Olympic Park Beijing

September 2010 - Spring. Temp - 27 to 32 degrees celsius. Humid but cool breeze starting late afternoon.

We were lucky that a relative lives in Beijing central who picked us up at the airport early in the morning (1am), who offered her place for our whole 3-day stay, who saved us our everyday breakfast, and who was a lot of help for us …

The imminent prospect of getting off our final overnight hard sleeper train after 12 hrs was exciting. However coupled with the fact that we were arriving into the capital city of this monumentally enormous country was an acute awakening of all the senses. Nothing really highlights how incredibly large this population is until you have experienced …

Today we set off to tour Tian'an Men Square and the Forbidden City. We start off in our bus with our local guide, Echo. Driving in Beijing seems much of an exercise in faith. There does not seem to be any regard for lights, signals, pedestrians, or safety. People go wherever they please, weaving around each other, announcing themselves with an …

Saavuttiin Moskovan kautta Pekingiin pienissa jetlageissa lauantaina 7.1.2011. Matka meni hyvin ja kentalla meidat toivotti tervetulleeksi pieni lumipeite maassa. Kylmasta kylmaan siis matkasimme. Kelit ollu tosin aika hyvia ja sellasta pikkupakkasta. Huomenna jatketaan sitten jo hieman lampimampaan Shanghaihin.

Ollaan yovytty parissa …

We started this morning with a visit to the 2008 Olympic Park. Qiuchun & her mother had never been in it before. Unfortunately, Q still has not --as she was in class this am. We explored the bird's nest, and the water cube. "so Cool!"

Once we left there we went and had a very good meal, and visit, in a restaurant that looks a lot like …

This morning the entire delegation left Beijing at different times. My group was the last to leave so we had the wonderful opportunity to do some additional sight seeing around Beijing. We started off the morning at the Temple of Heaven.

The Temple of Heaven is located in the
southern part of Beijing. It is China's largest existing …

Touring with the uni. Tour guide is Larry.

The Great Wall:

I think Larry mentioned the name of this section of the wall but I forgot. It was incredibly difficult to climb. Larry warned us of people falling off (I think he meant the stairs) and I totally see why. It's really steep at some points. Took lovely photos, will upload …

2008 was a big year for China. In August of that year they hosted the Olympic Games for the first time. Visiting the park one sees what was once a great place. In two years it looks as if nothing is happening in the Olympic Park. The only people who are in the Park are those who are visiting Beijing. Everyone wants to see the famous Birds Nest and …

Entry containing 7 photos titled: Beijing, Beijing - Great Wall, Beijing - Airport

... , a cinema, vaults, floodproof doors and a ventilation system to expel poisonous gases. To Tom's disappointment we didn't get time to see the Olympic Park - so don't ask him about it. It's a sore subject. As we said, Beijing is a really good city. Great ...

... Anyone arriving in Beijing is bound to be impressed by the magnificent new Norman Foster-designed Capital airport. The Beijing Olympic Park, with its Herzog & de Meuron-designed "bird's nest" stadium and its bubble-skinned, transparent National Swimming ...

... Our driver had some kind of problem with his car so he brought us to a garage close by the stadium. It was a short walk to the Olympic park, and we were just in time for the sun to set. We walked around for a bit and watched how the buildings were lit ...

... to criticisms about the lack of life around the sports venues by saying they would "encourage" more people to come into the Olympic Park. Yesterday, they claimed 40,000 people visited the site. Of the 18 Olympic events that took place, two were 90 ...

· Beijing, China · GMT + 8hrs He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man - Mao Zedong Outta here Monday, February 18th. This is our 5th day in Beijing, my 6th. That's kind of longer than I expected to spend here but hey, ...

Beijing, China - (I took too many pictures, so the pictures and text don't sink, come on, just deal with it!) The last leg of my trans-Siberian journey took me from UB to Beijing. I had no choice but to ride 2nd class again and shared my cabin with ...

... the ticket, from there to the train station until finally home. That night we went for Peking duck, a Beijing speciality before Mr. Loo chaufered us to the Olympic Park to snap some photos. Unable to book a ticket for Monday I had another day in Beijing ...

... police came and picked up all the wares except the one I had hid. So now I am the proud owner of a very chinsy Olympic park statue complete with a blinking disco light…. That damn thing weight about 4 pounds…… but its mine….. ALL ...

... . After the Summer Palace we made our way on some of the new subway lines built for the Olympics up to the Olympic Park. You come out of the subway station and wow, there's the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, two of the most ...

... in his masoleum today.  We head to Qianmen metro stop for another adventure north in the city. 5:00pm We've found the Olympic Park! Its not very accessible. There's a proposed Olympic metro line to get here, but apparently it is not operational ...