... The 12-hour bus ride to
The Olympic Green: How many "Do Not Enter" signs can you count?
In Beijing itself, the difference between now and June is incredible. For example, they’ve invested in a huge amount of bag x-ray machines, which they set up not only at entry-points to the city, but at every entrance of every subway station, of which stations there are probably about 100 or more, as well as at banks and other such institutions. What’s interesting to me, is how the first day I had that tense feeling I get whenever I encounter strong authority like that, but I just got so used to throwing my bag onto the conveyor 8 times a day, that I totally eased into the Olympic totalitarianism. I didn’t even care to look at the cameras. But everywhere all the security personnel, including at the Olympic Green, were extremely sweet and courteous despite doing this devil’s work. That’s what surprised me the most, I would never expect that.
As for the people of Beijing, maybe it’s because I lived in a regular residential area and took the subway all the time and avoided the nasty, jaded people I usually encounter near the hostels and other tourist spots, but everyone around was extremely cordial, welcoming, helpful, and kind. The amount of blue-clad enthusiastic youth volunteers that the city produced to help wayward visitors was really impressive. Yes, the government deployed all these people to work for the Olympics, but you could tell that they really wanted to be there and were so happy to help and to be nice to everyone. Just because of that, I see Jiang Wenran’s point about not lumping all the citizens of
Everywhere people were completely elated to host the games as a sporting event – even if individually they knew that entire neighbourhoods had been razed and construction workers were cycled through like cattle if they happened to fall off the stadium roof. Some of you might be surprised that I scored myself a ticket to the Bird’s Nest. At first, I actually dreaded the fact that my Mongolian visa would expire at exactly the Olympic time, because I wanted to be as far away from China as possible during what I expected to be a hyper-patriotic, politically motivated wank-fest.
BUT I’m a confirmed Olympics fanatic since Calgary and Seoul ’88. Like most of these Beijing fans, when I watch the games on TV, I completely block politics out, because I just loooooove the sports. And that’s what I saw from the Beijing hosts. If you don’t care about this once-every-four-year event of sports you’ve never heard of, you might not get this, but the Olympics as a sporting event manages to change people. I can say that I didn’t have a horrible time in Beijing for the first time out of 8. :)
I can’t know right now if the x-ray machines and cameras and their thousands of operators will disappear next week (or after the Paralympics) – it’s hard to get rid of such an investment – I or others will have to go back and see. But if any of you ever go through Beijing in the future and you experience anything close to the security measures I just described, then you’ll know that Klein is right about the authority of the CCP tightening rather than loosening, because I hadn’t seen anything like it in the last few years. Here’s hoping.
NEXT TIME:
We go further back in time to my last night in Ulaanbaatar, when a male judoka won the very first ever gold medal for Mongolia. I’ll compare the street party to the street riot that scared a few of you, my dear friends, a month earlier. The Olympics *really* changes people. Can I post videos on this thing? I’ll try, they’re awesome.
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P.S. I just lost a very expensive Olympic bet that said China would beat the USA in overall medals – I guess the patriotic propaganda machine and the child athlete factories weren’t as strong these last 7 years as I thought they’d be…
4 comments:
Oh Babs! What a great series of dispatches from China. You certainly have had quite the experience... After all this talk about how much IPMP will help us in the field, it is interesting to note that sometimes it might NOT help! Don't worry, we would have helped you out if they threw you in Chinese prison for having top secret information. Or at least Matt D could have posted bail with the proceeds of the DVD sales. Or Rupen could use his vast knowledge of getting out of sticky situations to help you out. I think he probably knows someone who knows someone. It's the least we could do. Do they have bail in Chinese prison?
Barbara! Totally enjoyed reading your posts. I can't believe they confiscated your IPMP CD!! I agree with Kelly B. - Thankfully you weren't strip searched! (Although that comment the border guard made was CREEPY!)
hahaha, glad you guys are enjoying this.
He didn't confiscate the IPMP CD, I talked my way out of it. He took the DVD with Osama bin Laden... and also with Ewan McGregor - maybe he's on their hitlist too?
Babs, I absolutely loved reading these posts. Your writing style is so engaging and vivid and your experiences rich and rewarding.. I can only imagine the thoughts and feelings serging through your veins as this was all unfolding..
What an amazing experience..
Hope you are well in Canada
Love you lots
Ty
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