Tis the season for many family photo shoots. I have become accustom to this recurring ritual over the last few years and continue to improve the process. This afternoon it was photos in Hyde Park of a family of five. I really enjoy the time I spend with these folks and everything went swimmingly. One thing you have to know about this particular family is they have a very high energy and spontaneous lifestyle. I have been amazed in the past when in the course of spending time with this family the most intriguing and unexpected adventures have occurred. Today was no exception!
After taking as many family shots as we all could stand the father invites me to lunch where he is meeting with some business associates and other mysterious characters. Not being one to turn down a free meal I agree and meet them at the local Maggiano's. They are seated on the second floor balcony and I wind my way to the stairs and approach with confidence having no idea what to expect. I am greeted warmly and take a seat. The discussion is about Living fuel related activities and before long I discover I am sitting at the table with a couple of real sure enough Olympic athletes. Later in the conversation the subject of medals is raised and before you can say Bobs your Uncle I am staring a 2004 Gold medal right in the face.
The winners name is Gal Fridman and he overcame the best windsurfers in the world to become Israel's first Gold medal winner. What a humble and gracious fellow he is. He patiently answered questions you can be sure he has answered a thousand times. Listening to him about his experiences made the Olympics come to life in a whole new way for me. To think that the very medal he held only inches from me was the same medal viewed by tens of millions on televisions all over the planet as he held it up in triumph was neat.
Life is just full of suprises.
