Summer Olympics News

I went to Tian’anmen Square one last time before leaving China. I’d read about the decorations for National Day on October 1 in the newspaper and seen the first preparations myself. National Day celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949 and is accompanied by a week of vacation, during which the entire population of China goes travelling, or so it seems. Students go home for the holidays while Beijing fills up with tourists from all over the country. It is a time notorious for the impossibility to get train tickets anywhere. The only option for those who do not wish to spend hours or days in a queue and then fight over the last few tickets, or for those who despite all efforts leave empty-handed, is taking a plane.

On my last day in Beijing, National Day was noticeably drawing closer. I had trouble getting into the cram-full subway train, and only managed to squeeze myself inside thanks to the crowds of people behind me who kept pushing.

The decorations on the square had been finished the day before. On one side of the square was a miniature Potala Palace, a miniature Three Gorges Damn, and a train representing the railway from Qinghai to Tibet, which has just been newly opened on July 1 this year.

Right in front of the Monument to the People’s Heroes hung the portrait of Sun Yat-sen, inofficial father of the nation and first president of the Republic of China, established in 1912 and not to be confused with the People’s Republic whose anniversary is celebrated… Nonetheless, Sun Yat-sen’s gets his place on Tiananmen Square every year.

On the other side were the Olympics mascots sitting in the middle of the flower arrangements – probably the biggest attraction judging by the number of people taking photos – as well as a rather smallish and much less impressive replica of the “Bird’s Nest”, one of the major Olympic venues. Since last year nobody knew yet what the Olympics mascots would look like, this the first year they were displayed for National Day.

Tian’anmen Square was filled with people, mostly from the countryside, taking pictures in front of the giant Olympic mascots and the other decorations. For most people coming to Beiing is something that they don’t do every year. It might even be a once in a lifetime experience for some, so everyone is really excited.

I was in for another photo session. There were only a few foreigners around that day, and as soon as people noticed I was willing to have my picture taken, more and more came up to ask. I’ve gotten into the habit of asking everyone who wants to take a picture with me whether I could also have a picture taken with them with my camera in return. Most people are very surprised that a foreigner wants to take their picture, but nobody minds, so by the end of the day, I had a nice photo collection on my camera as well as lots of new cell phone numbers, i.e. lots of new friends. I’m still in touch with some of them.

I had to go back to the place where I stayed fairly early though, since my flight was going that night. So I got back onto the subway, which was slightly less crowded by then, and went home to get ready to pack.