I was back inside the Bird's Nest to see the athletics competition. Aka Track and Field.
My new favorite thing to do is to walk up to the top seats of each stadium... as far as I can go, and take a picture of the entire venue. Quite a view.
Sometimes it's a little hair raising. I usually don't have a problem with heights but some of these stadiums go wayyyyy up. Look at me gripping the bar for dear life. I just felt as though I might tumble over the edge and roll all the way down to the track.
I got to see the Olympic basketball stadium for the first time when I saw the USA play Australia. It looks like pieces of celery stacked up around the edge.
Piglet and Domo rooting for the redeem team.
Again, another woozy trip to the top of the stadium. Worth the shot though.
I have seen the award ceremony for the Men's Team Gymnastics and the Women's Team Gymnastics. Each time the mascots came out and tumbled around while they were setting up the podiums.
On one hand they could hardly see with their big ol heads and kept bumping into one another. On the other hand they were still able to do flips and handsprings.
Look their little arms can hardle reach the floor with the massive head in the way. That takes talent. I can't wait to see what the mascots do at a swimming award ceremony.
I found the Olympic Super Store... wowee. Mascot goodies galore. I bought a super lot.
I just love the stadiums that were built for the Beijing Olympics. Like my friend Joel, I enjoy massive man-made structures, like Hoover Dam and the Falkirk Wheel. Not only are they unique but they are just ginormous. They all look amazing lit up at night like the Bird's Nest does in this picture.
I was so pleased to get this shot of the Bird's Nest during the day. I have been told you don't see many blue skies in Beijing.
Here is Ling Long Pagoda at night. I stood waiting for a long time for the rainbow combination of colored lights to come up.
Here is a picture from the base, looking up. Again, blue skies.
And my favorite. The Water Cube. Someone on my 1000 Words blog post said they put a moat around it because the bubble are popable. Oooooh. Just like bubble wrap.
Sad thing is, these stadiums are so amazing that now when I go to a "regular" one, even if it is still very nicely designed in it's own right, I am like "Ho hum".
I have a lot more factoids about the stadiums over on my 1000 Words blog post. You can leave me comments there.
Of course I am using all Kodak Digital Cameras here at the Beijing Olympics. A Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Video Camera, Kodak V705 Dual Lens and a Kodak M1063. And they are all PINK.
I get a lot of looks when I keep pulling them out of my bag.
I've been using these cameras to capture pictures like these at the women's gymnastics competition. I will be uploading some video soon too.
Mixed country team lining up for the vault.
Team France coach giving a few last minutes of advice.
(Jami asked in my comments who was taking pictures of me. Check out my 1000Words post to see my picture taking cohort and see what kind of camera he uses too)
I just can't get enough of the Beijing Olympic Mascots! I swear it's like they knew I was coming when they designed them.
I don't know if I am going to be able to fit them all in my suitcase.
Some Olympic Mascot factoids:
- they are called Fuwa or "friendlies"
- there is a Fish, a Panda, a Tibetan Antelope, a Swallow and the Olympic Flame
- when you put their names together - Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni - they say "Welcome to Beijing"
- they represent five elements of nature - the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky
- each one is a color of an Olympic ring
This evening I went to the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Arriving at the Beijing National Stadium was a surreal experience. The stadium, also known as the Birds Nest, along with the The National Swimming Center (Water Cube) and rows of giant organic shaped lights made the scene look like one out of a science fiction movie like Gattica.
I can't get enough of the Olympic mascots.
The mascots were on all the participation items at our seats. I wasn't a very good participator. It was hard to keep up when we were supposed to wave our flags, light our lamps etc.
The stadium was huge and a good thing because there were thousands of spectators, performers and athletes.
These are row after row of row of fou drummers.
There were lots of led lights and performers suspended high above the ground.
This was a giant earth that came up from below. The scene on the sphere changed and there were people running around on the surface of it. On top was Sarah Brightman and Liu Huan singing together.
I think the Birds Nest looks best at night, all lit up.
My mouth was hanging open for the entire show. Really spectacular. We waited a long time to get in and we didn't get back to the hotel until 1am, but it was all worth it.
Piglet and Domo had a good time too. Well, except when they got squeezed at security.
I have arrived in Beijing safe and sound. The flight wasn't bad, I alternated between sleeping and reading Breaking Dawn. The Beijing International Airport is absolutely huge. I had nothing to worry about though, there were people waiting there for me to get me to the hotel. I am feeling pretty good, kind of amazed I'm not more jetlagged actually. It cracks me up that I didn't have to change my watch. The time here is exactly the same as Rochester, just flip the AM and PM.
I had dinner at The Great Hall of the People (or Great Hall of the Peeps as I like to call it). I loved the outfits these girls wore in the hallways. Check out those shoes!
The food was delicious, served family style. I was also enamoured with the little panda chopstick rests.
The architecture in Beijing is just amazing. I don't even know what this building is across the street from The Great Hall of the Peeps but I loved the colored lights they projected on it. Everything here is a feast for the eyes.
Yep, Piglet came along on the trip. Here he is in front of the Great Hall of the Peeps. Domo is here too. They will be jostling with one another to get their pictures taken.
I am also blogging about Beijing and the Olympics on the 1000 Words blog, so you can read more there.
Today I am leaving for Beijing to blog about the 2008 Olympics for work. I haven't said much about it... a twitter here and there, because it seemed to good to be true. But everything worked out and I leave today.
I am exicited, thrilled and anxious all in one. It will take me a whole day to get there. I plan on blogging when I am there and also for 1000 Words. I will be taking a ton of pictures and sharing my adventures.
