Visit to SF for 2008 Olympics Torch Relay

April 9, 2008 - Sick of the press coverage over Tibet and China over the last month or so - I decided I must show up to show support. As it turns out, there were plenty of Chinese supporters there - as well as all sorts of Anti-China Protesters - the largest contingents being Tibet, Darfur, Burma and general Human Rights activists. Part of the day was spent mingling with Tibetan protesters and turning slogans such as "China Lies, People Die" into "Dalai Lies, People Die" - or "Shame, Shame, China, China" into "Shame, Shame, Dalai, Dalai!" Another was riding through Embarcadero with a Chinese flag projecting from the back of my backpack. I especially enjoyed one time getting a thunderous roar that travelled down one section of the Chinese contingency as I rode through with my thumb raised, the roar tranvelling and lasting for some 20-30 seconds until a Police stopped me. Later, when I found out that the route of the Relay had been changed without notice, I chased after the news helicopters through the steep hills of San Francisco before a jogger with a Beijing Olympics t-shirt tipped me off that the procession was at Van Ness Ave. At Van Ness, I gave my American flag to a little boy (4-5 years old) awed by the spectacle that unexpectedly dawned on him and his mother for him to wave and cheer the Relay. I was thrilled to see many personally wave back to me as I waved the flag throughout the day. I talked with a reporter (no camera) about why I was there and enjoyed hearing her amazement "why would you be here to support China and the Olympics when you are from Taiwan!" I even talked to some of the protesters (at least 8) - and verified that all were ignorant of the real China, with none ever having been to China...

Picture with a Beijing Olympics Mascot before the start of the Torch Relay	San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge near Crissy Fields	San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge near Fort Point
San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point	Sufers at Fort Point	Sufers at Fort Point
Burma Protesters crossing the Golden Gate before the Torch Relay	Burma Protesters crossing the Golden Gate before the Torch Relay	Riding up the Marine Headlands
Riding up the Marine Headlands	Riding up the Marine Headlands	Overlooking Fort Barry
SF Police at North End of Golden Gate	Burma Protesters Singing	Chinese supporters near the Ferry Building
Chinese Supporters before the Torch Relay	Torch Relay got Redirected - here is a picture taken as the Torch approached on Van Ness	Torch nears on Van Ness
Torch Bearer behind a World War II amphibious landing vehicle	Torch Bearer on Van Ness	Torch Relay on Van Ness
Torch Bearer on Bay St.	Protesters on Bay St.	Torch Bearer on Bay St.
Torch Procession on Bay St.	Torch Relay on Bay St.	Torch Bearer on Bay St.
Torch Bearer on Bay St.	Mayhem on Bay St.	Mayhem on Bay St.
Torch Relay on Bay St.	Torch Relayers on Bay St.	Near end of the day - waiting for the Torch that never arrived at the Golden Gate - shot #1
Near end of the day - waiting for the Torch that never arrived at the Golden Gate - shot #2

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