Olympic Notes: White Night gives guests extra time

LONDON – The sun does not set in London until 10 p.m. The long White Night in London is just right for Filipino journalists who have to work long hours to cover the Games.

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The Accreditation Card journalists must wear wherever they go inside the Olympic Park cannot be used to watch the Games. Journalists and photographers without tickets are now asked to buy one before they can cover games like swimming, athletics, basketball and football.

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London also has its own version of “budul-budol” and other street modus operandi only seen in Manila. Two journalists were on their way to their billeting place when a decent, innocent looking man asked them how he could go to this or that place. While the journalist paused to help, two police officers saw the “commotion” and confronted the three.

The policemen demanded to search the stranger and two journalists for any “hidden” marijuana. The two “policemen” dispersed only when the Filipino journalist threatened to get help from a police officer.

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The same happened to a Philippine STAR reporter who was looking for the hotel where he had booked an accommodation for in Manila. While he stopped at the corner of the street to check his map, an innocent looking guy came over to help. While they were talking, two policemen in civilian clothes interrupted the conversation and demanded from the stranger his wallet and passport and wallet of the journalist. The stranger showed his wallet containing crisp dollar bills. The two policemen returned the wallet then asked the journalist to do the same. The journalist refused to give either his wallet or passport.

Ano kayo baliw? Batang Quiapo ’to no!

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China impressed guests during the 2008 Beijing Games with the kind of hospitality shown by its over 500,000 young volunteers. London also has 70,000 volunteers but most of them are senior citizens. They are more accommodating and one wonders how they manage to stand in their position all day without taking a seat.