Reflecting on Beijing 2008

I’ve been back in the US for about four days now, and believe it or not — I’m beginning to miss China. The politics, lifestyle, even the food I can live without, but the people — I miss the locals most of all. There have been many questions about my experience — from the immigration officer at the Chicago airport (it went beyond the obligatory business/pleasure question) to my family and friends back home — I’ve answered them several times before, but I will answer them here as well.

Q: Well, how was Beijing? Should I go?

A: After spending two months living in Beijing, I’d hesitate to recommend the city to tourists looking to soak up Chinese history and culture. Sure — there’s plenty of that in Beijing, but there’s so much more to China that you won’t be able to see through Beijing’s environmental and propaganda haze. I came to tolerate life in the city towards the end of my journey, but only because the Olympics were in town, and many familiar Western conveniences became available, such as an Apple Store and Cold Stone. Unless you speak Mandarin, communication with locals is almost always impossible. Some are learning limited English, but are unable to pronounce words correctly due to a lack of native speakers to practice with.

For photographers, Beijing can be a great place to shoot on clear days, but unfortunately, the sun only breaks through the clouds every so often. If you’re only in town for a week, you may not have a single day without a hazy blanket to get in the way of you and that perfect shot. The Chinese make incredible subjects, and are generally more open to photographers than Westerners. Unfortunately, I think much of this comes from a fear of confrontation, especially when they’re unable to communicate with the foreigner behind the camera.

Q: What was it like to work at the Olympics?

A: I can’t even begin to describe the Olympic experience – it was so incredible to be able to work alongside the world’s top photographers, reporters, and athletes. Just being around the athletes was a thrill – there were so many, from almost every country in the world. There were also plenty of opportunities for staff and journalists to mingle with athletes outside of the competition venues, especially towards the end of the Games.

I had a fantastic time working at the Olympics, and would do it again in a heartbeat. I’ve never been around people from so many diverse cultures at one time, and I really enjoyed watching how each responded to life in Beijing differently. The athletes and journalists rarely left the Olympic venues to explore the city, but when they did, I was more than happy to act as their guide.

During the first week of competition, I answered questions for photographers at the road cycling course (and ended up doing quite a bit of computer troubleshooting as well). A few days after road cycling, I transferred to indoor volleyball, where I worked as a flash quotes reporter, interviewing athletes in the mixed zone alongside reporters from around the world. Often, we had to work through translators — it was really an experience unlike any other.

Q: Can I work at Vancouver 2010 or London 2012?

A: Honestly, I’m not quite sure. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) required the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) to hire native English speakers from overseas only because very few were qualified in China. Fortunately for the next Winter and Summer Games, that’s not the case — both will be held in countries where English is the official language. If you’re an expert with relevant experience, feel free to contact VANOC or LOCOG for more information about joining their staffs during the Games. I’d certainly recommend giving it a shot — working at the Olympics is an experience like no other.

I have a few regrets about my experience in China. Some are less significant, and were only realized when I read the United Airlines magazine on the flight back to the States. I can’t believe I spent two months in Beijing and only visited half of the locations they suggested in their cover article. I never made it to the restaurant, Made in China, but I certainly heard great things. My biggest regret, however, is not taking more time to travel around the country. I visited Shanghai and Tianjin, and made a side trip to the suburbs with Vincent Laforet, but I really wish I had taken more time in the beginning of my trip to explore other parts of the country. Some friends flew to see pandas in their native habitat near Chengdu, or visited the Terracotta Army at Xi’an. I’d love to visit China again at some point in the near future — but I don’t think Beijing will make it on my itinerary.

This marks my final post to Behind the Lens at the Beijing Olympics. Thanks for visiting, and feel free to continue sending questions or adding your comments to individual posts.

A Picture Perfect Blue Sky

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I woke up this morning. On the nicest day of my two months in Beijing, I witnessed a miracle — bright sunshine with a clear, blue sky. I made use of the bright direct sunlight, and escaped the volleyball venue for the Olympic Green as quickly as possible. I witnessed a vibrant sunset light the Bird’s Nest, followed by a clear view of the moon a few hours later. Olympic tourists were taking advantage of the brilliant light as well, posing for portraits in the golden sun on the Green.

This wasn’t my first sunny day in Beijing, but it was probably the clearest. Visibility was unrestricted, with a clear view of the mountains surrounding the city. Today’s weather definitely had a positive effect on locals and tourists alike — everyone seemed to enjoy the sunlight, and the Olympic Green was more packed than ever. Throughout the day, I overheard visitors crediting yesterday’s rain for the clear sky today, but past rains have not yielded such incredible results. I have less than a week left in China, but I’m hopeful that we’ll have another day as incredible as today before next weekend hits.

Clean Air Tomorrow?

