Thursday, August 7, 2008

From The Ancient Greece To The Middle Kingdom

Tomorrow is supposed to be special day but I feel almost no excitement in me.

In less than a day, the world will see how the much-talked-about Olympics will come alive in Beijing. So much blood and sweat have been put into this event and the expectation is much heightened.

Since the first modern Olympics in 1896 held in Athens, major cities have been vying for a chance to host the event. The motivation behind the race before the race is usually not related to sports. During the ancient days, the winner would be presented with a crown of olive branch, which is a symbol of peace. Sadly, today, I think of Olympics as a collection of modern evils: politics, doping, violence and boycotts. It has become an international platform where politicians and interest groups push their agenda across legitimately.

Beijing definitely struggled through the prologue of protests and criticisms. The series of unfortunate events before the games has also invited unnecessary attention. Some naturally put some superstitious links between the catastrophe and the controversial host. Yes, many thought of the snow storms, floods and quakes as some form of divine intervention.

It is apparent to me that many are eager to see how the 2008 Olympics will turn out. The keen interests are coming from supporters, opposers and even those who merely wish to watch the world go by. Perhaps, it is because the host is China.

The answer will be out... shortly.

Let's hope that 080808 is indeed an auspicious date for Beijing.

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Other Olympics Stories:

北京欢迎你

The Gold Rush and The Medal Drought

The Human Sailfish

Will You Eat That Humble Pie?

The Human Race To Infinity

We Have A Date in 2012

The Real Fighters In Sports

Stories from China:

Communicating With The World In Chinglish

The Truth And Nothing But The Truth?

The Modern Warring Game

Where's The Bunny?

We Are What We Eat ... Really?

A Lesson Never Learnt

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