Today's photos are from the digital archives and they have an interesting story that I would like to share. A few weeks before Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics I was in Los Angeles International Airport waiting to fly back to Australia. The plane had mechanical issues, and I was one of about 40 people who were not able to get onto another flight that night. Since I would not make the connecting flight in Sydney to my home town I was given one of two options. I could spend one night in Los Angeles and then one night in Sydney, or I could spend 2 nights in Los Angeles. Although I was tempted to spend a free day exploring LA, I decided to take the next flight out, and overnight in Sydney. The Olympic Torch Relay was coming through my home town and if I stayed two nights in LA I would have missed it. Los Angeles would always be there but the Olympic Torch Relay only comes through your home town once in a life time.
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| The Olympic Torch being run through the main street of Tamworth. |
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| One of the cauldrons where they kept the flame alight overnight when the relay stopped for the day. |
A months later I went to visit a nearby town where they kept the flame overnight in a cauldron. They had the cauldron on display so I took the opportunity to take a few photos.
The Cauldron with its decorative lid.
I borrowed the lid of the cauldron for a quick photo opportunity.
Have you ever seen the Olympic Torch Relay or been to the Olympic Games? If not what is your favourite, the summer or winter games?
No, have never had any connection other than attending a dance for the Irish team in 1976 when they were in Montreal for the 76 Olympics.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to an Olympic game or seen the torch. So memorable! Thanks for sharing your photos.
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What a memorable experience! I have never seen the Olympic torch nor attended the games, but I would love to. As for my favorite event -- that would be hard to nail down! I do enjoy the ice dancing and ice skating competitions in the winter games, but the swimming and diving events are amazing too.
ReplyDeleteThat was nice to see, I am sure, and you are right it doesn't happen very often so it was good you took advantage of it. I remember when we lived in Montana, the torch was coming through our city (probably on the way to the Salt Lake City games that year). My son's karate teacher was one of the torch runners and he got a souvenir torch as part of his participation. He brought it into class and any student who wanted to could get their picture taken with it. That's the closest we got to the torch, which really wasn't the torch. I like the winter games over the summer games, but enjoy both :)
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You definitely had made the right decision to head to Sydney. These are memorable photos. My closest to an Olympic torch/flame was when I attended the opening ceremony of the 1988 Winter Olympics in my home city, Calgary. Wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing yours.
ReplyDeleteOlympics fever. Nice photos remembering the event.
ReplyDeleteCool photos and memories. St. Louis hosted the World's Fair and the Olympics in 1904 and we're still quite fond of that history.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. The Olympic torch came within about 100 yards of my house when the Olympics was in London. It was quite funny, as my husband was watching it on the telly and thought he had plenty of time, but missed it.
ReplyDeleteRandomly, my great-grandfather was a torch bearer for the 1948 London Olympics, though I (obviously) missed the relay, I have held the torch because he was allowed to keep it.
ReplyDeleteButterflying Through Teaching
I didn't get to see the flame in Australia, and have never been to the Olympics. Great to get so close to the cauldron- I'd never thought about what they did with the flame at night time.
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