...anyone going to watch it pass by?

In Cornwall today, and South Devon tomorrow...

We don't get it here until 19th July. Or possibly 20th (better double-check). I'll probably have a look as it's not too far from me (Heaven forbid I should make too much of an effort! ).

Yep, will see it. Doesn't arrive here until the 4th July.

Hopefully I won't be having my piano exam that day

Car Expert

I think it passes through Chorlton in the 'early' hours on a sunday morning...would be nice to be there though.

It's in my neck of the woods on the 24th June so will hopefully go and see.

Same here, for some reason they appear to be doing a lap of Asda's car park en-route

Sorry, but can someone explain what the fascination is?

Well, it might be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Olympic torch. Plus the Olympic park is almost in my birth place, which makes it even more special (for me anyway ).

Car Expert

Some people like standing on the street watching things pass by.
I'm with you on this one.

I think it's because of the concept that it comes from a flame in Greece that has been lit for many years and that the Olympic flame is the symbol of 1. the connecting of all countries of the world and 2. it represets the notion of all competitors to aim 'citius, altius, fortius'

Me too!

On the other hand, daughter's choir is involved in the celebrations of its arrival here next Tuesday, and might be visible on The One Show so that's very slightly exciting but I shall be in London at the time...



I don't really understand this idea of the flame coming from Greece. How does it get here without being extinguished at some point ?

Oh, it's all historic and all that. I shall watch. Possibly more than once

Thank you Heslop for your handsome reply! It is good to keep in mind.

Actually it was lit by the sun (on Mount Olympus) immediately before being sent here (I don't think Greece can afford the gas bill to keep it going permanently).


In a Davy Lamp.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18121941

I'd missed that Stopping off for supplies? Seems a bit mean though - they could also take in Sainsburys and Morrisons

I'd definitely watch the flame pass if I hadn't booked a holiday in France at the time it's due to arrive here! I think it's fun to send it all around the country before it gets to London - makes us all feel involved. As we are all involved in the expense of hosting the event, it's great to see something happening in our own area.

Daughter has now managed (at last!) to buy a ticket for one of the gymnastic events, and is thrilled to bits even though she would probably see much more watching it on the TV at home. As she says, it's the atmosphere of being there live that makes it exciting.

Well, I may have no choice in how my taxes are spent, but I can make a choice in how I spend my time!

They've charged us for the rain, so we may as well go out and get wet ? no thanks!

Although I do not live in the back-of-beyond, I don't think it gets within 20 miles of me.

Don't want to dampen anyone's ardour, but I have been fed up since 2005 with the amount of lottery money leached away from supporting the arts to support something which will more-or-less only benefit/be seen by people based in a fairly small area.

I'd be more supportive if a similar amount of money was to be spent on something arts based, liek priovided performance spaces and facilities in smaller towns. For GBP 1 billion, you could say set aside 200 x GBP 50 million; use say 10 miilion to set up and equip and then put 40 million into a trust and fund the centre off the income. Sadly I can't see it happening.

And for understatement of the year I nominate: "something which will more-or-less only benefit/be seen by people based in a fairly small area." This is the Olympics, for goodness sake!

Back to topic - one daughter is going to be late joining us on holiday. The small place where she works is one of the relay stops or change over points (or whatever you call it... see how up on it I am?) so she's seeing to that before heading North. She might even get to talk to Boris, who knows!

Sorry, whilst I really dislike football, I merely have no interest in the olympics. I do like cricket, but I'm not obsessive about it - and I have been to a lot of matches over the years. I never have had any interest in the olympics though. In the days of terrestrial only TV I used to get rather irritated at the way it completely took over all channels whilst it was on. At least that is less of an issue now.

Back in 2005 the government re-assigned a significant chunk of the arts component of lottery funding for the ensuing seven year to "cultural and other activities" around the olympics. This is one of the reasons that arts funding has been walloped (I have been involved with several projects which sought funding - ticked all the boxes but they admitted they had fewer funds available to distribute because of re-assignment and so they failed).

I accept it (probably) is a once-in-a-lifetime event and that many people will greatly enjoy it and I do not begrudge them that.

Please understand that there are people who are not interested, or even do not like it, and who will have an unpleasant time whilst it's relentlessly hyped and sold through the media and who will feel very excluded by proceedings (for me the only thing worse is the football world cup when the media always goes into a frothing frenzy).

I realise I'm probably in a minority and I tend to feel excluded and marginalised when these things happen. My final point is however you dress it up, that to all intents and purposes, this is a London event.

I'll shut up now as I have said my piece and I doubt if my viewpopint is widely held ... and it was to discuss the relay...

I live in London and I'm not a fan. Some of the reasons that I am not have already been listed here. But have fun all who are going to see it, at least someone will enjoy it then

Well said Tenor Viol.

And some of us in London would rather it were not a London event.

I wasn't thinking so much about the people watching as those participating - a whole lifetinme has gone into getting to represent their countries at the Olympics.

