The real Olympics

Well no doubt you have all been watching the events unfold up in Beijing over the past few weeks. I have had the privilege as one of a select few that witnessed these games first hand.

Well I guess I should start where the Olympics did on the 8th of the 8th. I missed a fair chunk of the opening ceremony but was delighted to tune in to here John Macbeth and Keith Quinn running proceeding on the illegal Pilipino sports feed I was watching. No one really knew what the heck what was going but some of it looked pretty cool. Especially the bit with all the guys in the Gollum style jump suits going for it like glow in the dark spiders in mating season.
Good to see all the countries delegates sitting together in one big happy terrorists nirvana family.
I didn’t see Aunty Helen get shown on the telly during the crowd shot of the nations delegates. Perhaps the Chinese finally put their censorship to good use for once and spared the billions of viewers a close up of Helen giving us a big smile.
During the lighting of the torch the Chinese finally gave us what we all really wanted to see. And that’s the nation crossing, Everest climbing, Olympic torch Giving up the ghost with just one lap of the stadium to go.

Having not been to an Olympics before it’s a bit hard for me to say whether this was a particularly good one. But I would say that the Chinese people really got behind it. Great call from BOCOG to keep the prices low so people could afford to go. So for every event the public seats were full. The empty ones you see on TV are because the broadcasters and sponsors were to lazy to fill their seats.
It all added to entertainment that at most events no one watching really knew what was going on. Bless 'em they were just excited to be at the Olympics.
They were especially excited when it was time to do the Govt prescribed chant. Zhongguo jiayou (Go China!) got every man and his uneaten dog very excited about life. I never heard a Chinese spectator yell anything else during the entire games. although they were booing a fair bit (very un Olympic like) When Yao Ming’s China was getting their beans from Greece in their last pool game.


I watched Uasin collect his gold for the 100m. The race where Usain started celebrating so early they hadn't even cut his umbilical cord. I then saw him again a few days later run his semi for the 200m. He was quick looking. Boy did he dominate. I think my brother’s facebook status summed it up nicely. Lincoln reckons Usain Bolt could catch the gingerbread man.

I promise to write more now I am back on deck and not holidaying. Boy was Beijing exhausting. ‘Hey Bob looks like rain’ this weekend so a good chance to do some admin and hopefully tell some more tales from Beijing.

In the meantime check out my Facebook album for photos of the big event.

It was a shame I could not sen more content via the web from Beijing. As you can see from the photo below even make a phone call was difficult.

Olympics

Well sorry for my lack of blog love. Beijing was not a hackers paradise. The internet their for non Olympic related use was terribly limited. so did not get much away. I will try and recount the emotion and Chinese Palaver of the past few weeks soon. In the meantime.


Awesome that ones of its special features is to work properly



These sounded to good to pass up when they came around.

Olympic Football at Shanghai Stadium

Australia v Serbia.
Australia were being dominated like a convict in a prison cell for most of this game. In true flukey Aussie style, completely against the run of play, they get a break away and score. Serbia would have been distraught. Luckily for them one of there 25 opportunities was finally taken and they leveled. Their delivery into the box was average all night and it cost them clear a victory.

Argentina v Ivory Coast
Argentina game was in a completely different class. lots of attacking football and excitement for the adoring fans. The Chinese had a real passion for the Argentina's so it was great to see them getting into this game.
A fantastic sight to see 80,000 people giving the ref Chinese stick for letting a third ivory coaster get hacked down in the box to no avail.

Great game which Argentina probably deserved to win. but only just. these teams will finish top of the group. it was way better football then the oz game.

Highlight for me was the screen in the ground. Still think its dumb that you can't watch replays at the ground. But anyway. they had other great uses for it. my favorite was the instruction in an excitable font. "lets do the Mexican wave" This is what happens when your country does too much KTV and karaoke. you learn to take you your instructions for entertainment from subtitles.

Event was great super excited about going to Beijing on Monday. Bring it on.

Why couldn't the chicken cross the road

For those of you who have broken bread with me you have come across my thoughts on chicken. I have never been a fan of eating chicken off the bone. This is mainly because growing up we used to have a chicken farm. Which as it turns out is the same as saying I owned a brothel to the Chinese. Anyhow. I have never taken to eating chicken and for that matter fish with bones is somewhat of a battle. I have only recently discovered the beauty of ribs as they had previously been off my menu. The Chinese really don’t get this at all. I try to explain it as best I can but I always get a very strange look. Although to be honest I get the same response in New Zealand.
Giving the Chinese tend to not be the most refined of eaters. No one blinks twice at regurgitating food back onto the plate. Something I am still getting to terms with.


No matter where I sit on the table the Chicken feet. are always placed right in front of me. I go green at the sight. From what I have seen The thing about eating chicken feet is that hardly any of it is actually eaten. So imagine the scenario where you are taking out a date for the very first time. You politely pull out her chair for her as she sits down. Yo then make great conversations and are both chuckling away . It’s going great. Then out comes the severed chicken feet and she is devouring it and spitting out bones and nails for the next 5 minutes whilst you talk about her favorite movies. Mmm… nothing makes one look more at there best than when they are regurgitating poultry matter back on to their plate. Hard to imagine going back for seconds on that kind of date.

For this reason you should never ask a Chinese person if something tastes good. If tempted you should keep in mind their reference points. The same person who is telling you this dish is delicious and is a must try. Also devours ducks tongues and chickens feet, bullfrog on toast, like cream on a dough nut. I tip my hat to the Chinese, they are true advocates of the fear factor spirit.

Beijing 2008

Yes I'll be there.

Good times to be had. I'll let you know my itinerary so you can look for me on the telly. I am just getting my tailored made supporters outfit made at the moment. its going to be awesome. Unfortunately the super hotness has limited my options but its all good.

If you want to follow me more closely during the games then my updates will be far more frequent via SPARC's Eyes on Beijing site. I should be twittering info up there at least 3 times a day so plenty of little info bites of my experience.
I will have to be slightly more discerning with my word choice. a transition I have never been able to make successfully.

Click here to keep in the loop.

http://beijing.sparc.org.nz/in-beijing/games-correspondents/hadleigh-churchill

Cheers,
Had

Shanghai Health Facility Tour