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.

Handicap Accessibility in Beijing

With the Paralympics coming up in less than two weeks, it’s a good time to address handicap accessibility in Beijing. I made a mental list of everything unexpected I had experienced after my first week in China — the complete lack of handicapped Chinese was at the top. It’s now day 56, and I have yet to see a single wheelchair in the city. Where are all the handicapped people? There are plenty of elderly Chinese, sure, but are they completely immune from major disabilities? The Chinese think I’m an unusual sight? Wait till them come across an army of Westerners in wheelchairs.

But how has the city prepared to welcome their disabled friends? From what I’ve seen, Beijing hasn’t made much of an effort to make the city wheelchair accessible. The newer subway lines offer elevators and wider entrance gates, but will people make room for wheelchairs on packed trains, or offer up their seat at the drop of a hat to someone obviously in need? I have seen it happen a few times — for young children, the elderly, and pregnant women.

At venues, there are dedicated seating areas for the handicapped, but they were always empty during the Olympics. There are plenty of stairs and escalators in the city, but few elevators, and even fewer ramps. Even short staircases, such as the one seen below at the Bird’s Nest, are far more commonplace than ramps.

Handicapped tourists coming to watch or participate in the Paralympics should have access to all the competition venues, but visiting many of the city’s historical sites, and even some restaurants and hotels, will prove a challenge. If you’ve been a handicapped tourist in Beijing or elsewhere in China, please chime in. To those of you coming to town for the Paralympics — good luck! Please keep in touch.

Beijing’s Ghost Town

About ten hours after the end of last night’s closing ceremony, I headed to the Olympic Green, completely unsure of what I’d find when I got there. I hadn’t heard much about when the Green will open to the ticketless public, or if it would stay open until the Paralympics — so I knew it would either be packed to the brim, or completely deserted. I arrived to find the latter.

When I approached the Olympic subway line, the streets packed with tourists and scalpers just yesterday were now empty, and only one of dozens of security checkpoints to access the subway was open — and there wasn’t even anyone in line. Unsure if my accreditation card would still be valid, I approached the checkpoint to find a guard waving me through. Two of the guards were even taking a nap — it was obvious that I was their first customer for quite some time.

I’ve tried to limit the length of my entries in the past, but in this case, text is no match for photos, so I’m including nine. Captions will help guide you through today’s experience on the Olympic Green.

Subway line 8, which services the Olympic Green, is only accessible to staff, journalists, and ticket holders. Usually too full to fit all those waiting onto one train, I counted only 15 riders on my train today.

Spectators packed the green each day during the Olympics, posing in front of venues, visiting exhibits, and crowding around athletes and life-size Fuwa dolls. But only one day after closing ceremony, there wasn’t a single fan in sight.

Now Beijing’s most recognizable structure, the area in front of the Bird’s Nest was always a popular photo stop for tourists. Today, like everywhere else on the Green, it was completely empty.

After a couple hours alone on the Green, I decided to head to the MPC to find some friendly faces. Journalists were loading trucks with equipment, and making purchases at the Olympic store and post office. The food court was still open for those still at work, but the photo and media workrooms were almost completely empty.

Nikon representatives load boxes with equipment in the photo workroom. Canon and Nikon provided loaner equipment for photographers at no charge during the Olympics.

My first walk through the International Broadcast Center involved dodging equipment and journalists on the move as they raced to pack up gear before leaving Beijing.

With nothing to do on the Green, I decided to visit some of the venues I hadn’t been able to access before. Only three days after competition, workers had almost completely disassembled several levels of seating at the fencing hall.

Workers replace a Beijing 2008 sign at the Water Cube with one designed for the Paralympics, set to begin on September 6. Many of the signs at other venues and the MPC had already been replaced.

Crates of equipment sit in front of the former Today Show set near the Bird’s Nest on the Olympic Green.

Have Some Free Time?

