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.

My Bags Are Packed

As much as I’ve enjoyed my experience in Beijing, I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow’s flight for quite some time. In a few days, I’ll reflect on my Olympic experience, but today’s focus has been on getting everything packed into what I hoped would be two checked bags and two oversized carry-ons. No such luck — I started packing early this morning, and soon realized that there was no way to avoid paying the $100 fee for a third checked bag.

Luckily, I had allowed enough time for a visit to the Tianya market to pick up another bag. I withdrew 700 Yuan (about $100) from the ATM, and went back to the market I swore I’d never return to. After I scored a new suitcase for 140 Yuan, I began picking up even more souvenirs. 500 Yuan in impulse purchases filled half of my new suitcase before I left the market four hours later. I now have well over a hundred sets of decorative chopsticks, but at less than one Yuan each, they’re hard to resist — time to make some new friends?

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.

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.

Westernized China: The Queue

If you’ve never been to Asia, it would probably be safe to assume that simple Western customs such as lining up to get on a bus, buy food at a concession stand, or check in to the airport would be observed in China with just as much enthusiasm as they are at home. That couldn’t be more wrong. Until Westerners began to arrive and officials started cracking down on violators (with nothing more than a shout and a stern look), Chinese would push and shove their way to the front of the line everywhere from grocery stores to subway stops.

But as mentioned in previous posts, officials have been Westernizing and refreshing the city for months — it’s just taking residents a little longer to adjust. Subway workers stand on platforms during rush hour, enforcing single file lines between trains, but when the doors open, those at the back of the line push their way to the front as workers stand idle and watch helplessly. During off-peak times, however, locals respect the lines, waiting their turn to get on the bus.

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.

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.

Beijing Is Taking Your Picture Too

With just under three weeks to go, Beijing is stepping up security efforts and making other preparations for the Games. Today marks the beginning of Olympic lane and even/odd license plate enforcement, but with fines beginning at only 200 CNY (about $29) for violations, Beijingers are skeptical about whether drivers will obey the new laws. Thousands of additional security cameras have been installed in hotels, subway stations, trains, buses, and on dedicated monitoring posts throughout the city. When I returned to my hotel Friday evening, city workers were installing camera posts at fixed intervals along the street. Walking around the city and looking out taxi windows on Saturday, I counted well over 100 cameras, most of which I hadn’t noticed a week ago. Bag inspection stations have been installed in metro stations and public areas, with police and x-ray scanners checking contents for weapons. Olympic staff, journalists, and spectators will pass through sophisticated weapon and contraband detection equipment once implemented in the coming weeks, and police and security personnel will be out in full force before Opening Ceremony. I’ve never felt unsafe in this city, but now it seems like everywhere I turn, someone is watching.

Getting Around: Olympic Transportation

With a pair of BOCOG employees leading the way, I decided today that it was time to learn how to ride a city bus. Taxis are cheap, but buses and the metro are free for Olympic employees and accredited journalists. Bus routes and stops are only listed in Chinese, so figuring out how to get from A to B without a Chinese guide is nearly impossible. The experience, considerably less convenient than a taxi, came to a screeching halt in the middle of a busy intersection as the double-decker bus’s engine suddenly went silent. After a minute or so of other vehicles honking at our disabled bus, dozens of passengers began to exit in an orderly fashion, and I went to look for a taxi. I doubt I’ll be riding the bus again anytime soon — especially when following any kind of schedule.

The metro is a different story — it’s clean, fast, and can be very convenient if your hotel is near a metro stop. There are far fewer stops than on the NYC metro, but each is marked in both English and Chinese, and you can access most of the major sites and venues directly from the metro. Tickets cost 2 CNY (about 30-cents) but you can ride for free by waving your accreditation card to an attendant and going through a designated gate. The city has really been beefing up security in recent days. I returned to my hotel this evening to see a dozen brand new cameras mounted on light posts along the street and package screening stations have been set up at each metro station. They’re not yet being consistently enforced (Westerners can often cruise by without stopping for screening) but hopefully that will change within the next couple weeks.

Finally, accredited media can ride the Media Transport (TM) shuttle bus system beginning July 25. The system is clean to clean, meaning media will only pass through security screening once per day (usually at designated media hotels) and will be brought directly from one clean zone to another. This will hopefully cut down on congestion at venue security screening stations. For private vehicles and shuttles, designated highway Olympic lanes go into effect on July 20, and are restricted to vehicles with VAPPs (vehicle access and parking permit) from 6 a.m. to midnight each day. Unfortunately, access is only available with a purchased permit, so waving your accreditation card in front of a taxi driver won’t let you cruise past Beijing traffic.

Getting Around by Taxi

Taxis are CHEAP, and easily the best way to get around the city. Riding in a taxi is like riding in a rickshaw — it’s always a roller coaster ride — except some taxis actually have airbags. Grabbing a cab is easy, but telling your driver where to take you is certainly not. Be sure to know exactly where you want to go, and have your concierge write down the name and exact address in Chinese for your driver. Be prepared for a driver to refuse service by claiming that he doesn’t understand and pointing to another cab.

Fares begin at 10 CNY (about $1.50) for the first three kilometers, and 2 CNY for each additional kilometer. Like other cities, Beijing taxi drivers may decide to take the long way to raise the fare if they know you’re a tourist — so bring a map and pretend you know what you’re doing. Also be careful to make sure your driver activates the meter — usually once the cab starts moving. If not, insist on getting out and find a different cab — they’re likely trying to rip you off. If you leave your gear in the cab, the only way to recover it is with a receipt (and even then it’s not likely you’ll see it again). The receipt printer is noisy, serving as a reminder to check for your belongings before you leave.