Friday, May 2, 2008

The Olympic Torch in Wan Chai


See who was an Olympic Torch Relay
runner in Hong Kong today...
(And yes, you can see enlarged versions
when you click on them) ;b


Earlier today, the Beijing Olympics Torch Relay was run in Hong Kong. As an added bonus for this blogger, this historic event didn't only pass through Wan Chai but also along the very street where my office is located! Initially, I was thinking it might be good enough to watch the relay from our office but as the crowd began to gather in earnest, a few of my colleagues and I decided that it would be a better experience to go downstairs and join the massed ranks.

Observing the excited schoolchildren and other people around me who were caught up in a celebratory as well as festive sort of spirit, I'm glad I did so. And that feeling increased exponentially when the torch relay for our leg was unveiled and it turned out to be... Eason Chan!

A great choice, I thought, considering how I've come to associate Wan Chai with -- not The World of Suzie Wong but, instead -- the truly sublime Crazy 'n the City that stars Eason Chan alongside fellow singer-thespian Joey Yung. And how I've come to associate Eason with Wan Chai, not least because the icing-on-the-cake coda of last year's affecting Hooked On You (starring Eason and Miriam Yeung) also takes place in this district of Hong Kong Island.

So while I can see how it's weird that there were so few sporting figures among Hong Kong's Olympics Relay torchbearers, there's also a part of me who thinks it's pretty cool that entertainment and performing arts figures -- Hong Kong Sinfonietta Music Director Yip Wing Sie as well as Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Kelly Chan and Eason Chan among them -- were among this group. And judging from the reaction of the crowd around me to Eason's appearance, I'd say that many of them definitely agree... ;b

Excited and happy schoolchildren...
and this was even before they were interviewed on TV
as well as
caught sight of this section's
designated Olympic Torch Relay runner
!

With faces like these around one,
it was hard not to get caught up in the spirit of things :)

Yes, it really is Eason Chan,
and he looked pretty excited and happy too! :)))

10 comments:

Glenn, kenixfan said...

Awesome!

You truly are in the coolest part of the world at the moment!

Well Wan Chai looked great in Crazy 'N The City. (I'm getting more and more determined to finally visit Hong Kong some time before I'm too old! LOL!)

I wanted to see a pic of Kelly Chen -- how come some say Chan and some say Chen? -- after reading Grady Hendrix's funny post on her prima donna comments about carrying it but I have yet to find one online.

Do you ever check out asian-gossip.blogspot.com? Not much good for you since you are *there* but Serena does people like me a real service by translating daily celebrity bits from the newspapers over there.

Admittedly, I got hooked as the Edison scandal unfolded...LOL!

sarah bailey knight said...

Wow, wow, wow.

YTSL said...

Hi Glenn --

Yes, Hong Kong is a pretty cool place to be in alright! And you really should try to come and visit -- and when you do, give it a week at least. There really is a lot to see and do here, especially if you're a Hong Kong movie fan! :)

Sorry, no help there re Kelly Chen pics as I've not been looking myself. As for the Chen/Chan: Chen is the Mandarin version of the Cantonese Chan. For some reason though (maybe her ancestors are Mandarin speaking?), she has gone with Kelly Chen rather than Kelly Chan.

And, actually, haven't checked out the blog you mentioned. Didn't know about its existence, in fact, until you mentioned it, so thanks for letting me know about it. :)

Hi sbk --

:) :) :)

Anonymous said...

this is so cool, ytsl!

Anonymous said...

WoW! I personally felt that you made the right choice by joining the crowd instead of looking it from your office. Awesome pics (=

YTSL said...

Hi hdoong --

Indeed! :)

Hi Pelfy --

I agree -- as did another colleague who decided to stay upstairs and consequently didn't realize, until we went up and told her, that it had been her idol, Eason Chan, down there... ;b

Anonymous said...

Eason Chen is one of my favorite actor/singer (who can do both equally well) and I also happen to think he is hot (not handsome mind you but hot)

Great pictures YTSL and I feel very happy that you took them and shared with us:)

What kind of a scandal is Eason involved in again?? (I know that he lost one of his balls during a concert and his father was involved with charges re:financial crimes is this one a different one?)

YTSL said...

Hi "eliza bennet" --

I think it's obvious from your post on this thread that not only are you a bigger fan of Eason Chan than I am but you also have read quite a bit more gossip about him than I have! (Among other things, sorry, I really have no clue as to what kind of scandal he's got involved in lately!)

Rajalakshmi said...

:-)
Happy blogging!

YTSL said...

Hi Rajalakshmi --

Thanks, I think. BTW, was it you commenting as Raji previously? If so, please note that I deleted your previous two comment entries as they pretty much said the same thing as the comment entry I've not deleted.