In 1996, I was fortunate enough to experience an insider's view of the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.  You see, when my father was appointed as an attaché to St.Vincent and the Grenadines, I, at the tender age of fifteen, became what could have been the youngest coach in Olympic history--literally.  I believed, then, that the experience would be the closest I'd ever get to the Olympics, short of becoming an athlete.  And, since that time, I have rarely entertained notions of experiencing live Olympic glory again.

As you know, the Olympic Torch Relay (themed "Journey of Harmony") has been winding its way 'round n' aboot the world as we approach the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.  No doubt because this year's Olympics will be held in Beijing, a major portion of the Torch's path has been focused in Asia.   Thus Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, host of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, and the city in which I currently reside, came among those cities chosen to bear the Olympic Flame. 

Now, when my friend J-to-the-J first emailed me information on the Relay's intended path through my city, I was not too terribly attracted to the idea.  I had heard all the news about protest turning to violence in cities where the Torch had passed.  And, the thought of being drowned in a sea of aggressive protesters was all the impetus I needed to stay away. 

As the Relay drew closer, however, our very own Cynthia Yoo encouraged me to consider attending the event.  Still, it wasn't until I was informed of the extensive precautionary measures Seoul officials were taking to prevent any protesting from escalating to violent proportions that I decided to make the journey to City Hall and join in the Olympic spirit.

The half-hour trip from my home to the Relay site at City Hall was a bit tedious, as I had to stand the entire time.  But, the day's lovely spring temperatures and bright skies could not have been more invigorating.  I arrived at City Hall in the early afternoon, long before the ceremony was scheduled to commence.  And, as I surfaced from the subway, I was greeted by droves of lively folk just covered and surrounded by Chinese flags.  If there had been beer and barbeque available, the tableau could have easily been mistaken for a holiday festival, or even WrestleMania. 

My friends arrived later in the day, and, though we tried to weather the unruly masses and enter the narrow passage into City Hall Plaza, the slow-moving, closely-packed crowd proved a bit too formidable.  Since the Torch was not scheduled to arrive at City Hall until 8pm, my friends and I decided to enjoy an early dinner at a nearby restaurant and to return afterward to cheer the Relay. 

Alas and alack, our well-intended plan never saw fruition.  As we were making our way back to City Hall after dinner, a half-hour or so before the Torch was scheduled to arrive, we learned (via the massive herd of celebrants beginning to move in our general direction and the overt absence of music and lights behind them) that the ceremony had concluded.

If not for want of shower and sleep, I suppose I would have felt quite dejected, having come all that way without achieving my goal.   However, the more I thought about it, the more I felt that my mission (a very nebulous thing anyway) had been accomplished: I had food for another article.  I had spent a wonderful day with new friends, in my new home.  And, I had tasted but a small taste of the Olympic spirit once again. 

"Hell," I thought to myself as I dozed a bit on the subway, “I am only a two-hour flight from Beijing."