SO much to write about August 22, 2008
Well I know I said I was going to do a blog a day after I finished racing but to be honest there just has not been the time…I have been to the Great Wall on a day that was covered in mist and rain…I have had noodles in the basement of a random building (which was one of the best meals ever) I have had a full body massage by a blind man, ihave witnessed first hand in the birds nest 2 record breaking track and field events. I have seen the summer palace and walked probably close to 50 km in flip flops. I have taken pictures and video which I promise to post eventually…but right now there is just now time.
I have had the first BIG MAC I have eaten in probably close to 15 years. I have sampled some of the most interesting and terrible foods and sweets (if they can be called that) that you can imagine. I have mingled with chinese people, joked with taxi drivers who speak no english. I have fitted shoes on a statue and had sushi at mid night. I have done a lot in the last couple of days and it has been outstanding. China is a spectacular place even off the beaten path. and it is spectacular for one reason….the PEOPLE. this is a country truly defined by the attitude and manners of its people. Other countries need technology, or monuments, or any number of dehumanizing things to define what they are. China is people. There are 15 million people in Beijing. People think that this is a problem. And there are problems associated with that many people. But without all these people this city would not be the city it is. It does not feel crowded or over run it feels like a health community full of pockets of life that so rich and dynamic that existence can not be anything but interesting. People by nature are social. and unlike much of western culture that is rushing into the digital age…people in china are real and are using technology to enhance the allready rich social interactions that define the chinese culture. While other people around the world are using technology to remain “connected” at a distance, it seems the people here are using it to create opportunities to come together. Take one look at the buildings in and around the Olympic green. They are 1st intended to celebrate the coming together of everyone in appreciation of the true spectacle of the Olympics. The just happen to be suitable for hosting events as well. This is a whole different kind of shock and aw…one that I think will hold the attention of thr global community…and one I think many of us around the world can learn from. In a country with a reputation of being de humanizing I have found culture that seems to be striving forward in a celebration of what it means to be human in the modern era.
One Response to “SO much to write about”
I agree with most of what you said except one part. We had a great time with all the sites and the people were very friendly and helpful. If we didn’t know how to get some place or whatever and if they couldn’t help us they would get another person and soon enough there would be like five people helping us out. The one part I don’t agree with is your part about “Take one look at the buildings in and around the Olympic green. They are 1st intended to celebrate the coming together of everyone in appreciation of the true spectacle of the Olympics.” Not everybody could enjoy and appreciate the buildings in the Olympic Green because they kept out the rest of the world unless you had a ticket. These Olympics are the first to not let other people upclose to the venues unless you had tickets. It would have been nice to see the Olympic Green but not everybody was welcome, that was the only issue we had. We missed out on all of what they had to show with their buildings and sculptures.