Then came the delegations of all the participating nations, waving and smiling to the cheering crowds. When the Olympic flag was handed over by Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong to London Mayor Boris Johnson, one journey ended while a new odyssey began.
London also presented an 8-minute handover performance, seeking to showcase the historic image and the modern culture of the city around a traditional London-style red double-decker bus that transformed itself into a stage.
Legendary guitarist Jimmy Page and X-Factor winner Leona Lewis collaborated on the Led Zeppelin classic Whole Lotta Love, a rare and exciting experience for hard-core rock and pop music-lovers. But the duo might have cause to worry about their profile in China – their performance left many Chinese people wondering who they were. Even a Beijing TV anchor later informed his audience that "Jimmy Page" was a former winner of the X-Factor talent show from the distant past. How amusing. Then LA Galaxy soccer star David Beckham's cameo added another climax to London's moment in the spotlight.
The rim of the Bird's Nest displayed unforgettable images from the past 16 days, and the Flame died in the cauldron. Many wept in a thrill of emotion and would have held on to the moment a little longer. I myself was seated in this same stadium on Saturday night to watch Athletics finals like the Women's 1500m, Men's 5000m, and the Women's and Men's 4 x 400m Relays. The lack of Chinese athletes in track and field didn't lower people's passion and expectation. Many, though unable to distinguish the athletes from afar, and unable to identify the athletic celebrities, were there just to feel the Olympic pulse and atmosphere.
People clapped and cheered for whoever did best in competition; they commiserated with those who failed too. We stood up every time a national anthem was played, applauded and paid tribute to the winner. For those precious 16 days the interior of the stadium became a truly global family without borders.
