? I can almost hear you thinking… Well we Dutch tend to have a good sense for sports celebration. Of course winning the bronze, silver or golden medal is for an athlete a major achievement but the reward on stage in front of a cheering and heart-warming crowd is a one-off. Very frequently his royal highness Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Princes Maxima join the celebrations and congratulate the athletes in person on stage. The cherry-on-the-cake? A crowd surfing experience throughout the event hall. And the 2012 version of the Holland Heineken House is huge! A good six thousand fans fit in the celebration hall.
Event security: conflict control is the name of the game by Kim Alderden
Just recently we interviewed Bertus Holkema for an article in the e-magazine of Share Today. The man is an all-round professional on Event security. At the doorstep of the Olympics I like to share some of his insights.
Who is in charge of event security? Does the project manager of the agency have full responsibility or are the various local suppliers each responsible for their own part? About public transportation in London, which is sometimes referred to as a risk due to historical facts. Why separate a group between two airplanes, and the put them the next moment on scooters through the buzzing city centre of, say, Bangkok? Event security is a subjective issue. We tried to find some answers though and had a chat with Bertus Holkema, a no-nonsense Dutchman with 20 years of experience in all sorts of global events.
A little bit of background on the man. From being pain-in-the-ass to his mom at age 13, to fighting with friends on the street a year later, to lessons in karate to create more balance to a career as a professional football player in the Netherlands, Bertus Holkema served the Commando’s in the army and was a doorman at several bars and discotheques. Without really knowing it, he created a certain image: a hospitable security guy with good manners and no fear. Then there came the phone call: the multinational Philips, as sponsor of the Fats Domino event in the Netherlands, was looking for a security expert. There and then his security career began. Touring the world with major bands such as the Dire Straits and The Rolling Stones was a boy’s dream came true. But there was more. Public festival events, bodyguard security to famous football players and eventually he was in charge of security for major sports events worldwide. Hey, what else do you need to become a real pro on the subject? Continue reading
LONDON calling! by Kim Alderden
Do you like a good dose of sports excitement? I suggest you tune in on London. At the 27th of July the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will kick off a spectacular 18 day sports event. And the world will be watching.
Why are the Games so special? Is it the good vibe of sports that people bond? I always feel a great international spirit among the sports lovers from all over the world during the Olympic Games. And … I can tell. I am no Olympic rookie anymore. I enjoyed my first Games in Sydney and never missed one till today.
The colors bronze, silver & gold will dominate every stadium but there is sooo much more! And I love to bring you the best stories. Either front row or backstage.
Starting today I will share my Olympic London ins & outs on this blog. Ready to join me?
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