Day 18 - Sexy Owl

Hey Everyone!

Monday, the gymnastics team had the day off.  I went to a shopping district on the east side of Beijing with some friends.  Our first stop was Hooters Beijing  - a new experience for me.  Some of my friends wanted to pick up t-shirts as souvenirs.  I ended up getting a picture with the Hooters staff - a souvenir unlike any other.  Apparently, Hooters Beijing is quite different than Hooters in America.  It is more family-oriented and one friend even has video of the whole restaurant doing a conga line.  Someone told me the sign on the front of the restaurant roughly translates to sexy owl...hence the blog title.

After Hooters, I headed to the world's largest Adidas store - its location had eluded me for a week.  There were signs for the store in Wangfujing - a ways away - but I couldn't find the store...even on the Internet.  The store was four floors of clothes and shoes.  The first floor had an entire section devoted to health exercises.  One section included 10 columns in a circle.  You were supposed to stand inside and when they lit up, you had to touch the light.  There were also lights on the floor you had to step on.  The exercise was supposed to test your reflexes.  I scored in the "poor" category.  With more practice, I made it to "average".  It was hard!  Another station consisted of an interactive mat and computer screen that measured how high you could jump, your balance and how fast you could run.  The running portion involved running in place to see how many times you could step on the mat.  It was quite a workout and I'm sure I looked ridiculous.  Then, the computer printed out your stats.  I apparently have a great BMI, but my speed could use improvement.  It was a nice day off from working!

Ted

Winter & Summer Palace, CCTV, NIS and more

I have been in Beijing for three weeks now, and it’s been amazing! My computer was on overload and wouldn’t upload anything this week. I had to buy an external hard drive, so I could delete several documents.

Since my last post, we visited the Summer Palace and Winter Palace. The Summer Palace or Yi he yuan ("Garden of Nurtured Harmony") is located in Beijing. Longevity Hill is located in the center of the Palace and is topped with three grand buildings: The Cloud-Dispelling Hall, the Temple of Buddhist Virtue, and the Sea of Wisdom Temple. In the center stands the Temple of Buddhist Virtue, which forms the focal point of the hill. Kunming Lake covers most of the area surrounding Longevity Hill. We were able to enjoy the lake with a rented four person boat. Kunming Lake was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. The Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in China.

Here I am enjoying the Summer Palace with Fan Bu (aka "Bonnie"), one of our Mizzou grad students.
Our next stop was the great Yuan Ming Yuan Park (“Winter Palace”), which is the most magnificent garden in the history of China. When first build, the Winter Palace spanned a three-hundred-fifty hectare area with a fairyland of hills, ponds, lakes, ancient trees and palaces filled with one and half centuries of imperial treasure collections. However, it was tragically burned by the allied forces of the eight powers in 1860.

In the vast country of China, there are three construction works enjoying world-wide fame even today: The Great Wall, Stone Niche Temple of Dun Huan and Yuan Ming Yuan. Yuan Ming Yuan was the latest, yet the most ruined one.

For 139 years, Yuan Ming Yuan served for administration, vacation and living purposes for the six generations of emperors YongZheng, QianLong, JiaQing, DaoGuang and XianFeng in the Qing dynasty. The emperor and his wives would live in Yuan Ming Yuan after Chinese New Year until the end of autumn. Yuan Ming Yuan was the largest and most luxurious imperial garden, with a host of scenery sites representing different Chinese gardening styles.

After visiting Yuan Ming Yuan Park, we saw a modern opera performance at the Chang An Grand Theatre. The sound was quite difference than what we know as opera in the states. Take a look at the following video...

For tourists, the Chang An Grand Theatre in Beijing has English subtitles above the stage, which was very helpful. Each new character that walked onto stage blew me away with their incredible costumes, with such attention to detail. This Beijing opera house was originally constructed in 1937, and in 1996, reopened after a three-year renovation.