Most of the photographers I’ve met have been shooting back-to-back events every day since the Games began almost two weeks ago. Rising early and working late into the evening, any free time they have is spent catching up on needed sleep. There are a few exceptions, however. For photographers with some downtime or those staying in Beijing until next week, here’s my top five list of things to do and shoot in the area, far from the Olympic Green.

1. Take the train to Tianjin — The coastal city of Tianjin is located 120 km east of Beijing, but a new high-speed train will zip you from the capital to the coast in just under 30 minutes. You’ll need at least half a day to explore, especially if you plan to shoot at the “beach.” The ocean excursion is pricey (about 160 CNY r/t including taxi and light rail), but the incredible pictures you’ll be able to make there make it well worth the time and money.

2. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City — Several photographers I’ve spoken to haven’t even had time to visit the world’s largest public square, or the Forbidden City. If you have a few hours free, visit both, but if you can only spare an hour or two, head to Tiananmen Square to shoot tourists and locals enjoying the recently constructed Olympic displays.

3. Eat Chinese food — Under immense pressure to stay healthy so they can produce images, experienced photographers are avoiding eating anything outside of the media village, Main Press Center, or Olympic venues. While this makes sense, they’re really missing out on some incredible Chinese food. Peking duck roll ups (available for 15 Yuan at the MPC) aren’t going to cut it — experience the real thing at Quanjude, or visit a hole in the wall eatery to enjoy Chinese food at its best (and cheapest).

4. Wander the city on your own — Escape the Olympics bubble to meet locals in the hutongs, or roam the streets with a camera in the older parts of town. Don’t worry about having a plan — take the subway away from the Olympic Green, and get off at a random stop. If you don’t like what you see, simply hop back on and go somewhere else — you’ll also be able to make great pictures on the train.

5. Bring back some goodies — You can’t return from China without gifts for family and friends, so visit one of the city’s markets to bargain hard for souvenirs. Jade and pearls are very popular, as are calligraphy paintings, chopstick sets, and knock off clothing. Visit the Pearl Marketfor pearls (and sometimes jade) and the Tianya market (literally a few feet away) for everything else. Tianya is also a great place to shoot locals gathered around televisions to watch the Olympics.

Day Trip: Tianjin by Train

A new high-speed train opened this month, linking Beijing with the coastal city of Tianjin. With a top speed of 350 km/h, the 120 km journey was cut from 70 minutes to just under 30. But a day in Tianjin will require far more than an hour of travel time, as the newly constructed train stations that serve the Beijing/Tianjin route are far from major attractions in either city.

Last night marked the end of Olympic football events at Tianjin stadium, but a visit to the Pacific coastline or seafood restaurants can still justify a day trip. Photographer Kevin German and I made our way to the city yesterday afternoon. The coastline, although far from attractive, is a great place to visit for photographers wanting to escape the tourist traps of Beijing in search of a more authentic Chinese experience. Locals travel to the coast, accessible only by car, to enjoy a day by the sea — but sand and clear waters are nowhere to be found.

The waterfront is lined with litter, and the water is a light shade of brown — but the Chinese I saw were still having a good time, swimming in the arguably unsafe water and riding on small boats.

There was also plenty of patriotism along the coast, with cars and flagpoles alike bearing the Chinese flag.

Our 30-minute trip to the shore at Haibin Avenue cost 150-Yuan roundtrip (about $22) from the Tanggu light rail station — about 45 minutes from the city center. The cost of the 15-minute trip from the train station to the light rail was 20 Yuan (about $3). Our Tianjin excursion was motivated by an opportunity to see the Chinese women’s football team play Japan, but I mixed up the venues — the Chinese team did play last night, but in Qinhuangdao, another coastal city near Beijing. Instead, we watched Brazil beat Norway, in a venue filled to a generously estimated 40% capacity.

