Olympic flame behind chicken wire...

If you didn't get a chance to see the olympic cauldron up close during the games - dont worry. it's one of those experiences that's better on tv.

i know the games have finished, but i finally had a chance to get down there and check out the cauldron, albeit extinguished.

disgusted, sums up the experience.

the cauldron, which is visually impressive, a magnificent sculpture. it's flanked by a apocalyptic, soviet era fence. (see pictured). it's not even a nice fence. it's the type of fence you might hastily erect around a nuclear spill. it's base is made up of large concrete pads, (capable no doubt of stopping an attack by tank). then the fence is about 12 ft high. it means any photo or view of the cauldron is obscured and marred by this shocking eyesore. apparently during the games, there was complaint, and a 3-4 ft section above the concrete was replaced with plexi glass. this is good if you are around 5.5ft or shorter, but otherwise it's horrendous. when we have to go to these lengths to protect things - we have lost the battle. this looks like a fortified warzone, and probably isn't too different from a fence you might find in the greenzone in baghdad.