Olympic photos: Day 17, final assignment

The day is here. Tonight is the Closing Ceremonies of the XXX Olympiad here in London and a few short hours after the torch is extinguished, Julie and I will be on a plane bound for home. And you know what? It’s time.

I’ve really enjoyed my month Across the Pond, shooting photos wherever I go and meeting very good people from all over the world. There was the nice man from Cameroon who played the sax on the train for Julie and I; the lawyer couple from Yorkshire who didn’t understand the American political process and shared my distaste of the Spice Girls; the Spanish man who loved everything about American culture and especially the sports (he’s a 49ers fan and watches the NBA finals live from Spain); and who could forget Charles, the Londoner who held and umbrella over my camera so I could photograph the women’s marathon in the pouring rain.

Someone asked me yesterday if I was homesick and it didn’t hit me until that moment but I really am. It will be nice to get a full night’s sleep and not have to sleep on an air mattress on the floor of a closet-sized dorm room. While I think the Tube is the greatest feat of public transportation in the world, it will be nice not to have to travel a minimum of 45 minutes each direction just to get to the action. That being said, I can’t wait to come back and see the UK properly, without the distraction of The Games. Though I will still have my camera in tow.

On this final day of competition, the men’s marathon wound its way through the maze that is the streets of London. Team USA’s Mebrahtom Keflezighi finished fourth after leading early. And with that, I’m off.

Mebrahtom Keflezighi of the USA takes an early lead halfway through the first of three laps during the men’s Olympic marathon on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012 in London. (Anthony L. Solis/Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Methkal Abu Drais of Jordan runs in the men’s Olympic marathon on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012 in London. (Anthony L. Solis/Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Marcel Tschopp of Liechtenstein runs in the men’s Olympic marathon on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012 in London. (Anthony L. Solis/Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Augusto Soares of Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste runs in the men’s Olympic marathon on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012 in London. (Anthony L. Solis/Santa Cruz Sentinel)