We had a great day in the city — and witnessed one of the highlights just before our return trip to Beijing. Hundreds of locals packed the brand new Tianjin train station, sitting on the floor with their eyes glued to two huge television screens as they watched China vs. USA women’s volleyball. Even as the final trains of the evening began to board, the spectators didn’t budge — they were there only to watch the competition, with no plans to travel.

Two Weeks to Explore

Yesterday was my last day working for Photo Services at the Olympics, as the time trial was the final event at the road cycling course. Although getting information for photographers was often difficult (more on that with tomorrow’s post), and communicating with Chinese volunteers proved a challenge, I really appreciated having the opportunity to work as an international volunteer for BOCOG.

Yesterday was a long workday — we boarded the shuttle to the Great Wall around 6 a.m. and didn’t return home until just before 11 p.m. — but it was great being able to work with photographers from around the world, and to watch six athletes join the ranks of Olympic medalists. I also had some time to watch the time-trial from the finish line, and saw both medal ceremonies from only a few feet away. I watched photographers make their way to the front to capture cyclist Kristin Armstrong (USA) as she received her gold medal, and sang our national anthem as the Star-Spangled Banner played for all in attendance.

After the second medal ceremony, I bumped (literally) into Chris Detrick, a college friend and photographer at the Salt Lake Tribune. I hadn’t seen Chris in about a year, so it was great seeing him on my (temporary) home turf. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve had an opportunity to meet some of the world’s best photographers as they passed through our photo workroom, and it was a privilege being able to enjoy the Olympics alongside them on the course.

BOCOG told my group of international volunteers that we would be working until the end of the Games, so we have some unexpected downtime before our flight home on August 28. The next few weeks will be spent exploring Beijing and the surrounding areas with photographers, and attending Olympic events. If you have any tips on cool places to visit, or have any questions about the city, please feel free to let me know.

American Killed in Beijing

Results from the first day of competition at the 2008 Olympics are being overshadowed by news that an American was stabbed to death at the Drum Tower in Beijing. The victim was a relative of a U.S. men’s indoor volleyball coach, and the attacker, who later jumped to his death, was a 47-year-old Chinese man. The attack took place this afternoon at a popular tourist site only a few miles from the Olympic Green. I visited the Drum Tower shortly after my arrival in Beijing, and posted about the experience a few weeks ago. Until this afternoon, I always felt safe in Beijing — guns are strictly forbidden, and violent crime was never a concern. Today’s attack, though tragic, was hopefully an isolated incident.

With the Drum Tower’s second level open to the public, visitors are rewarded with panoramic city views after a long climb up a set of very steep stairs. The attacker jumped over 100 feet to his death from the structure’s second level.

Take Picture Please

After five weeks in China, I’ve appeared in dozens of photos with Chinese — perhaps even 100 or more. I figured by now, with thousands of Westerners in the city, the excitement would have worn off — but it seems that we’re in even higher demand than before. Wherever I go, from Olympic venues to the Great Wall, locals and Chinese tourists alike stop me, asking if I will pose for a picture with them.

But yesterday, it was a pair of Germans who were caught in the spotlight, drawing a significant crowd at Tiananmen Square. They weren’t celebrities, or athletes — they weren’t even wearing a prized Olympic credential — they were just there, sitting on the ground, trying to capture ambient sound with an audio recorder. Chinese lined up to have their picture taken with them — the plainly dressed couple humored their new fans for about 20 minutes, with several failed attempts to stand up and walk away, before they eventually had enough time to escape.

If you’re dying to know what it feels like to be a celebrity, head to Tiananmen and stand in one place for a few moments — or, if you’re really feeling adventurous, take a seat near a group of tourists, and watch the point & shoots and camera phones fly out of their holsters.

Beijing, USA: The Changing Face of China

I arrived in Beijing only a month ago, and I’m already seeing the city change. China is welcoming the Western world with open arms — or at least their economy is. Just five years ago, I imagine Beijing was in a much different state. I wouldn’t need to walk 15 minutes just to feel like I was in China, assuming I wasn’t trying to communicate with the locals.

