Working on her spokesmodeling . . .
I was so excited when I read that the event was taking place here in Boston, and even more excited when I found out that it was free! I had heard of and wanted to watch the event for a few years now, but never actually expected that it would happen! This was the first time that the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has ever made a stop on the East Coast of the United States, and I imagine it will probably be the last of Lola's exciting Boston adventures. I figured that it was right up Lola's alley, being the dock diver that she is . . . It must have been fate. : )
People watching
We got to the event later than I had hoped (due to me getting mixed up with the directions. Sometimes a smart phone WOULD come in handy I guess . . .), and had to make our way through the crowd to find a decent spot. In a mass of 23,000 people, I was surprised at how reletively easy this was. We walked along the edge of Fan Pier closest to the ICA and ended up getting a great spot on the grass in the shade. Lola had a fantastic view of all the people walking by, and my view of the diving platform wasn't too shabby either.
Lola, Shia and I
As usual, Lola started making friends right away. We sat next to a little girl named Shia (sorry if I spelled it wrong), who was a self-proclaimed dog-lover and reminded me a bit of myself at her age. She fed Lola treats, let her drink water from her hands, and practiced a few tricks. We got to talk about her dog at home as well. She was a wonderful girl, and Lola was very happy to have all the attention. Thanks to Shia's Grandpa for taking the picture and sending it to me, and to her father for giving me permission to post it!
Our view
As for the event itself, I must say it was spectacular! I also feel that "breath-taking" is an appropriate description. I believe the announcer said that the diving platform was 80 feet above the water, and the view on the big screens was just beautiful. I really wanted to be up there! Of course, I would have jumped and plummeted to the water, not nearly as gracefully or skillfully as the divers themselves. I was amazed at some of the tricks they were able to pull off, twisting and somersaulting through the air multiple times before landing with minimal splash. There were even divers (or just one specific diver, can't remember for sure) that started off by doing a hand stand! I can't imagine how difficult it must be to do a hand stand on the edge of a platform, 80 feet in the air. I can't even do one on flat ground! Just stunning.
Close-up, The Final Round
I was most surprised by the ability of a crowd of 23,000 people to be completely silent before each contestant took their dive. It was moving, actually. I can't explain the feeling accurately, but it was a beautiful team effort in a city that is usually concerned about individual needs. It was the kind of quiet that feels unnatural, especially in a crowded, busy city! It was the kind of quiet where you could hear people whispering 10 feet away from you. I could even hear the splash as the diver entered the water! I must say, it inspired a bit of awe.
Celebration!
After the third and final round, the top three divers were: 1st place~Gary Hunt from the UK, 2nd Place~Artem Silchenko from Russia, and 3rd place~Kent De Mond from the U.S. They celebrated with champagne showers and a few chugs of the bubbly, and were given quite heavy looking trophies. Congratulations!
Lola is obviously thrilled . . .
Lola was not as enthralled by all of this as I was, but she did a very good job of laying in her spot and smiling at the people walking by. However, she was ready for some action . . .
Kyle Mitrione, Lola, and David Colturi
Eagerly, Lola and I made our way over to the ICA building to get a closer experience of all the action and see what kind of pictures we could get. Right off the bat, Lola found her way to two of the wildcard contestents, Kyle Mitrione and David Colturi, both from the U.S., taking pictures with fans. I explained to them that I am writing a travel blog about Lola's adventures and take pictures of her around the city and asked if they would mind taking a picture with her. Believe it or not, it sometimes feels a little awkward asking people to take pictures with your dog! ; ) However, they were very friendly and happy to pose with Lola, and it looks like she was happy to pose with them as well. The picture turned out great guys, thank you so much! (And good luck on qualifying for the Olympics, we'll be cheering for you!)
Interviews on the Dock
It was such a great event, and I must say that all of the people we met were very nice and friendly, even when being bombarded with requests for pictures and signatures. I felt a little bad asking! Luckily, Lola meets very few people who aren't won over by her stunning good looks and stellar personality. ; )
Lola with Kent De Mond, USA, Third Place Finisher!
The Red Bull Cliff Diving Event was Lola's first experience meeting celebrity types, and I think she kept her cool pretty well. She understands how grueling it can be having people follow you around snapping pictures and wanting to touch you all the time. She is a mini-celebrity in her own way.
After all of the excitement was over and the divers left to rest up for dinner, Lola and I stayed and enjoyed the peaceful view of the harbor. I have been trying to take in as much of Boston as I can before I leave, and it was a perfect night to relax in front of the water. Lola was exhausted from a long day of modeling anyway and decided that a nap on the deck was just what she needed. She also decided that I was not doing a good enough job of petting her and went to make friends with the 3 people sitting below us. Lola graced them with her presence and allowed them to scratch and pet her for the next hour. We had wonderful conversations about all of Lola's past and potential future adventures. They gave me some great ideas to try and goals for the future. More wonderful people!
A big thanks to Carol for the ride home!
As the night came to an end, Lola and I prepared ourselves mentally for the long trek home on the subway. Our hero, Carol, happened to be driving that way anyway and offered us a ride. Although we do not encourage riding in cars with strangers, we took her up on the offer! As we were leaving the parking lot, two women saw Lola sticking her head out the window and "HAD" to come up and pet her. I just think it is so funny the effect Lola has on people sometimes! But nothing really surprises me with Lola anymore, like I said, she is a mini-celebrity!
Another magical day meeting new people and enjoying the city I love so much. *Sigh* : )
Again, I would like to thank Shia and Luke; Kyle Mitrione and David Colturi, Kent De Mond, and Carol for allowing me to include their pictures. It was wonderful meeting you all!
~Crystal & Lola
