After a nine hour flight, Vivian and Dominique Moreno peered out of the window in hope of stealing a glance at their summer destination.

Ever since they were little, the sisters have watched the Olympics on TV, in awe of the athletes’ abilities. However, this summer, their destination was none other than the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

“We loved the culture of London,” said senior Vivian. “Especially during the Olympics, where we could interact with so many cultures from around the world in one concentrated area.”

Although the duo have been to the famous city before, they made sure to revisit their favorite sites to see what Olympic decorations had taken their places.

“The most memorable moment was seeing the Olympic rings on the London Bridge,” said freshman Dominique. “Symbolizing the unity of five continents and athletes from all around the world, I felt proud to be able to see the main sight of the summer Olympics in person because I was able to capture what the TV screen couldn’t.”

One highlight of the trip was their hotel’s close proximity to the summer’s action.

“Our hotel was a few blocks away from the Olympic Village, where we were able to shop at Westfield Mall, which seemed to be the popular “hang-out” spot for all the athletes,” said Vivian. “My sister and I were even able to meet some of the Olympians, including Houstonian gymnast Jonathan Horton. However, we were sadly unable to spot Great Britain’s famous diver Tom Daley, whose eye catching billboards were all throughout town.”

After two weeks of supporting Team USA in London, Vivian and Dominique were dreading the flight back to Houston.

“We were going to miss the cooler weather and positive atmosphere from the Olympics,“ said Vivian. “The general population was friendly and always welcoming to others.”

“From the people who dress up just to go to the local store to the recycling bins in the parks, London is different than most cities we have ever been to,” said Dominique. “It’s no wonder that the Olympics is back for its third time, and probably not its last.”