I held the Olympic torch!!!

The Olympic torch passes Lugano today while on its way to Torino (Turin) for the 2006 Winter Olympics. At the centro the government decides to throw a huge party to welcome the torch, so Lisa and I went in hope to take some good pictures. We went at 4:30pm, but the torch did not arrive Lugano until almost 6:30pm...and then they decide to run all over Lugano before hitting the centre. I just stood there frozen, but it was so exciting to finally see the torch arrive. A female athlete carried the torch to the stage, but for us poor short little ladies out there it wasn't pleasant. People kept pushing me and finally a woman decided to pull my collar and step on me until she could take a picture. I was most frustrated when I was about to have a really good picture of the athlete running by with the flaming torch, because right at the same moment that I was taking the picture the woman in front of me decided to wave her flag and blocked my camera right off!! Annoyed by the crowd and feeling extremely cold and hungry, Lisa and I decided to just go home when the athlete got off the stage. Haha, we made sure we made the clumsiest exit from the crowd, just for the sake of it. The snow wasn't completely shovelled so the walk back home wasn't the easiest for the Jen on heels. But to my surprise when I got home, the van that carries the athletes parked right at the bus stop, which is right in front of my apartment!! Only a few passers-by were there, visiting the van and talking to the athletes. One was just standing at the door holding his torch, so I asked if I could touch it. He just handed it right over to me, it was sooooooo exciting to be holding the real Olympic torch, and it was still warm!!! I even managed to take a picture with him, but man...why are my eyes always closed?!?!?! And he was even sweet enough to lower the torch just enough for the pic to look good...Oh I will never forget the warmth of that torch.... :)