Torino as Host City

Torino is not what you would expect to see as host of a Winter Olympics. When I think about the Winter Games, I think of tiny little mountain towns nestled deep in the Alps. Something out of Hansel & Gretel. Instead, Torino is an industrialized city of about a million people. The sun has peeked out of the haze and clouds a couple of hours here and there, but for the most part the sky is grey and gloomy, there's a type of cold in the air that sometimes crawls into your skin and stays there (think Right Coast cold) - just enough humidity to make you go "brr." Additionally, the city has a layer of grunge on it that you would expect to see in places like this. The older buildings that were built with a light tan color of stone are now grey to black. I'm hoping the snow will hit sometime down in town here. I'll go up to the mountains a few days for some of the events up there and I'm sure it'll seem more like winter in Sestriere.

Also, all the reports of the place not quite being ready are totally true. But that's the way it is for every Olympics. Heck, pretty much any international event I've attended isn't actually ready until the first ball is tipped, puck is dropped or starting gate crossed. Trust me on this one. I have seen light posts being painted, posters being hung and cement being slopped down. Every single day I see a new piece of signage walking home that wasn't there in the morning on the way to the MPC (Main Press Center).

This morning was the press conference for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team flag bearer. Chris Witty, a five-time Olympian who has competed in both the summer and winter Olympics, was selected. She was also a victim of child abuse for about seven years starting at four years of age. She now spends time working with "Good Touch, Bad Touch" and making the rounds talking to kids, parents and other groups about the issue. I'd say she was well-chosen by her peers to carry the stars & stripes Friday night.

peace