But today, the Chinese capital is a hodgepodge of Western retailers, and, to a smaller extent, Western cultures. I lose count of the number of KFC and McDonalds restaurants I see each day, each bursting at the seams with Chinese loading up on fried chicken and hamburgers. “One World One Dream” — is that the American dream? I visited a Cold Stone Creamery last night — I couldn’t believe my eyes — it was right next to an Auntie Anne’s pretzels, and both were within walking distance of my hotel. Prices at Cold Stone were comparable to the States, so I could have easily fed myself lunch for a week for the cost of my 50 Yuan (about $7.30) Love It creation. (Take subway line 10 to Haidianhuangzhuang if you feel compelled to see for yourself).

The Olympics have also presented Beijing with an opportunity to “clean up” a lot of the city’s Hutongs, the alleyways often inhabited by the lower-middle class. But the city is losing a lot of its character in the process. A Hutong near Tiananmen Square was recently leveled to make room for a brand new commercial village, set to open just in time for the Olympics. Peering over the fence used to keep locals out until its official opening, I was reminded of the “traditional Chinese village” I visited in the Beijing suburbs a few weeks back.

As much as Beijingers seem to be eating up Western fast food, many appear considerably less interested in Western people and languages. I keep hearing about how friendly the locals are, and I’ve witnessed it myself on several occasions, but the only people that seem interested in me are those trying to learn English. Also, keep in mind that this isn’t Europe — there won’t usually be English menus, and the only locals who know any could be your concierge and the person trying to scam you out of $1,400 for Olympics tickets on Craigslist.

A Long Weekend in Shanghai

After several weeks in Beijing, I was ready for a change of scenery. Some friends and I decided to take the Z5 overnight train for a few days in China’s largest city. There are about a dozen overnight trains serving the Beijing to Shanghai route, but for 499 CNY (about $73), the Z trains provide direct service and a soft sleeper bed that was surprisingly more comfortable than the bed in my hotel. The train itself is luxurious, and offers four full-length beds in each room, a dining car serving Chinese food and a variety of drinks at reasonable prices, and most importantly — peace and quiet for the 11.5-hour ride.

Like Beijing, Shanghai is plagued with hazy smog, making it difficult or even impossible to see from one end to the other of this metropolis of 18.5 million. Much of the city is ultra-modern (the famous Pudong skyline was almost nonexistent 15 years ago), and offers all of the conveniences of home without leaving China. If you want to spend your off days touring temples and other historic sites, you may want to save Shanghai for another time, but if you need to escape the hustle and bustle of Beijing, a couple days in the “New York of China” should do the trick.

If you decide to visit, stay in Puxi, on the older side of the Huangpu River. My friends and I are staying in a three-bedroom apartment near the Jing’an Temple — the location is great, and at 780 CNY per night (about $115) for the entire apartment, the price cannot be beat. Our host, Salo Homes, can also arrange a tour guide (300 CNY per day) and Chinese cooking lessons in your own kitchen (four-hour lessons cost 150 CNY plus ingredients).

Pudong, Shanghai’s modern business district, is definitely worth a visit. While pricey at 150 CNY, a visit to the top of Shanghai’s famous Oriental Pearl Tower will provide a spectacular view from 1148 feet off the ground, even if somewhat limited by the city’s dense smog. This is the best way to get an idea of the city’s enormity — hundreds if not thousands of colossal buildings seem to continue on for miles in all directions.

Because Shanghai is the international business capital of China, far
more Chinese speak English, including taxi drivers, so finding your way
around can be much easier than in Beijing. Round off your day with a
Japanese Teppanyaki dinner (all you can eat and drink) and a drink in
the world’s highest bar (at the Grand Hyatt in Pudong).

A note on the photos: smog is just as much of a problem in Shanghai as it is in Beijing, but after applying auto levels in Photoshop, added contrast causes images of the skyline to inaccurately represent the dense air.