Macau: Wild cheers as the Olympic Torch is paraded · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Photo from Tori birdie~'s Flickr photostream
Unlike in other countries on the route, the Olympic Torch met only with smiles today in Macau, its last leg before Mainland China. Runners have already finished carrying the torch through the city with not a single disruption from protesters. On the contrary, it was greatly cheered by flag-waving spectators who could barely contain their excitement as the flame toured the former Portuguese colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1999. Leocardo [pt] fully reports:
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Passavam 44 minutos das 15 horas quando o Chefe do Executivo Edmund Ho entregou a tocha olímpica ao primeiro transportador; Leong Hong Man, atleta de Wushu, era o primeiro a transportar a chama olímpica em Macau. Ainda na Doca dos Pescadores entrgou-a ao bilionário Stanley Ho, que apesar de ter dado apenas alguns passos, mostrou-se extremamente bem disposto e cheio de fervor patriótico, e afirmou que pelo seu país transportaria a tocha “até ao fim do mundo”.
It was 44 minutes past 3 pm when the Chief Executive Edmund Ho delivered the Olympic torch to the first runner; Leong Hong Man, a Wushu athlete, was the first to carry the torch in Macau. Still at the Doca dos Pescadores‘ wharf, he passed it to billionaire Stanley Ho, who despite having walked only a few steps, proved to be extremely well prepared and full of patriotic fervor, and said that for his country he would carry the torch “to the end of the world”.
Photo from Tori birdie~'s Flickr photostream
Entre as personalidades convidadas para transportar a tocha destacaram-se Costa Antunes, director dos Serviços de Turismo, Jorge Neto Valente, presidente da Associação dos Advogados de Macau ou Paula Carion, atleta de judo medalhada nos últimos Jogos Asiáticos. A cantora de Hong Kong Miriam Yeung, que esteve na base de uma polémica que levou ao afastamento do deputado José Pereira Coutinho, usou os seus 30 segundos para gritar “yeah! yeah!” enquanto sacudia o punho esquerdo.
Among the celebrities invited to carry the torch, the highlights were Costa Antunes, the Tourist Office's director, Jorge Neto Valente, Association of Macao Lawyers’ president, or Paula Carion, prized judo athlete in the last Asian Games. Hong Kong singer Miriam Yeung, who was on the bottom of a controversy that led to the expulsion of Mr Jose Pereira Coutinho, used her 30 seconds to yell “yeah! Yeah!” while shaking her left fist.
Photo from H.L.Tam Flickr photostream
Foi um lugar comum. Todos sorriam para ficar bem na fotografia e mandavam adeuzinhos enquanto seguravam na tocha. O ar mais grave terá sido o de Leong Heng Teng, que levou a tocha de volta à Doca dos Pescadores e terminou a relay de Macau. Devido a uns atrasos “à portuguesa” (herança cultural?) a tocha nunca chegou a passar pelo Leal Senado. Não se sabe se desta vez os comerciantes da Av. Almeida Ribeiro alegaram transtorno para o comércio (sou tão mauzinho, não sou?) para que se dispensasse a passagem pela principal artéria do território.
It was commonplace. Everyone was laughing to look good in the pictures and waving bye-byes while holding the torch. The most serious air was Leong Heng Teng's, who led the torch back to the Doca dos Pescadores‘ wharf and finished Macau's relay. Due to some delays “a la Portuguese” (cultural heritage?), the torch never passed by the Leal Senado (Loyal Senate) building. It is not known whether this time Almeida Ribeiro Avenue traders claiming an inconvenience to business (I'm not that bad, am I?) meant the torch not passing through the main arterial road.
Photo from H.L.Tam Flickr photostream
Milhares de residentes saíram à rua, juntando-se a eles os turistas, muitos deles vindos da China Continental. A generalidade – mesmo os ocidentais – parece concordar com a ideia de que as reivindicações dos manifestantes deviam ser feita em sede própria, e longe, portanto, do evento da passagem da tocha olímpica. Um grupo de cristãos filipinos (Jesus Rocks?) juntou-se à festa para “abençoar os Jogos”, segundo eles.
Thousands of residents took to the streets, joined by tourists, many of them coming from Mainland China. The general public – even the Westerners – seems to agree with the idea that the demonstrators’ demands should be made in their own places and, therefore, far away from the Olympic torch event. A group of Filipino Christians (Jesus Rocks?) joined the party to “bless the Games”, according to them.
Photo from H.L.Tam Flickr photostream
A tocha olímpica passou hoje por Macau pela primeira vez na História, e provavelmente a última, pelo menos em muitos anos. A passagem foi pacífica e sem qualquer tipo de incidentes semelhantes aos que aconteceram noutras etapas da passagem do fogo Olímpico, o que leva a questionar o tremendo aparato de segurança que se verificou. Aparentemente Macau não está na agenda dos apoiantes da causa tibetana, e os activistas de sofá ficaram em casa a ver pela TV.
The Olympic torch passed today through Macau for the first time in history, and probably for the last at least in many years. The transition was peaceful and without any incidents similar to those that occurred on the other Olympic torch legs, which leads us to question the tremendous security apparatus that was put in place. Apparently Macau is not on the agenda of the Tibetan cause supporters, and couch activists were at home watching it on television.
Photo from H.L.Tam Flickr photostream
The torch has now returned to Mainland China, where the relay continues on its way to Beijing for the Olympic Games from August 8-24.