Beijing Olympics Courtesy of JnJ
Trip Start
Feb 25, 2006
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123
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Trip End
Jun 24, 2009
Beijing,
China
Sunday, August 10, 2008
It's incredible how well Beijing was prepared for the Olympics with the one exception that they really didn't serve any food at the events. They were supposed to have hot dogs and sandwiches at the venues, but most didn't have them and even if they did, you wouldn't want to eat them. The Chinese idea of a sandwich is 2 slices of really white bread with the ends cut off and 1 slice of meat like product placed between the bread. YUMMMY! I don't really think I need to go into why I wouldn't eat a hot Dog in China. So for the last 2 weeks I've been subsisting on Snickers, noodle snacks, and Coke while at the games.
I was really not looking forward to watching the weightlifting, but it was my first Olympic event and I have to say it was pretty kewl being there nonetheless. China won and the place went nuts! Zhong Guo... Jia YO! was the chant that permeated the entire Olympics which means something to the effect of China... GO GO GO! Or as I literally translated it in my head as Add Fuel!
When we got back to the hotel, they had a large spread laid out for us with an open bar.
JnJ's Hospitality Longe
I think I was in heaven. They had rented out the entire restaurant for JnJ VIPs from 6am to 1am. There were countless flat screen TVs all around the room showing various events and an endless supply of finger foods, desserts and beer. I thought about staying there to watch the entire Olympic games, but unfortunately, C and I managed to make ourselves a bit too well known amongst the staff there to be able to go in unnoticed after our prized 2 nights as JnJ's guests from Singapore. I met a couple guys that were in another JnJ group that got tickets to one of the hottest events in town, China vs USA Basketball. From then on, I was on the prowl for other tickets. I would have so much rather gone to the basketball than weightlifting. As always with corporate ticketing, there are the ones that go unused by the people that can't be bothered to get their bums into the free seats that were given to them for one reason or another. The next night, I managed to get a ticket for the woman's foil fencing Gold and Bronze medal match in addition to my swimming ticket. Italy had 3 of the 4 quarter final places in woman's fencing so there was a large Italian contingent at the match. The locals and I got a really good kick out of them when they started chanting Italia... Jia Yo!On our last day, they were taking us to the Forbidden City and Tienanmen square before we were supposed to fly back to Singapore. I was going to take a pass, but our guide talked me into a 7am start somehow. I hadn't been to the Forbidden City in about 15 years so it was about time to take another look. Not much has changed except they added a fountain in front Mao's big portrait. We had something like 2 hours to walk thru Tienanmen square and the Forbidden city before getting back on the bus. As we were rushed from one part of the city to the next to snap the obligatory photos, I remembered why I never take tours. When I got back to the hotel, the guy in charge of tickets managed to slide me a couple tickets to beach volleyball after we were supposed to already have left on our 3rd night. C was supposed to already have left for Singapore too, but decided to stay when she found out there was no change fee for our flights. After some more wheeling and dealing, I managed to get my friend Erica another ticket so she could come with us. That was GREAT! Beach volleyball was the best event of the Games for me. I miss the AVP tournaments in Hermosa Beach and Ft. Lauderdale Beach.
Comments
thanks!
for the wheeling and dealing! beach vb was AWESOME!!! it made the 'oh sh*t' prize-winning, screwed up travel schedule, $300 investment in itinerary change, and the forever wait in kuching all worth it!