Quick update… although we don’t use this as our personal blog, this is a good time to mention I’ve just arrived in Beijing. Everyone in my family is fighting upper-respiratory infections (picked up in the US), and at times I wasn’t sure we’d make the flight… but we’re here.
It’s great to be here. Beijing is cloudy/foggy upon arrival, and apparently has been a few days. The new terminal is as gorgeous as advertised. The airpot is filled with Olympic volunteers, you can find 3-4 bright-eyed bushy-tailed college student volunteers every few hundred feet. The service and attitude has been superb; breezed through security and customs in record time.
Beijing roads are far better than I remember; great majority of drivers are obeying traffic laws to the letter. Traffic on the airport expressway was light, and also reasonable on Chang’an Jie, partly because the newly introduced even/odd license plate restriction has halved the number of private cars. But Second Ring Road East was still very backed up… primarily because one of the three lanes has been carved out for Olympic traffic only.
On the Internet (Great Firewall) side of things, I can confirm that indeed, many previously blocked sites are directly available. Boxun, some of the 6/4 sites (but NOT all), MITBBS ChinaNews, Playboy… Maybe it’s all just a show to fool the Westerners into thinking China isn’t a prison camp, but any show that involves 20 million people is still something to see.
The plan over the next few weeks is to eat, drink, perhaps do a little business, and most importantly, take my daughter to see the Olympic pandas. I’ve never pretended to be a “citizen journalist”, so I’m not here to gather news. But I will be more than happ to share pictures, videos, and anything else that I come across.
Go Beijing, Go China, Go Olympics!
AC says
I look forward to the pictures and videos. 🙂
Buxi, how long are you going to stay in Beijing?
bianxiangbianqiao says
Buxi,
Gongratulations.
“I’ve never pretended to be a “citizen journalist”” However, I still hope that you will have the time to tell us about your first person on the scene observations and feelings about China, especially about the people. Your observations about people’s attitude toward air pollution are also highly anticipated.
MutantJedi says
Echoing bianxiangbianqiao, I’d love to hear your first person observations. No need to be “journalistic” – just pictures, videos, observations.
ChinkTalk says
i agree with mutantjedi – please just tell the truth – we don’t need any more “creative journalisms” like we get from the media in canada. first hand – i wish i could be the one showing the pictures, etc. congrats – buxi. you have fun – you hear.
Charles Liu says
Great, if there’s a “Olympics SARS” story we know it’s you 😛
Daniel says
Have fun Buxi…can’t wait to read about your trip.
Buxi says
@Charles,
That thought definitely crossed my mind, couldn’t stop coughing the night before.
Its 1:30 AM here, and the baby has decided its time to play. We went out for a walk (nice feeling completly safe doing that in the middle of the night), happy to report that despite all the “sanitizing” efforts out there… just a block from Tiananmen you’ll still find groups of shirt-less 哥们儿 drinking beer and eating cucumbers in small, dark hutongs.
EugeneZ says
Buxi,
Hope that you and your family get well soon …
Please watch out the trading places of those game tickets for me, I still do not have enough of those, now that my whole family (6 people, 3 generations) are going there. I will get there 2 days before the openning ceremony …
Netizen says
go buxi go olympics!
BMY says
wha,Buxi is in Beijing and EugeneZ will be in Beijing. I am very jealous.
Pelops says
New airport is spectacular, the traffic has been greatly improved with restrictions, the air is somewhat better though the city has been shrouded in pollution (that’s man-made “fog”), and the Great Firewall has been a lot more strict since the Tibet troubles (where, unfortunately, the “calm of the prison yard” prevails according to the Economist).
Olympic prep looks excellent, the last minute greening, flowering, and cleaning makes a great impression, and security is omnipresent.
FOARP says
@Buxi – How is it said? 一路平安?
yo says
Buxi,
Have fun! Love to hear your experiences.
Buxi says
Anyone else ever feel like vacation is more work and tiring than your actual day-to-day job? That’s how I feel at the very second. Will try to get caught up on blogging, but my first priority is getting around to making sure my daughter gets her jet-lag adjusted in time for the Olympics… I know its 2 weeks away, but I’m not taking any chances.
It’s still “foggy” outside in Beijing. It doesn’t smell like smog, and my shirt isn’t turning darker at the end of the day… but it’s certainly not clear with blue skies, either.
Eugene, I’ll let you know if I learn anything about ticket stuff. You’ll have a hard time getting anything done before you get here, but you might look on Baidu and Wood-Water (see previous “Olympic fever” entry).
@Pelops,
Another voice from Beijing? Great! On the GFW issue, I can tell you right now that tibet.net (Central Tibet Administraion), dalailama.com, tibet.com…. are all accessible from my connection in Beijing.
Wukailong says
I went out this morning to Chaoyang Park to see if I could procure any tickets, but they were already sold out. The large outlets might still have some, though.