I’m being asked so often and so many times, I decided to deliver a collective answer to the following question: is Beijing ready for the Olympic Games?
I remember four years ago, just before the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Greece, there were doubts. There were questions. There were rumors. Is Athens ready for the Olympics? 2004 came and went, and it’s a few weeks before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and the questions are being asked again.
You may ask what can possibly qualify me, yours truly, to even try and answer the question. I moved to Beijing in April of 2006. I live in the north-east part of town (Chaoyang District), and work on the north-west part of town (Haidian District). Twice a day, close to five days a week, and sometimes more, I drive by the National Stadium. Yes, the “Bird’s Nest”. And twice a day, the same twice – going to and fro work, I see the Aquatics Center. Yes, the one next to the Bird’s Nest… For two years I’ve been watching the structures get erected, covered, finished. I’ve seen the road leading to the stadium, and paid the traffic price involved.
So let me be very clear and direct. From where I sit in the car, it’s clear to me that with the exception of that next to last tree in the front row of trees, which is kinda leaning to the left, everything else is waiting for the athletes to start running, jumping, swimming and well, compete. Beijing looks like it’s already ready for the Olympic Games of 2008. The streets are clean, full of flowers, repaved.
I’m willing to bet that the Olympic Games in Beijing will be outstanding. I’m hoping that we, Beijingers, will be able to enter the Olympic season on July 1, and exit on September 30 in one piece. Why? Because there are side effects to the Olympics. Nothing out of the ordinary. Traffic restrictions, congested roads and public transportation, and high prices. About the high prices, let me suggest to the vendors: no tourist in their right mind will pay European prices for local goods.
And yes, I do have tickets to three events. All at the National Stadium. I can’t wait, although I have no idea how to get there with public transportation…
Bottom line y’all, yes, we’re ready for the Olympics. Are you?
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