Beijing Update
Hello everyone from Beijing.
The opening ceremonies are in a couple of hours. I’ve been in Beijing for a couple of days now, and it is like nothing I have seen before. Last year I was in Beijing for three days. I have also been to the past three Olympics. The combination of the Olympics in China is crazy.
In other Olympics the local people often avoid the games. In Athens the locals left the city in droves preferring to stay away. Not so in Beijing. Not only is everyone in Beijing excited but millions of people from surrounding provinces are here. The city is swollen with people. The Tiennamen square area is packed wall to wall with people.
So far my trip has involved a lot of exploration. I’ve been learning the city, the subway system and where the venues are. I’ve been doing the touristy things and that has been great.
Beijing has invested so much money in this Olympics – more than I’ve ever seen before. The new airport terminal is larger than any US airport. It cost over $3 Billion to build and is bigger than the city even needs at this time. They have planted millions of trees, and flowers. They have volunteers sitting around to stop locals from spitting on the street, from public urination and other unsightly habits that used to be common in Beijing. The level of national pride is huge.
Cars are only allowed to run every second day and yet the smog is very dense. (More on this in another update!). For tomorrow we have rented a minivan and driver to help us follow the cycling Men’s Road Race. We hope the roads will be open and we can get where we need to go.
Until next time! Enjoy the games! 
The Success Professor!
Enjoy your time there! I know you will