I can't tell you how wonderful it was to watch these two international sporting events this year! So many sports competitions have been and continue to be cancelled due to the pandemic and for some of you this may not be a big deal. I have many friends who take no particular interest in following professional sports. But for me, I have always loved watching the Tour de France and the Grand Slam tennis championships.
I have been a fan of the Tour since the days of Greg LeMonde, the first American to ever win this international competition. I have always enjoyed watching the cyclists racing through the villages and towns of France, past gothic cathedrals and churches, past medieval castles and abbeys, through the lovely countryside with its vineyards and fields of lavender and sunflowers. And finally, racing down the Champs-Elysees in Paris on the final day of the 21 day competition.
This year it was especially important for me since I can't travel to France. I could, at least, enjoy "visiting" the country every day for those 3 weeks on my television. It was a bitter-sweet experience and often involved a few tears. As most of you know, if you've been reading my blog since the beginning, I have had a long running love affair with France and right now I miss it like I miss a lost loved one!
It was uncertain earlier on in the pandemic whether any of the cycling or tennis competitions would take place this year. There were (and still are) many questions surrounding the safety of traveling between countries. Both the T de F and the French Open were held at a later time with many of the competitions leading up to both of these having been cancelled. There was no Wimbledon this year and the French Open, usually held in the summer, was changed to October. And the T de F, usually held in July, was postponed to September.
But, oh how grateful I am that they took place at all! The French Open is held at the Roland Garros stadium complex on the outskirts of Paris and every telecast included views of the city, often of the Eiffel Tower and its glittering lights every evening.
So, I am thankful for what did take place and for the cyclists and players who were willing to go through all the extra precautions in order to be able to participate. Unlike American sports, these athletes come from all over the world and so have to "jump through hoops" to be able to travel between countries. It has been a challenge for everyone to figure out how to make it as safe as possible for them.
On those days when I feel the depression taking hold (and it does from time to time) I try to think about the things I love and can look forward to. We have babies at the zoo! Our siamang couple had a baby last month. Surprise! No one knew she was pregnant! And we have a 2 week old giraffe. Not a surprise, but certainly a blessing. We have newly arrived pelicans - a mated pair - who are living with our penguins. That in itself brings some comic relief!
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| Eve with her baby |
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| Baby giraffe - tiny and cute |
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| A gift for Penelope |
And I look forward to December when I will be going to Universal Studios Orlando for the fifth year in a row to enjoy the parks with my "magical" friend, Renae. We can pretend we are visiting Scotland while at Hogsmeade and London while at Diagon Alley. Then we are in Costa Rica when we visit Jurassic Park and San Diego when we are on the wharf. And New York City and New Orleans and Hollywood and ET's planet . . .
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| Hogwarts Castle at Hogsmeade |
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| Gringott's Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley |
I hope you are all finding ways to cope with the craziness that is 2020. AND, it's an election year!!! What else can go wrong? No, don't answer that!! Let's try to keep our chins up and do what we can to bring happiness and joy to others. As bad as I feel on some days I know there are others whose circumstances are much worse than mine. I still have much to be thankful for. For example, I'm thankful that there are still people reading my blogs! :-)
