About the middle of last week Joe was informed by hotel management that we would be confined 
to the hotel during the torch relay on Tuesday, August 5 through Chengdu. This was the last big leg of the Olympic Torch Relay on its way to Beijing. It was very important to the people of Sichuan since the May 12 earthquake here. Preparations began last week leading up to the big day. The Chinese went all out for the celebration and there were banners and flags set out all along the relay route. Security was a big issue and everything was being done to make sure all went as planned. There were police posted all along the route days before the relay.
to the hotel during the torch relay on Tuesday, August 5 through Chengdu. This was the last big leg of the Olympic Torch Relay on its way to Beijing. It was very important to the people of Sichuan since the May 12 earthquake here. Preparations began last week leading up to the big day. The Chinese went all out for the celebration and there were banners and flags set out all along the relay route. Security was a big issue and everything was being done to make sure all went as planned. There were police posted all along the route days before the relay.At first we were informed that they would be moving us to another room because they did not want us to have access to the view from our hotel window for security reasons. We have a
great view from our 10th floor room of the entrance to the hotel. Our hotel/convention complex was where the torch relay was to end with a big celebration. There were also festivities planned for Monday night before the running of the torch. We were told that we would not be able to look out our windows and that from 8:00 pm Monday night until 12:00 pm Tuesday we would not be able to leave the hotel. They feared that snipers might see us looking out our window and we could be considered a security risk. We were very disappointed because this was our first experience being this close to an Olympic Torch Relay and we wanted to be a part of it.We made sure
we got back to the hotel well before the 8:00 deadline. As it was, we did not have to move to another hotel room and were sure to have a great view on Tuesday morning. However, we were told by hotel management we would not be permitted to go outside the hotel but would have to watch the festivities on TV. There were no restrictions however on looking out the window!Joe said he heard noises outside all night (some pre-relay celebrations and people lining up along the route) but I must have slept through them. When we woke the next morning, the streets were full of people lined up to see the torch relay. We, of course, had a pretty good view of a small portion of the relay f
rom our window. Between watching the TV and the torch progress and watching out the window, we were indeed able to see the torch relay pass in front of the hotel. Joe took video tape and I took the best pictures I could from the distance. The day was a little hazy, but that's nothing unusual for Chengdu.We went down to the hotel lobby for lunch after the
relay had ended. There were quite a few police still in the lobby and we also caught a glimpse of one of the relay runners taking pictures with policemen. One of the hotel concierges was able to get the torch runner to take a picture with Joe and I. I don't know his name, but we were very grateful for him taking the time to take a pict
ure with us. In fact, there were quite a few taking pictures of him with the "westerners".I guess you could say it was a great ending to a crazy experience.
After all, as Joe keeps reminding me " TIC (This is China)"!!!
Love you all!
3 comments:
That is so COOL! Thanks for sharing the pictures, and I'm glad you guys were able to see and do all that you did. I'm jealous!
Love you guys!
That is awesome guys... Glad to hear that yall made it through the relay without getting sniped! I wish I was a part of the TIC moments!
Well, it's not Grand Prairie.
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