I'm not sporty either - one of your "people who are not interested" - and my commute is going to be disrupted - already is while they do something to get the roads ready. That's OK, a lot of people will get a lot of enjoyment. We don't have to turn on our TVs let alone buy tickets.

I sympathise with you feeing it's a London event - that is a different issue to the sports/arts funding debate. But if you aren't interested then you should be happy it's not near you. You have to pick your battle!

I'm nowhere near London, but I will have two severely disrupted days this week due to the wretched torch. Roads closed here one day, and I have to get up at the crack of dawn the next to get Scrappy Doo to neighbouring city where he has to sing at the darned thing. Then I'll be trapped for hours as the roads will be shut again. Flippin' marvellous. Bah humbug.

Once in a lifetime chance to see the torch?

Check out ebay - you can buy one if you have many pennies...

the torch passes right by our road end but will work allow us 5mins to watch it??? no they will not, unless we use our flexi to do so


and how much are they spending on local events to celebrate it passing through the district??? many thousands of pounds

I'm sure for everyone who has no interest in the Olympics there is someone else who has no interest in "the arts". I would be willing to be there are millions who wouldn't give a hoot if every live theatre and concert hall in the country closed tomorrow but that doesn't mean the country should not support such venues.

I'm not particularly interested in football, but I don't object to the massive Saturday afternoon traffic jams around the stadium in the season, or the banging and yelling which is audible for streets around. I think it is great that some people enjoy it so much.

Too many Grinches. The Olympics is a huge event that is important to a lot of people all over the world. I shall go and watch the torch go by, true I'm not actually sure why, but it is a once in a lifetime event.

Just learned that my home town in Morayshire had their own unofficial relay as the torch barely touched that county. You have to admire their spirit.

other little sis saw the torch today, it's with us in just over a weeks time

Are you going to see it?

if we can escape work for a bit, they still need stewards for the route so may end up doing that yet!

ooo!

It passed through Durham last Saturday, and I missed it. Booo I have to wait till it goes round London now, where there are far too many people.

was round our way yesterday

Did you go?

I went to see it today - mainly because it was within walking distance of my house and it wasn't raining. I was really quite underwhelmed and it seemed like a bit of a wasted opportunity. There were loads of people out, the sun was shining, there was a really good atmosphere. Would have been nice if they had got some local groups involved and maybe, for example, had one of the, many, local brass bands out. Instead we just had a few coaches branded by the main sponsors, each of them blaring inane rubbish from loud speakers and giving out tat. The actual torch felt like a bit of an afterthought and they didn't even tell us who was carrying it.

It could have been a good community event, but it was just a depressing reminder that the Olympics is less and less about the sport and more about the money that the corporations can make from it all.

I don't get it either.

Numbers at church were down this morning due to the torch relay arrivng on our doorstep.

Hope you invited them in for tea

We saw the torch last Sunday afternoon when it passed through. Well, I saw it, but that would be a bit of an exaggeration.

There was a huge convoy of vehicles with sponsors names on, and loud music, so nobody quite knew where the torch was or when it would arrive. It didn't help that some selfish individuals had parked their cars on the route, taking up valuable viewing space, and in the case of certain, grossly oversized Teutonic vehicles, (with radiator badges similar to the Olympic ring design), blocking the view altogether.

Finally, there was a green coloured truck which looked remarkably like a horse box, with a bunch of photographers in the back of it. There right behind the truck was the torch, which we saw for all of five seconds. For me the presence of these vehicles spoilt the whole occasion, and I think totally overshadowed the torch and it's message. Whatever their purpose, these vehicles made it difficult or impossible for most people to actually see the torch, let alone grab a photograph of it.

Ironically, the biggest cheer was for an old chap on a mobility scooter who somehow got caught up in the convoy, and seemed to be enjoying the adoration, even if he was slightly confused by it.

However, there was a great atmosphere, and I think the pubs here had a good day, so there were plenty of happy people about.

SB

It's in my home county today. Started off in suffolk (ipswich) and got to colchester at about 20 past 7. Came past the bottom of my road at about 10 to 8. .

I now feel really out of breath by running up the nearest hill to where i live so i could see it through colchester. managed about half the town.

Even with all the rain we have, a lot of people turned up to see it into colchester. It's now just past maldon. It finishes today in essex's city.

My friend from uni did part of the Heybridge leg today

It passes my front door - literally - in a fortnight. Bring on the parking suspension, road closures, lesson rescheduling, lesson cancellation...

Indeed. Bad luck!

We have road closures (and NO buses) on Sunday - because of a 'let's jump on the olypmics bandwagon' school sporting event.

They have my e-mails!

Newcastle has the 5 rings on our Tyne Bridge and we've got signs all over the city on lampposts of the logo ... I kind of got quite emotionally proud yesterday ...

It's going through our town a little later on this morning. Very strangely, it's not going through the middle of town but just brushing the edge. I may well cheat and watch it online...

Torch day in Clari-land...

Yay! And tomorrow - Penge High Street - and on to Crystal Palce Park!!

Enjoy The torch relay through Clari-land was great