I also had the opportunity to visit one of China’s most famous late night talk shows on CCTV. There were five Mizzou students in attendance. We had to listen to the translations on headsets the entire time, which was a completely new experience for me. And, unfortunately, I think Chinese jokes are sometimes lost in translation everytime. The show was great and reminded me of Jay Leno in a way. In the photograph, we are pictured with the host.

Training has also begun, so I included the first photo I took inside the National Indoor Stadium where I’ll be working during the Olympic Games.





The following photo was also taken on the Olympic Green, and it symbolizes the Olympic torch runners.


Sarah

Day 17b - Posing

Hey Everyone!

Here is the first of many photos I'm sure...workin the Olympic style!  Do I look official?

Ted

Day 17 - Uniform Uniformity Part 2

Hey Everyone!

Thursday we spent our first day at the National Indoor Stadium and started with a tour of the facility.  It was amazing to see the large building and to think that in a few weeks, this will be the stage for world-class entertainment.  We saw the mixed zone - where we will get interviews from athletes - and the press conference room.  People were busy putting final touches all over the

 place, but for the most part the building 

is complete.  Later, we watched some promotional Olympic videos in the press conference room and then got our uniforms!  Sally gave us big Adidas bags full of clothes.  We received three shirts, two pants, three pairs of socks, a pair of shoes, a poncho, jacket, water bottle, fanny pack and hat!  We even get to keep all of this gear after the games!

National Indoor Stadium

Press Conference Room

Press Workroom (for AP, etc)

Uniforms!

The workers had a ping pong tournament while we were working - Sally represented, but unfortunately was defeated!

Press Mixed Zone - Sally and YangYao, our managers, explain how the athletes will come through the area.

Ted

Five days until training begins.

After two days of training with BOCOG, I now have a bit of time off.

I will be working at the site of the Ming Dynasty Tombs for the Triathlon, 45 minutes north of Beijing. Unfortunately, the Triathlon only lasts two days during the second week of the Olympic Games, so I will most likely be placed in another venue for the first week of the Games. (I was told either Archery or Field Hockey, both sport I know nothing about, but am eager to learn more!)

I tell you this because I need to be issued extra clearance to get into more venues, which means I don't have my accreditation pass yet :( I've been looking forward to receiving it since we got here, but will have to wait almost another week to get it!

I have a five day weekend before heading back to training on Tuesday. As odd as this sounds, I would prefer to be working as hard as the Gymnastics FQR's who will be working from now until the games (and spending time on the Olympic Green!).

On that note, I haven't been able to get on the Olympic Green yet, and I'm wondering if I ever will! It seems like the security will be extra-tight this year, and that means a lock-down on the green. I will have clearance to get into the shuttle-bus area of the green, with high hopes of getting closer to the Bird's Nest and the Watercube!

I will try to explore the city over the next five days. I have the subway system down, getting used to the bus system, and am an expert at taxis! The city is awaiting the opening of three more subway lines. They were due to open earlier this year, but have been kept closed for unspecified reason. One of those stations is a block north of our hotel, once it opens--it will save us all a ton of time! We ride free with our Olympic accreditation passes!

That's all for now,

Mark


P.S. I'm feeling MUCH better now :)

Day 16 - Euphoria

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I can't describe how EXCITING today was for me!  After our ONS training, a friend and I hitched a ride with our international managers to see the Olympic Green up close and personal. This entire trip has been very surreal so far - visiting the Great Wall and being in Beijing.  Today was no different as we took a stroll past world-famous landmarks that I've seen countless pictures of in books and magazines. 

 We used our press credentials we were given in the morning to get past security.  Inside, we were free to walk around and get really close to all the sites including the Bird's Nest, Water Cube, National Indoor Stadium and Main Press Center.

  

                     

National Indoor Stadium

We also saw where NBC's The Today Show will be

broadcasting live during the games.  The studio was still being built.  I will definitely be back for a taping!

