The second leg of the Beijing 2008 Olympic torch relay got underway on Tuesday - Greece's Independence Day - and saw the flame travel to the northwest of the country.
Starting from Mesologi, in southwest Greece, in light rain, the torch visited eight cities - Agrinio, Stratos, Amfilochia, Menidi, Arta, Filippiada, Kerasona and Panagiaon - on its almost 200 km journey to its destination, Ioannina.
The torch received warm welcomes by crowds of spectators. A dancer in traditional Greek costume who was involved in the welcoming ceremony in Menidi, said: "We have been training hard for the ceremony to welcome the Olympic flame."
The torch for the Beijing Games was lit on Monday in ancient Olympia in southern Greece. It stayed overnight last night in Ioannina and a grand ceremony was held in the city, with traditional performances by local dancers.
There were no Chinese torchbearers involved in yesterday's leg, but more people from the host country will carry the torch before it leaves Greece.
Li Xinggang, the designer of the National Stadium, and actor Pu Cunxin will leave for Greece soon.
The torch relay will continue its journey through Greece today, traveling from Ioannina to Veria in the north and taking in nine other cities.
Shanghai prepares
On the domestic front, the Shanghai sports administration said yesterday the torch will travel through the metropolis on May 20 and 21.
A total of 416 torchbearers and 101 escort runners will carry it around Shanghai, Yu Chen, director of the municipal sports bureau, said.
Of the torchbearers, the youngest will be 15 and the oldest 80. Six non-Chinese residents working in Shanghai will be among the group.
More than 2,000 locals and expats applied to be torchbearers in Shanghai, with one woman even attending the interview on the day of her wedding. The route through the city and security plans are currently awaiting approval from the General Administration of Sports.
Shanghai is one of six cities besides Beijing that will host Olympic events.
(China Daily March 26, 2008)