It is my last day in Beijing, and this will likely be my last post. I'm writing this from the USA House, which is a hospitality house set up in Beijing for US Olympic athletes, sponsors, and other guests. There are free drinks, burgers and dogs, and US Olympic athletes frequently come in for different events and photo ops. This is also the spot to get official USOC gear, which is all very neat. And yet, I can't say this is the coolest place I've eaten free food in the last two days. Yesterday, Doug Lennox was able to get me into the Olympic village! The best way to describe the village is like a college campus. There are blocks of 5-story apartments that house Beijing's 16,000 Olympians, but there is also a gargantuan dining hall, a fitness center, a store, and a myriad of other facilities. Running through the buildings there are streams and benches where athletes can relax and socialize. The coolest part about the Village is the sheer diversity of the place. I'd contest that even if it only exists a couple weeks every four years, the Olympic village is the most diverse place on earth. When else do you get a gathering of such excited, outgoing people from every corner of the world and pack them densely into an area the size of a few city blocks? The array of languages, facial expressions, outfits, and mannerisms that surround you there really make you realize how secluded we are in our respective walks of life.
I've continued seeing tons of Olympic events, even now that swimming is over. I've gone to see a few soccer games, including the women's semifinal match pitting USA against Japan and the men's semifinal where Argentina played Brazil. Both games were blowouts, with the USA and Argentina dominating their opponents. But the level of soccer and the players on the field (Ronadinho, Messi) were truly astounding. The Chinese fans are all very fond of the wave, which the announcers and scoreboard consistently prompt the crowd to perform.
Also, now that many athletes are done competing, the party has truly started. The night life here has been a lot of fun and it gets taken to another level when you realize that across the bar there's a world record holder or that out on the dance floor is a gold medalist. There are a few athletes I've been asked to get autographs from and as a spectator it's very hard to do so. Luckily, I've run into a few of them while they're out and was able to not only get an autograph and a picture but also talk to them about their sport, their training, their upbringing. What's best is that there are only a handful of athletes who really have to worry about getting swamped while they're out. The rest, however accomplished or famous they may be in their respective spheres, are approachable and friendly, happy to share a drink or maybe just a story.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
China has won 39 gold medals at this Olympics. With an entire week of competition left, China has already won 3 more golds than USA did four years ago, when the Red, White, and Blue topped the medal standings in Athens. Sure, the AP and other news sources may be ranking by total medals, in which the USA maintains a slim lead, but there's no doubt that here in China only gold pays the bills. Every medal table shown publicly here in Beijing shows China solidly at the top. Chinese athletes are visibly disappointed when they fail to win gold, even if they've given the performance of their lives. There's an aura of pride here that is intoxicating. Last night as the USA played Japan in the women's semifinal soccer match the most flags in the stadium were the red ones with yellow stars. It does not matter who's playing, which event it is, whether it's a gold medal match or a qualifying round, Chinese fans show up to have a great time, share in their collective national glory, and show the rest of the world that in the 21st century, China is not settling for silver and bronze.
These posts also appear on the Prox, the Daily Princetonian's blog
These posts also appear on the Prox, the Daily Princetonian's blog
Friday, August 15, 2008
aug 15. 2008
A week has passed since the Olympics started. I thought it was time I checked in and shared some general impressions as well as memorable moments.
Thus far, my experience at the Olympics has been spectacular. As of tonight I’ve seen five swimming events at the Water Cube, a couple of water polo games, the men’s gymnastics all-around final, a USA soccer match, and a track and field session at the Bird’s Nest. The events I’ve gone to have all been well attended, but are by no means sold-out. This is depressing. Especially when I personally know a few sets of parents in Beijing who have had trouble seeing their own children compete.
Beijing has done a spectacular job with their venues. Every one I’ve seen is clean, elegant, and mostly well designed. That said, there are significant problems with the Olympic Green itself and with how the Games are being administered. The Olympic Green is a 12 sq. km area in northern Beijing that is well developed but a bit sparse. Attending Olympic events one finds oneself doing more than a fair bit of walking. Only spectators with tickets to events held in venues on the green are allowed in, and even then only for the day that the spectator has a ticket for. This means that not a lot of people are found relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere of the Games. For sponsors, these rules have meant that the daily number of visitors to their booths and zones have fallen far short of anticipated figures. There is also no food court to be found on the Green. There are snack bars that sell the same limited array of food at every venue, as no food or drink can be taken inside. Last but not least, taxis are not let anywhere near the Green unless they are carrying a ticketed passenger. There are no organized taxi queues for those wishing to leave events. I had to walk around for close to an hour tonight in order to find a cab, and I drove by droves of people still searching for a cab.
