The Time I Saw the Olympic Torch...Two Days in a Row

Although our classes in Bournemouth were over on Thursday, we stayed an extra two nights because the Olympic Torch relay was running through Bournemouth on Friday and Saturday. After a late start on Friday morning and an adventure at the laundromat - the latter of which solidified my belief that a working European drying machine is a mythical creature - I decided to brave the wind and cold to explore Bournemouth as it prepared for the Olympic festivities. There was an atmosphere in excitement in the seaside city as vendors sold mini British flags and a large crowd gathered around a stage on Bournemouth Beach to listen to live music and entertainment as they awaited the arrival of the torch. While the city had seemed like a ghost town during the week, there were literally thousands and thousands of people gathered on the beach, the pier, and the boardwalk in the hours before the torch came by. A row of elderly ladies and gentlemen stood on the balcony of a retirement home, waving as they watched the mobs below. There were really people of all ages and, as the various voices in the crowd suggest, languages and nationalities present. Coca Cola, one of the sponsors of the torch relay, had set up a stage on the boardwalk behind the pier, and were blasting music and handing out free Cokes emblazoned with Olympic logos. Nearby, Lloyds of London had a tent set up where you could take pictures with an (unlit) Olympic torch. Since both of these things were free, we obviously had to do them both. This was actually quite a feat considering the number of people we had to dodge and maneuver around in order to get where we wanted to go. When it came time for the relay to make its way down Bath Road in front of the pier, we (politely) pushed our way to a decent viewing point right up against the curb. First came the policemen on neon yellow motorcycles, honking and blaring their sirens and waving at the crowds as the little British flags on their handlebars blew in the wind. Next came the busses. There were double decker yellow busses whose LED displays read OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY 2012. There were green busses full of people waving green streamers and proclaiming London's commitment to "Going Green" for the 2012 Olympics; there were red Coca Cola busses with spirited girls in ponytails handing out Olympic-themed tambourines for the crowd to hit as the relay continued its procession. Finally, the torch made its way over the hill in the hands of the white-clad torchbearer, flanked by a dozen runners in gray. Within minutes, the torch made its way down to the beach, where the flame lit a giant silver cauldron on the stage. By this time, the general public was allowed into the party on the beach (you needed a special ticket to get in earlier), so we got as close as we could as we watched a performance by the Bournemouth children's dance company as well as the transfer of the flame to safe keeping. The Olympic festivities - and our last night in Bournemouth - ended with a spectacular fireworks display over the English Channel, which we watched from the beach. At least we got to see some fireworks in July! If that wasn't enough Olympic excitement, the next morning the relay ran right in front of our hotel as the Torch made its way out of Bournemouth and on to the next city. Compared to the crowds the night before it was a fairly subdued event, but I suppose you can't fault the people of Bournemouth for not coming out to watch at 8 AM after partying all night. It was fun to watch in the morning because I got a much better view and I got to watch the flame being passed from one runner's torch to the next. Although I came outside and watched from the street, several of the hotel's guests watched from their windows and balconies...including Dr. Fenton! After the relay and our last free breakfast at the Days Hotel, it was time for the two and a half hour bus ride back into London. I think we were all a little sad to leave the relative serenity and uncrowded streets of Bournemouth (not to mention the amazing University lab facilities), but it will be nice to get back to London and, more importantly, consistent wifi. Links of the Day: Olympic Torch Relay: http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/ Relay Route: http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/route/ The Torch Relay in Bournemouth: http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/LeisureCultureLibraries/2012Olympics/OlympicTorchcomingtoBournemouth.aspx