At the Games

He is extremely polite and courteous. He also has a great pair of hands as he kneads the knots out of my neck and shoulder. Aahhhh, I'm really enjoying these Games.

It is just one day into the 16-day programme, but I have already stumbled upon a gold mine - a massaging service for journalists at the main media centre. It is staffed with about 20 men and women who have been well drilled in the art of relieving the tension in tired upper torsos.

It is not crowded, but I fear when word spreads, they will be lining up at the door for the free massage. My masseur doesn't speak a word of English but his fingers communicate pleasure.

It has been a delightful experience but only after I had managed to get past the immigration officers at the Guangzhou railway station. That bad experience has already been erased by the smiles of the people of Guangzhou.

The 10 million residents of this verdant city have been told to smile and be 'civilised' to the visitors who will be with them for the next fortnight or so. Were they uncivilised before, running around dragging women by the hair and beating others with clubs? I wonder. But the City Civilisation office of the Guangzhou Municipality has for the past year carried out an education campaign to promote good manners among its people.

Books titled Asian Games Etiquette Manual for Guangzhou Citizens and Guidebook of how to be a Civilised Spectator during Asian Games have been handed out. Perhaps they might be useful for some soccer fans who turn into barbarians once they cross the gates in stadiums around the world.

The 'civilised' idea is to foster manners and to welcome friends from different parts of the world with hospitality and great manners. Tens of thousands of these guidebooks, four million etiquette bookmarks and 70,000 posters have been posted all over the city.