Olympic spirit is here, but you have to look for it

Visitors in London were faced with two options on Friday: Enjoy a normal weekend of vacation, or go cheer the London Games opening ceremony.

But were all of them thrilled by the Olympic atmosphere? I doubt it.

When I walked along High Holborn - friends in London told me it's one of the busiest areas in town - on Friday, I found few traces of the Games in the corners of the city. It wasn't much different from when I arrived a week ago.

Some banners and flags were the only signs of the event. Even those went mostly unnoticed by passers-by, most of whom were busy reading newspapers, waiting in line for buses or talking on the phone.

"I have to go to France to do business. I did not pay much attention to that," said Italian Alessandro Monfregola, an architect living in London.

I remember four years ago in Beijing, the whole nation was embracing the opening ceremony. People got off work earlier to go home or to bars with family or friends, enjoying the glamorous gala.

I'm not a researcher and thus not quite sure of the exact reasons.

Maybe some people prefer having a vacation rather than sitting in a stadium watching a show.

Maybe some care more about their savings account than entertainment, as the shrinking economy has hit Britain hard.

Honestly, I was a bit dismayed. It's my first Olympic Games, a great sporting event that a journalist should be proud to be involved with.

Before my flight took off out of Beijing, I imagined saying hello to people around me to celebrate the special moment.

But with an empty stomach and heavy heart, I instead searched for some fast food.

It was an employee from Bangladesh in a small shop who finally cheered me up. She was set to be a performer for the opening ceremony.

"It's a once-in-a-life experience for me," said a delighted Arfuman Choudhury, who began working in London 4 and 1/2 years ago.

She told me her part on Friday night was in a production called Industrial Revolution, featuring more than 1,000 people.

"There are Chinese in our group," she said. "Everyone is happy to be part of it."

What surprised me more was that the 40-year-old watched the Beijing Games opening ceremony on TV and remained impressed by the city.

"I watched the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony part by part," she said. "It's amazing. So many people are still talking about the Beijing Games.

"But I do not want to compare. Every country wants to present their best. We should respect them."

I walked out of the shop, took a deep breath and smiled.

Yes, the Olympic spirit is always spreading. Sometimes, you just can't see it.

Contact the writer at chenxiangfeng@chinadaily.com.cn.