Only two days before the start of the Milan Cortina Winter Games, Milan did not feel like an Olympic city.
The rain had been steady and miserable almost all week. The streets were largely empty, the restaurants and bars half full. The main Olympic host city felt far from alive. Under the dark skies, it felt gloomy even.
The mood swung in the opposite direction on Thursday morning. The skies turned blue, the sun shone and crowds – Olympic ticket holders from around the world, Olympic staff, shoppers and journalists – took to the streets. The atmosphere was festive and everyone was making plans to see the Olympic torch as it was carried through the city.
“We can suddenly feel the energy and passion here,” said Gloria…