Guess who went to the Bird's Nest Stadium today? Me! It was really cool. About the closest I'll ever be to the Olympics, I figure. They had montages from the opening ceremonies playing on all the jumbo-screens, and I couldn't help getting a vicarious rush - how cool it must have been for all those athletes to come into the stadium and see the moment they'd dreamed about since they were kids become reality....
The stadium itself is surprisingly small. Or at least it looks small. From the look of the place on TV you'd think it was colossal, but from a distance it looks really small, and from the inside it's surprisingly intimate. Most of it wasn't open to the public (annoying), but from what I could guess, I bet even the top row of seats had a great view. Nothing looked that far from the field. It was definitely cool to wander around on the field, though, and sit in the press seats. I did my best to ignore the awful Christmas displays that were still up...why can't I escape it??? I go halfway across the world and the tacky sleigh displays and Christmas trees follow me! But I digress. I got to play Olympian for a day!
I didn't get to go into the Water Cube. It was bizarrely difficult to find the ticket office, and by the time I'd found it it was 4:05 - 5 minutes after they sell the last ticket. If I'd taken the short route around the Cube I would have made it (thanks for the great directions, Mr. Guard Guy). Alas. If I have time I'll head back up there some afternoon and check it out.
Tomorrow's a big day, though. I'm going to the Great Wall. I'll be out in the cold for 3 uninterrupted hours. I really, really hope I'm up to the challenge, because if I'm not I'll come back short a toe or something...not good! :) I'm really excited to see it. I'm told the views are spectacular. I just hope I'll be able to enjoy my natural impulse to flee the cold and slow down enough to take it all in.
The stadium itself is surprisingly small. Or at least it looks small. From the look of the place on TV you'd think it was colossal, but from a distance it looks really small, and from the inside it's surprisingly intimate. Most of it wasn't open to the public (annoying), but from what I could guess, I bet even the top row of seats had a great view. Nothing looked that far from the field. It was definitely cool to wander around on the field, though, and sit in the press seats. I did my best to ignore the awful Christmas displays that were still up...why can't I escape it??? I go halfway across the world and the tacky sleigh displays and Christmas trees follow me! But I digress. I got to play Olympian for a day!
I didn't get to go into the Water Cube. It was bizarrely difficult to find the ticket office, and by the time I'd found it it was 4:05 - 5 minutes after they sell the last ticket. If I'd taken the short route around the Cube I would have made it (thanks for the great directions, Mr. Guard Guy). Alas. If I have time I'll head back up there some afternoon and check it out.
Tomorrow's a big day, though. I'm going to the Great Wall. I'll be out in the cold for 3 uninterrupted hours. I really, really hope I'm up to the challenge, because if I'm not I'll come back short a toe or something...not good! :) I'm really excited to see it. I'm told the views are spectacular. I just hope I'll be able to enjoy my natural impulse to flee the cold and slow down enough to take it all in.
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