Apart from these few complaints, the Olympics have seemingly run smoothly and successfully. China is a proud nation itching to show itself off to the rest of the world. At any event in any venue, you’ll find that when a Chinese athlete is competing, underdog or favorite, win or lose, the atmosphere intensifies tenfold. It is not simply the planning and preparation that has helped see China to a strong lead in gold medal count. Home field advantage is palpable here. Many visitors, myself included, find ourselves supporting the Chinese athletes as well. I watched a China vs. Italy water polo match the other day, and I can say that in general the feeling in the stands when a Chinese runs a best time or scores a goal or wins a heat borders on euphoric. Sometimes this atmosphere seems exclusionary, as when I heard a young boy remark to his father in Chinese, “Daddy, don’t watch this race! There are no Chinese in it!” But more often that not the locals are simply cheering on their heroes, and with grins and cheers are inviting us to do the same. After all, there is something to be said for a crowd that continues to cheer their team on passionately even after they fall behind 8-2.
I’ve watched some amazing swimming while I’m here. During the morning that the men’s and women’s 100 back, women’s 100 breast, men’s 200 free and other events were swum I had front row seats. The water cube is a jaw-dropping pool. From the deck the ceiling is translucent and one feels fast just walking into the place. Seeing track and field tonight, the Bird’s Nest gave me the same jitters. Both structures are truly iconic.
Well, I best be off as it is getting late. I have many more stories to tell and will be back with them soon.
Yi hou zai shuo!
These posts also appear online on The Prox, the Daily Princetonian's blog
Thus far, my experience at the Olympics has been spectacular. As of tonight I’ve seen five swimming events at the Water Cube, a couple of water polo games, the men’s gymnastics all-around final, a USA soccer match, and a track and field session at the Bird’s Nest. The events I’ve gone to have all been well attended, but are by no means sold-out. This is depressing. Especially when I personally know a few sets of parents in Beijing who have had trouble seeing their own children compete.
Beijing has done a spectacular job with their venues. Every one I’ve seen is clean, elegant, and mostly well designed. That said, there are significant problems with the Olympic Green itself and with how the Games are being administered. The Olympic Green is a 12 sq. km area in northern Beijing that is well developed but a bit sparse. Attending Olympic events one finds oneself doing more than a fair bit of walking. Only spectators with tickets to events held in venues on the green are allowed in, and even then only for the day that the spectator has a ticket for. This means that not a lot of people are found relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere of the Games. For sponsors, these rules have meant that the daily number of visitors to their booths and zones have fallen far short of anticipated figures. There is also no food court to be found on the Green. There are snack bars that sell the same limited array of food at every venue, as no food or drink can be taken inside. Last but not least, taxis are not let anywhere near the Green unless they are carrying a ticketed passenger. There are no organized taxi queues for those wishing to leave events. I had to walk around for close to an hour tonight in order to find a cab, and I drove by droves of people still searching for a cab.
Apart from these few complaints, the Olympics have seemingly run smoothly and successfully. China is a proud nation itching to show itself off to the rest of the world. At any event in any venue, you’ll find that when a Chinese athlete is competing, underdog or favorite, win or lose, the atmosphere intensifies tenfold. It is not simply the planning and preparation that has helped see China to a strong lead in gold medal count. Home field advantage is palpable here. Many visitors, myself included, find ourselves supporting the Chinese athletes as well. I watched a China vs. Italy water polo match the other day, and I can say that in general the feeling in the stands when a Chinese runs a best time or scores a goal or wins a heat borders on euphoric. Sometimes this atmosphere seems exclusionary, as when I heard a young boy remark to his father in Chinese, “Daddy, don’t watch this race! There are no Chinese in it!” But more often that not the locals are simply cheering on their heroes, and with grins and cheers are inviting us to do the same. After all, there is something to be said for a crowd that continues to cheer their team on passionately even after they fall behind 8-2.
I’ve watched some amazing swimming while I’m here. During the morning that the men’s and women’s 100 back, women’s 100 breast, men’s 200 free and other events were swum I had front row seats. The water cube is a jaw-dropping pool. From the deck the ceiling is translucent and one feels fast just walking into the place. Seeing track and field tonight, the Bird’s Nest gave me the same jitters. Both structures are truly iconic.
