The closing ceremony was just Wednesday night, but Thursday morning as I headed to work I saw it had already begun...the next transformation. The first transformation spanned over the last number of years as this city got ready for the Games. Over the last 6 months it sped up and moved like wildfire through the city.
The next transformation was after the main Games ended and before the ParaGames started. Some of the banners and decorations were changed to reflect the logo of the ParaGames. Even some of the huge banners that cover entire buildings were changed to show ParaGame athletes.
Yesterday morning as I rode the bus, I looked around the city. For so long, this city has lived for this moment. It's been the answer to so many questions: why did the price go up, why are schools finishing early, why have the rules changed, why are people having this problem, why are taxi drivers all wearing a shirt and tie now, why is the sky blue? "because of the Games." Now, the billboards are changing back to advertisements, the flags and banners are leaving, we can again see the skeleton of unfinished buildings, the buses are playing advertisements on their tvs instead of happy memories of the Games. It's almost like a funeral...and in some ways, it is...I think.
Yesterday was a beautiful day. The fall weather is moving in- cooler, dryer temps (dryer partly because they don't have a reason to make it rain anymore). There are still some volunteer booths up, but I suspect they'll be gone in a matter of days. Saturday the road rules stop, meaning everyone can drive everyday instead of every other day.
As this city transforms back to "normal," I wonder what will these people live for next?
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