LONDON -- The Notting Hill Gate in west London greeted the Beijing Olympic torch on Sunday morning with a mini carnival reminiscent of the annual carnival that draws over one million revelers.
People with families and toddlers turned out in the hundreds braving wintry snow to line the streets in Notting Hill Gate and celebrate the Olympic torch.
Staff from Samsung, the official sponsor for the Beijing Olympics, handed out banners and air-inflated stick to bystanders welcoming the incoming torch.
A Latino Carnival band entertained spectators in front of a local McDonald's, evoking the carnival feeling for which Notting Hill is so famous.
Notting Hill Gate has been the place for Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's largest street party celebrating ethnic diversity and multiculturalism, since 1964.
Nearly every country that participates in the Olympic Games has a resident community in London. People of Latin American origin also turned out to welcome the Olympic flame carried by Tim Henman as he ran through Notting Hill Gate, as part of the 'Journey of Harmony'.
London welcomes the Olympic Flame on Sunday as part of the global Olympic Torch Relay in the run up to the Beijing Olympic Games.
The torch will travel through ten London boroughs from Wembley in the west to Greenwich in east London, with each borough marking its arrival with entertainment and local events, bringing London's color and vibrancy to life while demonstrating the capital's famous landmarks.
The Olympic flame will be carried through London by 80 torchbearers including double Olympic gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes, classical violinist Vanessa Mae, actress Amara Karan, broadcaster Trevor McDonald and England cricketer Kevin Pieterson.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone has referred to the Olympic Torch Relay as uniting nations in the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"It is a great honor for our city to participate in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay and once again extend our friendship and cooperation to other nations," he said, adding this year's Olympic Torch Relay is especially significant to London as "we will be the next Olympic host city".
According to the London Mayor, this is a great opportunity "for London to experience the excitement and opportunities that the Games will bring us in 2012".