Well, I best be off as it is getting late. I have many more stories to tell and will be back with them soon.
Yi hou zai shuo!
These posts also appear online on The Prox, the Daily Princetonian's blog
Monday, August 11, 2008
And the Olympics are underway! Olympic fever has gripped the city. During the Opening Ceremonies, I was told 50% of the city's taxi force (the method of transportation most foreigners use to get around) was glued to their TV sets. Let's just say getting a cab that night was as easy as getting into TI on members night. I watched the Opening Ceremonies at a pub in the north of the city. While the TV was small and the speakers wimpy, during the Chinese national anthem our entire pub stood up, hushed anyone still chattering, and respectfully remained quiet throughout the entire song. The nationalism in the air here is pungent.
So far, I've had the good fortune of attending two of the swimming sessions. Traveling to the Olympic Green was relatively easy using the subway, and once I arrived, it didn't disappoint. The Bird's Nest is MUCH bigger than it appears in photos, it's positively massive. The Water Cube's bubble-inspired structure is also awe-inspiring, especially at night when neon lights and letters can be projected onto its transparent walls. The swimming has been quick. Much has been made of the fact that the swimming finals are being held in the morning. And while I'm sure NBC paid handsomely to "convince" the IOC that this was in the best interest of the Games, I'm not sure it was. While it doesn't seem like much has been sacrificed in terms of swimming performance (though this morning's women's 400 free final was considerably slower than last night's heats), the atmosphere of an evening final cannot be replicated in the morning. I had tickets to Sunday's (Aug. 10) finals in the morning where Michael Phelps smashed his old world record, but even though me and my hosts arrived more than half an hour early we got into the Cube 5 minutes late thanks to the ridiculous security measures taken here by the Chinese. As you walk through security, they ask you to use every piece of electronic equipment on your person. If you have a camera, take a picture, a phone, make a call. Multiply this by thousands and you have lines extending out the wazoo! A significant portion of that first final's spectators weren't in the stadium by the time the heats started
The Games have really seemed to gripped the city. Last night was the long-awaited USA vs. China basketball game, and again it seemed like many taxis had taken the night off. The entire staff of the restaurant I ate at last night had gotten together to watch the Games, postponing their work and eventual return home.
Yesterday, the Princeton community in Beijing got together to celebrate our Olympians. Swimmer Doug Lennox (representing Puerto Rico) made an appearance but we also celebrated the numerous other Princetonians competing here. Also of note, swimmer Bryan Tay class of 2012 swam the swim of a lifetime last night dropping 2 seconds in the 200m Freestyle. He was roughly 4 short seconds slower than a man you may have heard of: Michael Phelps! Luckily, I've managed to get ahold of tickets to see Doug swim his 200m Butterfly tonight at the Water Cube. In fact, I've got to get going, I'd hate to be getting frisked while Doug is in the water doing the Orange and Black (as well as the Red, White, and Blue) proud!
Yi hou zai shuo!
So far, I've had the good fortune of attending two of the swimming sessions. Traveling to the Olympic Green was relatively easy using the subway, and once I arrived, it didn't disappoint. The Bird's Nest is MUCH bigger than it appears in photos, it's positively massive. The Water Cube's bubble-inspired structure is also awe-inspiring, especially at night when neon lights and letters can be projected onto its transparent walls. The swimming has been quick. Much has been made of the fact that the swimming finals are being held in the morning. And while I'm sure NBC paid handsomely to "convince" the IOC that this was in the best interest of the Games, I'm not sure it was. While it doesn't seem like much has been sacrificed in terms of swimming performance (though this morning's women's 400 free final was considerably slower than last night's heats), the atmosphere of an evening final cannot be replicated in the morning. I had tickets to Sunday's (Aug. 10) finals in the morning where Michael Phelps smashed his old world record, but even though me and my hosts arrived more than half an hour early we got into the Cube 5 minutes late thanks to the ridiculous security measures taken here by the Chinese. As you walk through security, they ask you to use every piece of electronic equipment on your person. If you have a camera, take a picture, a phone, make a call. Multiply this by thousands and you have lines extending out the wazoo! A significant portion of that first final's spectators weren't in the stadium by the time the heats started
The Games have really seemed to gripped the city. Last night was the long-awaited USA vs. China basketball game, and again it seemed like many taxis had taken the night off. The entire staff of the restaurant I ate at last night had gotten together to watch the Games, postponing their work and eventual return home.
