(That is a picture I took last night after I figured out the panoramic setting on my camera!)For those of you who watched the convention last night, you can imagine how amazing it was to actually BE there. (And yes, the fireworks WERE real!) There were a couple of people asking to buy tickets while we were in line, but we had the impression 99% of everyone who was there wouldn't have traded it for the world! It was so amazing to be a part of the excitement. I wish I could re-create it for all of you!
We left the house about 1:45, parked about 2 miles from the stadium and walked. On the way, we walked through a legalize pot demonstration at La Alma park (with free music on a truck I had seen the night before: Party for the People). There were TONS of freewheelin bicyclists which made me regret not getting a couple of bikes for us! I mean, really: what were we thinking?!
Anywhoo, we arrived near the stadium around 2:30--we got IN to the stadium 2 hours later and I think we were LUCKY. Here is what the line looked like when we arrived:
AND, it wrapped around. We weren't even in the parking lot at this point. Once there, the corrals wrapped around. It seemed interminable. But, we made it!
It was hot. And all the vendors were selling BUTTONS. FOOLS! They would have made a FORTUNE on water! But, once we got in to the parking lot, Coke gave out free water (and encouraged recycling with some catchy slogan like, "that bottle's not done"--I can't remember, I was about to pass out by the time we got to them).
The general atmosphere was that everyone was so happy to be there. There wasn't the usual complaining about lines or heat or anything in the crowd. (Ok, except for me, but I am an old lady)
Here is Dave and me with our cool passes:
(tilted one way, you saw just a flag; tilted the other, you saw Barack Obama in front of the flag)We were in the way top level, but with the jumbo trons, I couldn't complain. (Plus, we were maybe 20 feet from where they shot off the fireworks! Thrilling!)
The early speeches were eh.
The music was great! will.i.am and John Legend came out and sang just the regular version of Yes We Can (considering Dave and I spent almost an entire evening watching the video over and over, I think they could have done an extended remix and gotten the crowd more involved.) Sheryl Crow played 3 songs I think--I liked that she played "A Change Will Do You Good". Stevie Wonder played a couple of songs including "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" which he dedicated to the Obamas. Michael MacDonald played "America the Beautiful" which was good... except that he asked us to sing along (which, as you know, I was ready to do) to his "jazzy" version, making it stilted and awkward ("Aaaaaaaa-merica. Aaaaaaaaa-merica...")
The speeches geared up with Bill Richardson. I guess I haven't seen him make many speeches, but his was very good. Then Al Gore. Man! I do not remember HIM being such a great speaker! He really was inspiring. I also thought the retired general did great as well as the 6 regular people who got to join Barack backstage.
And then, the main event. Well, you saw it. I will have to see it on tv to really see it considering I was taking pictures, screaming and/or crying most of the time. In fact, I have a video featuring my lungs. (I still have my voice!) I may post that at some point, but it's LONG.
Here is the stadium after the b
ig show:
2 comments:
Thanks so much for posting all this Jenn! We wanted to attend so badly but were never taken off the wait list. Cheered from home, though! Happy to hear you cheered enough in person for me and Tim as well!!!
I have to say, I didn't think Gore's speech was all that great. I should say the content was good, but that man has exactll one tone to his voice. No matter what he says, it sounds boring. Maybe I'm the only one? And maybe being there *jealous* would have made it more exciting. In fact, I'm sure it would have *kick ground*
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