Olympic Torch comes to Hong Kong

It's Sunday and idyllically quiet in the Cripps household. Mark, Billy and Archie have gone to see Ironman - not sure who was most excited. I suspect Archie because he's not usually invited on the cinema trips.

Today Archie is wearing a red Shanghai Tang Chinese T shirt - it cost about 3 times as much as any of his other t shirts. I bought it about a year ago and today is first time I have seen him in it. I've tried numerous times and given up, but today he insisted on wearing it. What goes on inside these children's minds?

Anyway it made me think about my experience on Friday. Last week, on Labour day holiday, Archie, Mark and I were killing time in Causeway Bay (while Billy was at a party at the Police officer's club!). Not a good time to be in Causeway bay. It's busy enough anyway as a shopping mecca, but turned out there was also a huge march to protest about the government levy and workers' rights (plus treatment of helpers by Chinese employers) so all the helpers and minimum wage workers were out in force. It seemed to be reasonably good natured but it was very loud and very busy so it just added to the general chaos. We dipped into a shop to look at some cool t shirts and I spotted a red Adidas top, nothing much different except that it had the word China (in Chinese) as a logo as well as Adidas.

Friday being the day that the Olympic torch was coming through Hong Kong on its way back to China, I thought it would be a good day to wear the top.(NB Dress down day at work) I am glad I did. I wore it for several reasons. I am proud and feel very privileged to live and work in Hong Kong. I support the Olympics and I really hope that after all the troubles of these past few months as the torch has circumnavigated the globe, that the Olympics go well for China. Perhaps this event will result in greater understanding and tolerance between China and the rest of the world.

I really felt quite patriotic as I bought my Olympic stamps and 'first day covers' from the Post office. Weird to feel that way, since I've only lived here 2 years and I'm not even a resident. But I am impressed and in awe of how hard everyone works here, the entrepreneurialism, the way everything runs so smoothly.
Just the fact that the new Beijing airport launched without a fuss - we really could learn some lessons from China, in managing huge infrastructure projects.

To the locals I know I am just another faceless gweilo, but on Friday wearing my 'China' top, I got so many smiles on my way to work, I was stopped several times, engaged in conversations, and really felt part of the place, not just an expat visitor on the outside.

Not sure when the top will next get an airing - probably on a Constantine Beach in Cornwall, since the next few months here will get so hot and humid, even just in skin it feels like wearing too much.