Yesterday, the Princeton community in Beijing got together to celebrate our Olympians. Swimmer Doug Lennox (representing Puerto Rico) made an appearance but we also celebrated the numerous other Princetonians competing here. Also of note, swimmer Bryan Tay class of 2012 swam the swim of a lifetime last night dropping 2 seconds in the 200m Freestyle. He was roughly 4 short seconds slower than a man you may have heard of: Michael Phelps! Luckily, I've managed to get ahold of tickets to see Doug swim his 200m Butterfly tonight at the Water Cube. In fact, I've got to get going, I'd hate to be getting frisked while Doug is in the water doing the Orange and Black (as well as the Red, White, and Blue) proud!
Yi hou zai shuo!
(Aug 9)
Yesterday the US diplomatic community in Beijing attended the opening of the new US embassy in Beijing. Apart from being held far too early in the morning (woke up at 6am), the event was very entertaining. There was a definite "All-American" flavor to the ceremony: A country band had flown in from West Texas for musical accompaniment, and the waiters serving the breakfast were decked out in Texas lonestar uniforms. It was a family affair for the Bushes, George HW and the President were both there. Following Ambassador Randt's speech the President made a pointed speech emphasizing China's need to give its people freedom of expression, mentioning that our world's most prosperous nations are those that allow their citizens to freely express their ideas...If I keep going with this discussion of politics though tomorrow my blog is likely to be no more.
Yesterday the US diplomatic community in Beijing attended the opening of the new US embassy in Beijing. Apart from being held far too early in the morning (woke up at 6am), the event was very entertaining. There was a definite "All-American" flavor to the ceremony: A country band had flown in from West Texas for musical accompaniment, and the waiters serving the breakfast were decked out in Texas lonestar uniforms. It was a family affair for the Bushes, George HW and the President were both there. Following Ambassador Randt's speech the President made a pointed speech emphasizing China's need to give its people freedom of expression, mentioning that our world's most prosperous nations are those that allow their citizens to freely express their ideas...If I keep going with this discussion of politics though tomorrow my blog is likely to be no more.
Friday, August 8, 2008
picture time
1. Paull and I at the new US embassy in Beijing
2. The interior of the new embassy
3. My invitation
4. Smog in Beijing on 08.08.2008
5. The embassy opening ceremony
6. Ceremony cont
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Orchestrated Jubilation - Beijing on the brink of the Games
Here's the first of my posts for the Prince, which can be found at www.blogs.dailyprincetonian.com.
I'll also post those here.
Pollution has been discussed at length. I grew up in Hong Kong, and even by those standards the pollution here right now is pretty abysmal. For years China has been making promises to curb factory and vehicle emissions to a level where pollution would become a non-factor for athletes-that has not happened. Today as I awoke I could barely see several hundred yards down the road, and the Opening Ceremonies are tomorrow night. High performance athletes in outdoor events are arriving in Beijing to give their best efforts. Unfortunately, the conditions here may mean that we may not see these athletes realize their full potential.
Many of the most intriguing conversation I've had thus far in Beijing have been with the city's many colorful taxi drivers, when I've been able to catch one. Due to the rationing of vehicles on the road, it seems the demand for taxis have increased, and with higher gas prices, the number of taxis have decreased. Catching a taxi, especially during rush hour, can be quite the ordeal. Dancing goofily in the middle of the road is an effective tool though. The drivers have expressed a well-rehearsed excitement of the Games, which are actually quite distant from the typical Beijing resident. They mention that the police in military presence in the city have increased sharply in the weeks before the Games. One wonders whether or not at the conclusion of the Games we will see these numbers fall to pre-Olympic levels.
Security is tight all around the city. Athletes have been sequestered in the Olympic Village and the average person cannot get close to facilities without a ticket, credential, or corporate connection. Beijing has enlisted 400,000 volunteers, some sporting nostalgic red arm bands, to keep the city's streets peaceful and friendly to visitors. The number of Olympic volunteers at this Games shatters previous records, and by some accounts doubles the number of foreigners expected to arrive here for the Games.
