Shanghai Olympic Torch Relay
Shanghai is busy and disrupted today, because the Olympic torch is passing through the city. There is heavy police and military presence to ensure that this leg of the relay proceeds smoothly. Look out for bunting and road closures in the following areas:
1. Huangpu District
(A) 5:30 to 8:30, Tibet Road and Huangpi Road
(B) 6:00 to 8:30, Jiujiang Road junction from Tibet Road - Tibet Road - Yan’an Road - Chengdu Road - Nanjing Road - Jiujiang Road
C) 7:00 to 9:30, South Suzhou Road - Sichuan Road - Beijing Road - Tibet Road - Hankou Road - Sichuan Road - Shandong Xinkai He Road
2. Luwan District
(A) 6:50 to 9:00, Xingye Road (Madang Road to Huangpo South), Huangbeinanlu (to Zizhong Road)
(B) 7:45 to 9:00, Tibet Road - Fuxing Road - Danshui Road - Jinling Road - Songshan Road - Taicang Road - Shunchang Road - Zonta Road - Liulin Road - Shouning Road - Tibet Road
3. Yangpu District
9:45 to 11:30, Songhu Road, Yin Highway junctions onwards - Yin Highway - Jiang Wan Cheng Road - Guofan Road - Songhu Road to Yin highway
4. Pudong New Area
(A) 12:00 to 14:30, Huamu Road junction - Jinxiu Lu - Fong Avenue
(B) 13:00 to 16:00, Huayuan Shi Qiao Road, Huangpu River side - Yincheng Road - Pudong South Road
5. Metro closures
7:30 to 9:30, Nanjing East Road, Line 2 station.
Source: Shanghaiist
This morning I cycled to the bus stop near Madang Lu and Huai Hai Lu. The streets are usually much emptier at 7am. Today there were hundreds of police and soldiers everywhere. The atmosphere was almost like a party in a ceremonial kind of way that reminded me of Trooping the Colour in London. It was funny to witness police lining the streets with their backs facing outwards.
I thought I might be stopped to present my passport, but the men on parade had bigger things to worry about. Today must be a good day to be a soldier in Shanghai. You get to hang out in the sunshine with well wishers and flag wavers, although the video shows no smiling. Soldiers have to be inscrutable.