Today Show outdoor studio in the main courtyard.  (They have a GREAT view of the Bird's Nest behind them.  I can see why they chose this spot)

We also saw where the big broadcasters will be telecasting from in a press tower that overlooks the entire Olympic Green.  So cool!

Main Press Tower

Probably where NBC's Brian Williams and Bob Costas will broadcast from.

While on our tour, we saw a number of kids arriving in the main courtyard.  I think they were Olympic volunteers participating in a performance for the opening ceremonies.  They may have arrived for rehearsal.

The press passes we received grant us access to certain venues.  For instance, mine allows me to get into the National Indoor Stadium represented by the NIS on the pass, the press areas (4), the Olympic Green Common Domain (OCD) and on the field of play in the NIS (blue strip at bottom).  The pass also includes a holographic sticker that will allow us to use the bus and metro system for free starting July 20.  Security is so tight that since I don't have a Bird's Nest clearance code, I will not be able to go inside it or any building I don't have clearance for. Students working at different venues will have different clearances.

Here's multimedia of the trip.  Tomorrow, the gymnastics group will take a tour of the National Indoor Stadium!

Day 15 - Workin 9 to 5

Hey Everyone!

Today was our first official day of Olympic training.  We hailed a cab this morning and headed to the Mengxi hotel which was really close to the BOCOG headquarters in Beijing.  The morning was spent with introductions and overviews of the ONS organization and what we'll be doing.  Throughout the day, we were briefed on the ONS style guide and general issues like preferring open-ended questions rather than closed.  Later, we met with our venue groups to discuss details on our actual jobs.  Not all of the volunteers will be doing flash quotes and interviewing athletes.  Other people will be in the press center of the venue writing copy.  I guess the thing that surprises me the most is that if you're not working on the floor of the venue, you won't be watching the event and have to watch it on a television in one of the press rooms.  

Anyway, the gymnastics group is going to be very busy these next few weeks.  As of now, we only have two days off between now and the end of the Olympic games!  Sally, our international manager from Australia, is coordinating things for our venue.  She worked the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino.  She seems really on top of things and I am looking forward to working with her.

We also learned we have to wear our uniforms starting next Monday!  Still haven't gotten them yet, but apparently the package is quite nice and we get to keep all of our clothes right down to the Adidas Olympic-branded athletic shoes.  There's also the gymnastics gala which is apparently the third most sought out event at the Olympics behind the opening and closing ceremonies.  She's working on getting us into the event since we'll be working for that sport!  Tomorrow is more training.  Let the games begin!

Ted

Day 14 - Olympic Mania

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Ok...I have it.  Today was our final day off before our Olympic training begins.  Tomorrow, we will be meeting at a hotel near the BOCOG headquarters to receive our first set of instructions and introductions for ONS (Olympic News Service).  That's tomorrow.  Today, a couple of us went down to Wangfuging - a famous shopping district and also home to the Olympic flagship store.  Umbrella in hand, I walked into a building with a floor solely devoted to Olympic gear.  If you wanted something Olympic - or at least Olympic branded - they had it.  Chopsticks?  You got it.  Pins?  Please...you want to buy a gold replica of the Bird's Nest to go along with it?  Fuwa dolls (mascot)?  They had an entire room devoted to them.  I ended up spending way to much money in that store.  The only real way to save money is to leave...which we all did five bags later.  It was a fun day and I was able to cross off a lot of names on my gift list!

The rest of the day was spent back at the hotel relaxing before the frenzy.  It will be very interesting to see how the city deals with the enormous influx of people.  There's a subway station right near our hotel which has remained closed our entire stay so far.  I'm hoping they will open it soon which will give us easy access to the Olympic venues.  We have to provide transportation to and from our venues until July 20 when we will receive a pass for free travel until after the games.  I am really looking forward to beginning my training and working for the Olympics!