Beijing has changed vastly since the last time I've been here (5 odd years). Most of the changes have come in the past few months. A new airport superhighway just opened on July 30th. Most big roads also have dedicated "Olympic Traffic Only" lanes, which only serve to worsen traffic in the others. Innovative architecture dots the skyline, the Bird's Nest, Water Cube, are all significant examples of structural art and the as yet incomplete CCTV tower reinvents the notion of the modern skyscraper. These buildings seem to be rare sources of innovative creative expression. Also, a new subway has been put in place for the Olympics which I took today. The subway is air-conditioned, clean, and cheap. It looks to be a positive lasting legacy of these Games.
Luckily, over the coming weeks I will have a chance to witness many Olympic events, and plan to talk to some athletes about their experiences. I did hear that Amanda Beard, an American Olympic veteran swimmer, commented that the Olympic Village here is the nicest she's seen. I'll also have a chance to catch a baseball game with the US ambassador to China, I'm curious what we'll be singing during the 7th inning stretch. Anyhow, please come back soon, I'll be doing my darndest to continue making it down to the free WiFi at Starbucks (yes, they are in Beijing too!) and to keep you abreast of events here as they unfold.
Yi hou zai shuo!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Lai le! (I have arrived!)
Huanying! Welcome to my humble blog. I'll be attempting to post here regularly on my two and a half week stay in Beijing, relaying anecdotes and events as they transpire... hopefully most (but not all)of it is mundane enough to make it through those notorious Chinese censors!
Though I arrived in Beijing last night, the Olympics really started for me during the layover in Tokyo. Sitting down for a bite of tempura, I ran into the New Zealand Olympic swim team! I recognized them almost immediately-swimmers everywhere look similar. They were all excited about the Games and very gregarious. I met Lauren Boyle, who swims at Cal, for the the first time. Lauren and I have many mutual funs and I'm stoked to watch her tear it up on their 4x200 free relay. I also met a young man Daniel who is going to be leading off their 4x100 medley. They also relayed a neat story about how when a Kiwi team arrives at the Village, the rest of the already-arrived Kiwi contingent performs the Haka (a maori war dance) and the arriving team replies. Only then have they officially arrived.
I'm really jazzed for the Games to start. I'm writing from the US Ambassadors residence (the Randts) where I've organized a few more Olympic events to go watch. Here follows my Olympic event schedule:
Aug 10: swim finals and prelims
Aug 11: swim finals and prelims
Aug 12: swim finals
Aug 13: possible swim finals
Aug 14: mens gymnastics all-around
Aug 16: water polo and baseball
Aug 17: mens gymnastics vault, floor, horse
Aug 20: open water swim and track and field finals
Aug 21: beach volleyball and track and field finals
I've been truly fortunate to have been given these tickets at no or face value by close friends. My trip was rather hastily organized and I know many well-organized Olympic visitors who are not as well ticketed as I am.
Though the games don't start for a couple days, I'm already having a blast. I'm staying in a fabulous guest room with a double bed at the apartment of Al Cortes, who works at the US Embassy here. Al's apartment is right near the SanLiTun district, which has many restaurants and bars and is a very central (socially) location.
Beijing has changed vastly since the last time I've been here (5 odd years). Most of the changes have come in the past few months. I was taken from the airport in a cab which drove on the new Airport superhighway that only opened July 30th. Innovative architecture dots the skyline (I passed the CCTV integrated-skyscraper tower today). And a new subway has been put in place for the Olympics. Olympic volunteers sporting red armbands abound on the streets of Beijing to assist tourists and "keep peace". The cab driver also mentioned Beijing had seen an increase in police presence in the weeks leading up to the Olympics.
Tonight I have a quiz night with Paull Randt at a pub on the books and might go out for a few drinks with fellow PUCSDT members (Easton, Tillman, Gremban). I also may meet with Marcus Bach Armas, a great guy I met here at the Randt's residence who is actually Alex and Peter Vanderkaay's agent. Marcus and I took a tour of some of Beijing's Hutongs after a delectable Chinese lunch and some "Vegetable Spare Ribs" (you gotta love Mandarin translations) with the Randts. A year ago Marcus didn't know what IM stood for, now he's buddy buddy with all of Club Wolverine and knows more about the sport that any non-swimmer I know. I also received a formal invitation to the opening of the brand new US embassy here in Beijing. I'm very excited even though the opening is at 7am because they are offering free continental breakfast! Me eating delicious state department meals = our tax dollars at work!
Well, I'm off!
Yi hou zai shuo! (More to say later!)
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