At 8:08PM on 08/08/08, the Beijing Olympics will kick off with what’s been called the most spectacular Opening Ceremony to date. Over 10,000 athletes, dozens of world leaders, thousands of journalists, and tens of thousands of spectators will pack the National Stadium tomorrow night – over 90,000 people in total. But will they have a clear view of the extravagant fireworks display just overhead? If the weather is anything like it was today, spectators watching the show from a distance might find their fireworks pictures ruined by a hazy glow, and those inside won’t be able to see the show quite as clearly as they may have hoped.

With less than 24 hours to go, it’s unlikely that the conditions will improve significantly in time for the start of the Games. There have been several clear days since I arrived in early July — two or three when you could even see the sun and hints of blue sky — but today was certainly not one of them. The picture below was taken this afternoon from Tiananmen Square. The thick haze makes it difficult to capture details and colors, even from just across the street. If you’re in Beijing for the Olympics, take advantage of a clear day to photograph the city — you’ll find plenty of photogenic buildings and people everywhere you turn. But if you have no choice but to shoot on a hazy day, try using manual focus, and use exposure compensation to underexpose by half a stop or so, as the haze will likely throw off your camera’s meter.

Air Quality: Will it Really Improve?

Sunday marked a milestone in the effort to clear the air before athletes arrive. The city launched a new subway line and took half of Beijing’s private vehicles off the roads, reducing traffic significantly. So far the restrictions seem to be working as planned — with the exception of taxis and buses, vehicles began to follow even/odd driving days on July 20. I paid close attention to license plate numbers on Monday (an odd day) and Tuesday (an even day) and didn’t spot a single violator.

A new subway line (#10), already packed to the gills on opening day, will help Beijingers get to their destinations without clogging the motorways. Dedicated Olympic lanes aren’t reducing pollution, but provide an artery for permitted vehicles to zip past traffic while on official Olympic business.

Meanwhile, according to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. athletes are considering wearing facemasks while in Beijing. The article states that the U.S. Olympic Committee has already begun distributing masks to its Olympians. I’ve actually been surprised by how few people I’ve seen wearing masks in the city — only two so far. The first was spotted at the Sanlitun Apple Store opening, worn by a Korean celebrity, and the second I noticed during a visit to the Beijing Zoo.

With the exception of the first couple days, I haven’t had any
issues with the air quality, though if my chances of winning a gold
medal were inhibited by difficulty breathing, I’m sure I’d consider
wearing a mask too.

Thanks, Bert, for the tip.

Don’t Drink the Water

I visited a Beijing water treatment plant today to see just what goes into creating potable water. Watching sewage flow through filter upon filter until ready for human consumption has me more convinced than ever — unless you’re planning on moving to the city on a permanent basis, don’t ever drink water from the tap. Bottled water is available throughout Beijing, often for less than a quarter. A full gallon of bottled water should cost about $1 when purchased from a supermarket. My hotel even provides a 5-gallon bottle of water in the room with free refills whenever needed. With easy and cheap access to safe water, there’s no reason to risk your health for convenience’s sake. This extends beyond filling a glass from the tap in restaurants — showering is fine, but don’t use tap water to brush your teeth. You should also consider avoiding raw fruits and vegetables that have been washed with tap water. The plant I visited was quite impressive — the finished product certainly looks clean, but I have no reason to risk it. The city uses GE Zenon membrane filtration systems to clean the water, such as the one seen below.

Waking Up to the Fourth of July

My second morning in Beijing was particularly hazy. Although I’ve only experienced one full day in the city, I’ve come to the conclusion that the air quality is really only an issue in the morning and evenings. The sky was blue yesterday afternoon and I could see the sun clearly, but the haze came back about an hour before sunset. Although the light is typically better at sunrise and sunset, shooting the Beijing skyline around noon may yield the best results.

Just because the Fourth of July holiday isn’t officially celebrated in China doesn’t mean I plan to let it go unrecognized. My t-shirt for the day proudly (yet tastefully) displays an American flag, and my friends and I plan on checking out the expat scene this evening to see if any other Westerners are celebrating the accomplishments of our founding fathers. Happy Fourth! Please enjoy a hotdog for me; I imagine the closest I’ll be able to find here are some scorpions on a stick.

Edited 7/4/08 12:04PM: OK – I take that back… we just got lucky yesterday afternoon — the haze was awful all day today.

Air Quality: Initial Impressions

Dawn in Beijing begins around 4:30 this time of year, but without a clear view of the sky, there’s no chance of seeing the sun once it peaks above the soupy horizon. The air quality is actually much worse than I expected. Visibility dropped significantly during our flight’s approach to Beijing yesterday afternoon, and certainly isn’t any better from the ground. Today, the heat is expected to top 98-degrees Fahrenheit, so I’m anxious to see what that means for the air quality.

It’s not terribly difficult to breathe, though the air feels very heavy. I can definitely see how this would be a problem for athletes — I look forward to day-to-day improvements leading up to 8/08. My airport shuttle drove past the “Bird’s Nest” yesterday afternoon, but the haze made if difficult to capture a clear image. A curves adjustment in Photoshop was needed to cut through the smog.