Wednesday 23 May 2012

Morning for an Olympic Breakfast

 Seldom does an Olympic Breakfast ever have anything to do with the Olympics (usually an uncannily large plate of beautiful fry-up with too many sausages) but this morning it did...

What seemed like the whole of Henleaze came to line the streets outside my office on Henleaze road, and across Bristol North West, from the Downs to the Bear and Rugged Staff on Southmead Road and beyond, we all came out to witness an historic event.

As the crowds lined the streets, I realised I'd missed a political trick here, as anyone using the road for about an hour preceding the torch raised an almighty, indiscriminate cheer. I may have had my own inflatable torch, but I didn't quite have the nerve to run down the streets of my constituency, waving it about...

Serving Olympic breakfast baps 
 And then, after a stream of lorries and excitement,  and an apparent detour while someone got lost, there she was: The Olympic Torch Bearer, running past us in a flash.  Everyone reached for cameras and flumoxed about whether to take a video or a photo - by the time I'd worked it all out, she was almost gone.

But what a morning: It really felt like we'd witnessed some history, and it was remarkable to see something as historic and symbolic and ancient as the Olympic Flame coming here, to our streets , to our home.  A day for generations to remember. Whether by video, photo - or just being there and soaking up an extraordinary morning.