Only 2 months to go and the Olympic Games will be upon us. One of our Cosmotourists is lucky enough to be in Beijing at the moment (she will in fact also be at the Olympic opening ceremony) and has shared her impressions of the city in the run up to the event.
Here is a taste of what to expect from Yiwen’s Olympic travel blog:
Yiwen mentions the television screens that have been installed into every subway train in Beijing with information about the Olympics. “To date I’ve seen short documentaries on the construction of the Olympic stadium and village, introductions to sports events and Chinese athletes, and a barrage of Olympic-related commercials.”
Yiwen mentions the abundance of construction work going on in Beijing in time for the Olympics including the expansion of Beijing airport. Even the locals can’t keep up with the progression!
Yiwen then goes on to talk about the various advertising campaigns for the Olympics that include Jackie Chan, Yao Ming and Liu Xing but show no sign of “China’s very outstanding female athletes and celebrities.” She finds it interesting that the official Olympic song includes English verses and she sees this as an attempt by China to appease the Western world.
She also mentions the huge signs that have been erected all over the city with the “10 Dos and Don’ts of the Olympics.” Among other rules it is forbidden to purchase pirated or fake Olympic merchandise, to misuse the Olympic flag, to make trouble or create a scene during the Olympics or to act in any way to affect the country’s reputation. Apparently a new legislation has been enforced in a very short space of time that condemns every Chinese athlete caught doping to a life ban from competing.
You can find the travel blog in its extended version on www.cosmotourist.com. If you are interested in the Olympics you can also subscribe to her scout topic Beijing Olympics so that you don’t miss out on all her future postings.
