BEIJING, China - Today you could tell the Olympic flame had finally arrived "home." It was surprising today how relaxed security was at our filing area in Beijing. Especially after the torch was carried through a stretch of northwest China that earlier this week witnessed a deadly border attack on police, and the protests that greeted the relay on parts of its international leg.

Another face in the crowd: Yao Ming carries the Olympic torch in Beijing.

In the city of Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, police had beat two Japanese journalists on Monday. The journalists were covering an attack that killed 16 police officers and injured 16 others. People wanting to see the torch relay in Kashgar were only allowed to attend the relay course by invitation, and many residents were almost literally locked inside their homes, left only to peak out through windows.

Bright and early on this Wednesday morning, my producer and I went through a mild and speedy screening – even lighters were allowed! In no time we were positioned under Mao's portrait at Tiananmen Gate, waiting for Yao Ming to appear through the Gate of Heavenly Peace from the Forbidden City carrying the sacred Olympic flame.

People were allowed to cross the relay path until the last minute - there wasn't any physical barrier separating them from their idols. Army officers posed for photos in a relaxed manner. Many of our journalist colleagues wandered freely about - as if testing at which point they'd be pushed back in line - without raising an eyebrow from the torch relay organization.

Noticeably lacking was any of the anxious tension that seemed to drive security in many other legs of the torch's trip this year. The crowd was radiant with sincere happiness and pride.

Unfortunately for us, our position was crowded by Chinese fans, who were pushing their way trying to get a picture in their mobile phones. Despite Yao's great height, through the crowds we could only see his face in a sea of wavy red Chinese flags.