Torch Fever Hits Hong Kong

Hong Kong is readying itself for Olympic glory when the Olympic Torch makes its way through the city on May 2nd. Today it held a full scale dress rehearsal for the relay and we were there! We're unfortunately not going to be in town when the real torch passes through so we saw the next best thing. There were no protesters, no track-suited paramilitary Chinese goon squad (sorry in advance...) guarding the runners, and no international television coverage. And most evident, there was no torch! The stand in for the torch was some sort of oversized cardboard tube that looked to have come from a roll of holiday wrapping paper. I could see Ingrid salivating just looking at it.

The police presence was very heavy. Hong Kong's finest were spaced along the route at 10 foot intervals and there were cops on motorcycles, bikes, in helicopters, on Segways, in paddywagons, on foot, you name the transport. It was actually a lot of fun, and we did momentarily slip into the Olympic spirit. A recent poll showed that nearly 95% of Hong Kongers hoped for a peaceful and protest-free Torch relay and I think I count myself among them. My native city of San Francisco managed not to let itself be too much of a world spectacle during the torch visit, so I'm hoping my adopted city follows suit.




Torch bearers include Windsurfing gold medalist from 2004 Lee Lai-Shan and 14 year-old ping pong wunderkid Chiu Chung-hei. Others include: Hong Kong's top cyclist Wong Kam-po; Wushu athlete Cheng Ka-ho; badminton player Yip Pui-yin; handicapped badminton player Lam Tak-kwan; singers Jacky Cheung Hok-yau, Eason Chan Yik-shun, Kelly Chen Wai-lam and Leo Koo Kui-kei; and Executive Council convener Leung Chun-ying. It will be a star-studded affair....

UPDATE -- 5/3/08 --- Despite, or perhaps because of Hong Kong's not permitting entry of known activists from foreign countries, the Olympic Torch Relay passed through the City without major incident.