Torch song…

With a little bit of luck, I got an up-close glimpse of the Olympic torch today, as it wound its way along an unexpected route through San Francisco.

I hadn’t expected to see the torch, because I was across town at Ft. Mason in my photo class. But without notice, my classmates and I heard helicopters overhead, and quickly realized that the torch had been re-routed our way. How very cool. (Not so cool for the folks along the PLANNED route from which it was diverted…sorry.)

In the morning, I had made my way over to Justin Herman Plaza to see the early morning crowds gathering for the torch ceremonies. In the face of vocal protests nearby, the Olympic celebrants were full of energy and color.

And for the record, yes, the Free Tibet protests were certainly present across the city. Their numbers grew through the day, and eventually forced the rerouting of the torch. Protests are certainly part of the fabric of San Francisco life.