1996 when the Olympics was in Atlanta and the relay came through my hometown. Even though we waited almost 1.5 hours to see someone quickly run by with a flame, I still like the symbolism of unity that comes with the flame. Each runner doesn't have to run very far, which is to allow more people to participate. Yesterday, Yao Ming and the first Chinese astronaut were two of a slew of famous Chinese that were torch carriers. The street was possibly the most crowded place I have been in China (see picture), comparable to a crowded subway car. I had previously heard that we would not be able to see it because the government picked people to be on the sidelines. While this was true (I suspect many were probably Olympics volunteers), there was a place behind them for
the rest of us to watch. As the torch went by (see picture for exchanging of the flame), I couldn't help but join in the enthusiastic roar of the crowd. Their excitement was contagious!A torch relay flag summed it up best:
红遍全国加油中国！
My translation: The whole country is passionately cheering on China!
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