For reference, here's some shorthand translations for the upcoming blogs:

BOCOG - Beijing Olympic Committe for the Olympic Games

ONS - Olympic News Service

NIS - National Indoor Stadium

IOC - International Olympic Committe

FQR - Flash Quote Reporter

Here's video of dinner one night on our BOCOG tour.  Our lazy susan in the center of the table is used to rotate and share food around the table, but I used it another way.  Check it out!

Ted

Pepto to the Rescue!

I really don't think I could've reflected on the past three days better than Ted and Sarah. I can't believe how lucky we were to see all those historic and world-famous sites.

My little addition: BOCOG was gracious enough to pick up the tab for our six meals (and entrance fees to sites) this past weekend. With the exception of Sunday night's Cantonese-style dinner and the addition of Peking Duck Friday night, all of the restaurants served us the exact same dishes: Kung Pao Chicken, Bok Choy, a bowl of rice, a fish (head included), a beef dish, a pork dish, egg drop soup, mixed vegetables, two bottles of Coke and a bottle of Sprite and a plate of watermelon for dessert.

I've honestly got to admit, I didn't care at all! It was all sooo good and I was starving after climbing at some of those sites that I could probably eat the same dishes for my next six meals!

So, you were probably wondering about this blog's title: "Pepto to the rescue!"
I had a midnight snack last night with Matt at McDonalds. (I was craving cheese--which actually isn't available in China, except on "American" foods) Unfortunately, the ice that melted in my drink-- or so I believe-- kept me up all night. Finally around 5am, I remembered Pepto-Bismol works on the 5-symptoms of stupid travelers who eat at McDonalds. I took a dose, and it took a while to kick in, but I feel much, much better now. I'm still taking it easy, because I read that bacteria in water kicks back in two or three punches, so fortunately one punch is down, but unfortunately I have at least one left. I canceled my talk show appearance tonight, I wanted to stay close to a bathroom at all times. I was asked to sit in the audience of a Chinese talk show (a la Oprah style) and discuss my past as a civic volunteer. There are several other students going, including Sarah, so I'm sure they can fill in for me!

Have a great week, we'll be starting our BOCOG training on Tuesday and Wednesday!

Mark

P.S. Thanks for the comments from everyone reading this blog. I know I don't blog on this site enough, but it fun to see how much you enjoy "traveling" with us!

Day 13 - Seasonal Getaways

Hey Everyone!

Third day of the BOCOG tour.  Today we took in the Summer and Winter Palaces.  Both were beautifully landscaped and included different and unique sights.  The Summer Palace sits on the Kunming Lake, an idyllic setting for retreat and respite.  The emperor and his wife would visit this "home away from home" to get away from the busy schedule of the Forbidden City.  We took a tour of the accommodations and were able to take one of the dragon boats across the lake. It was really nice to sit on the boat - three days of intense sightseeing was taking its toll.

The Summer Palace also is home to the world's longest corridor - an interesting and random fact.

After lunch we switched seasons and toured the Winter Palace.  My Renmin friend, Shawna, said this was the place of Chinese humiliation.  Stone rubble stood where a beautiful palace once stood.  It was destroyed in the late 1800s during the first war.  There used to be a system of fountains that were controlled by a large basin in the center of the complex.

Later, we ate dinner and went to

 see a performance by the Peking Opera entitled "The Marriage of the Dragon and Phoenix".  It was very different than any musical performance I have ever seen.  The costumes and colors were amazing and the singing and dancing gave me the sense I was experiencing a taste of traditional and authentic Chinese culture.  The opera was subtitled, but the text would move so fast sometimes it was too hard to read.  A band playing traditional instruments were stage left.  It was equally fun to watch them play as well.  Exhausted, we returned to the hotel and said goodbye to our BOCOG friends.  It will be nice to have a day off Monday!

Ted

Food Frenzy

This blog post is a little belated as the video and information is from last Thursday night. Mark and I needed some extra time as he has helped edit the video and I have been brushing my teeth for the past four days. Want to know why? Check out the following video of one of Beijing's most unique cuisine experiences, the Donghuamen Night Market.