The Beijing extravaganza is finally over

With almost the same bang as the opening ceremony the Beijing Olympics were closed by IOC President Jacques Rogge last evening.

First at all it has been 17 days of exceptional achievements and records by all of the participating athletes who should be honored and congratulated.
But these Olympics were also about showing face! The Chinese organizers had to cater for 2 different audiences. The world, China had to show its rise as a superpower not caring about costs at all.
And for the citizens they had to justify the “official” $40 billion (insider say over 60 billion) inbuilding gigantic stadiums and other fabulous sports facilities (some of them may be hardly used afterwards), the closing down of factories, limiting travel within Beijing, putting thousands of people out of jobs for 4 months for reaching better air quality and using 1, 4 million citizens as “volunteers”. These volunteers also deserve a big round of applause for their efforts.
The closing ceremony was really spectacular and went again to extremes to satisfy every detail which will be hard measuring up to this level for future host cities.
The London Mayor and his Olympic committee were handed over the Olympic flag and an even bigger burden. Everything they do might or will be compared to Beijing. Can London compete with Beijing? Can any new host city compete? Does it matter?Definitely not and I think they even don’t want to. They will be different and great in their own way.They also know that the perception of these Games has become one of soul-less efficiency and robotic lockstep.

The Olympic Flame is extinguished. Beijing games are history. Good Luck London!

Beijing: Bad Air Quality Makes Athletes Suffer Even Before Games Start

Let's hope this dream doesn't turn into a night mare!

The more athletes arrive in Beijing the more intensiv the discussions regarding pollution are getting. More and more blame the International Olymoic Committe (IOC) for false information about environmental conditions.

Most of the time the IOC is referring to official statements from the Chinese Government. Real comparisons of air quality readings with European or American standards are obviously not available or wittingly kept undisclosed! (Chinese practices as usual)
Despite a persistent 'smog-soup' last Tuesday official Beijing reported “slight air pollution” only! And IOC-Chief Physician Arne Ljungqvist doesn’t see “any serious health risk“for athletes. What else can he say? He doesn't compete anyway!

The parties concerned however have a different view. Especially outdoor endurance athletes such as cyclists or long distance runners will suffer most. One team physician: “Heat and high humidity we had in previous Games as well but here with micro pollution a third dimesnion has been added. Endurance athletes will be extremly charged.“ He further elaborates:“ If readings regarding CO2, Micro Pollutants and Ozone are critical we have to think about allowing atheletes to start.“
As one of the cyclists who has been in Beijing since a week puts it after one of his training sessions: “ I am shocked! It’s really bad, lungs and even my eyes burn seriously! I tried to inrease my speed, however the pressure on my lung became almost unbearable. Three hours of training here feel like 6 hours elsewhere.“
I am sure more and more reports about air quality will turn out and the Chinese will again take it personally and blame the unreasonable Westerners in destroying “their“ Olympic Games.

What else to say? We shall see!

Let’s hope the 8.08.2008 at 8:08 will really be a lucky nummer and everything changes to the better! So, let the games begin!

After 4 years of preparation and training for the Beijing Games the athletes deserve great, peaceful and trouble free Games and good luck. That's what we wish them, regardless of colour and race!

Christmas in Beijing - Impressions

Back from a trip to Beijing and the next day I saw this article in "The Straits Times": Beijing meets target of of 245 'blue-sky days' . Well then we just had bad luck I guess, because out of 5 days we had only a half day of blue sky(below).I pity the athletes participating in the Olympics in summer, especially the one in endurance sports. We could barely breath walking around in a holiday pace and not aiming for new records. Eyes hurt, throat was sore and the smell of burnt coals made it an unpleasant stay. One day hit the maximum "5" reading it was so bad that residents were warned to stay indoors and visibility was reduced to a 100 metres. This dense smog is a result of soaring car ownership, industrial emissions, dust storms and a construction boom. Beijing wants to avoid international embarrassment during the Olympic Games over this environmental problem. Erich immediately had a solution:" Close the factories, ban cars and stop all the construction, a month before the games start!" Very easy, isn't it?
Besides that Beijing is always an interesting place to visit. The sport venues they are building now look more gigantic in real than on photos and the changes this country has gone through since Chairman Mao's times are enormous. Most of the city is an unrealistic, virtual world with resort like apartment and villa enclaves surrounded by high walls, security cameras and guards. The city centre has the latest shopping centres with all the famous fashion brands.
But in the outer skirts and of course in the Hinterlands many people still live in very poor conditions and dirt and dust is all over.
A most interesting place to visit is "OLD BEIJING". People say that the real culture of Beijing is the 'Culture of the Hutong' and the 'Culture of the Courtyard'. How true that is. Often, it is Beijing's winding Hutongs that attract tourists from home and abroad rather than the high-rise buildings and large mansions. Here are some impressions of the hutongs which give you fresh insight into Beijing's local life.
One of the blue sky days The latest stroller To see more click here:

HutongTour

A local market with interesting food stalls also caught or attention. The satay they sold were literally creepy-crawly: All kind of beetles, worms, larvae, sea stars, sea horses (aren't these endangered species?) and scorpions. Some of the creatures we were not able to identify.

Satay anyone? Probably new ideas for Erich's menue!!
The scorpions were still alive and the legs moving
More of the market:

Xmas in Beijing

A funny sculpture was that monk out side a shopping centre.

But back to the hazy days and Beijings own (!!) standard for 'blue sky days' which has not been recognized by international scientists - some days were declared "blue" despite obviously hazy conditions.

However the government is trying hard and has taken aggressive steps to clean up its air at a cost of SGD 24 billion! Good luck for them!