A day off, busy than a working day!

Day 8 at USOC HQ, Aug 11, 2008 I have today off.

By the time I woke up, it is already close to 10a.m. I plan to go to Summer Palace to wonder around. It is such a good place to be around. Here is my ordered meal, oh, I love sea cucumber rice, which may not sound cool but tasty, give a try and you will NOT regret!




My only agenda today is to visit a special family friends who I have not met 10 years ago. I got flowers and gifts heading on the road. Before I got a taxi, I got stopped by Beijing ChaoYang district newspaper journalist wanting to interview me. I looked puzzled. They said that my credential around my neck and my clothes told me that I am working for USA team. They want to know my trip and my time in Beijing. xixi, this is really Beijing, you can meet anyone and everything is possible!



That is such a long story. In short, when I was 15 years old, came to Beijing alone to travel, the daughter of this family met me at train station when she waited to pick up her college friend. It was so amazing that I ended up to stay at her parents' house for more than a week and made friends. They are very special to me for their trust and their caring. Last time when I came home, due to time schedule we could not meet. But, this trip, I promised myself that I must visit them. 10 years ago, before I left China, my whole family came to Beijing and stayed at their place. They made so special for me to leave on Aug. 18, 1998. When I called them now, there is no distance at all. I just love this family, sincere, caring and sweet. I spent the whole afternoon there chatting, unfortunately their daughter having a business trip to Southern of China. So we planned a dinner next Sunday when she returned. While I was still "blah blah blah" happily enjoying the conversation, I got a call from USOC that they offer me a swimming ticket to go. If you do not know where 08 swimming location in Beijing, it is a new building. People love to call it "Water Cube", next to Bird Nest, and nowhere now we can get any swimming and diving tickets, which are too hot to get. I asked this couple if they are interested to go and I am willing to give this ticket to them. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, they were not able to go. Here, I am already close to Water Cube, but need to go back Worker Stadium USA House to pick up this ticket and come back. what a heck! it is a swimming ticket, and I will go for it.

When I reached USA House, there are Kleenex sponsored party and Macdonald sponsored
Champion Kid event going on, so many people everywhere. By registration, we already got the new USA Olympic Team picture on which was taken at the opening ceremony. Oh, that is a great picture!

When I was waiting to pick up my picture, there are more and more house guests coming in. Since USA House is not open to public, people come by invitation. I was just feeling happy that I do not have to work, then I saw a girl looking familiar, with my little knowledge of remembering people's entire name, her smiles tell the truth -- Lauren Bush, a very elegant lady, and close by David Lauren , plus many other celebrities who I do not know. We all say hi to each other and shake hands. Nowadays any topic in USA House is all about sports. I have met David Lauren before and not quite impressed except his father's fame. but clearly, this is some sort of reception going on and my mind is already in Water Cube.

Fasten seat belt! I finally got to Water Cube. It is right by Bird Nest. I called my father right away that he should take a look at this building architecture, very cool. The whole place layout is fantastic!

This is a picture taken inside of taxi, you could see the gate to bird nest and water cube. around right side, you can see the Olympic torch!






There are a lot of security checking, but nobody mind.

Continue counting how many teams I will meet and hang around-- Tzech Team




This is National Aquatics Center (also known as 'Water Cube').

I have a great seat, right in front of the beginning line, row 3, the first two rows are for press, but not many journalists to block my view.





Diving competition spot

At least this time I remember to bring my camera, not like yesterday game :(


First section is Men's 200m Butterfly swimming, then Women's.


Really, only when you are in the game, you will feel the heat of competition and many countries languages flying around, cheering, shouting and screaming :)


Little need I to describe here, I am sure that you can find HIM here.











No doubt, he is the swimming prince. By the time I am typing this post, he has already got 3 gold and broke 3 world records. Thought that is one of most glamorous opportunity to work for him, I am very happy with my summer choice. Watching his swimming is great and I enjoy it every much. All the blessings to him for the rest of games. No doubt I will see him at USA House!

At women's game, the world record holder Australian girl is so pretty.





Afterward fun!









This man is wearing a shirt named "Go Obama, 2008"!



Believe or not, I met a few Men swimmers who just competed at this 200m Butterfly stroke. They just love to sign on the notebook, see, I got a lot of signatures :)





This cute Mexico young athlete did well. The Puerto Rico one is so young, his mom is taken care of all his stuff. His mom asked him to write a long note and thank me to make him feel special!! actually, i think his son makes me feel special here. I can tell she is such a happy proud mother!





Definitely, how could I miss the USA fans!






When you step outside, the Bird Nest is right in front of you, unbelievable!! The large water fountain gives different shapes following music.




These group of Macdonald employees are from 8 countries working at Olympic Village, sending here for the trip due to their outstanding performance. What a nice offer from employer.














I will definitely remember this evening, very special. I called home, talking with my parents for a long time. I wonder around, looking and thinking, somehow this place gives me a lot of reflection and sense of considering.




While, before I ended this day and head home, there was one more funny thing happened. Due to large volume of people leaving here, I waited a long long time to get a taxi. Finally I decide that I need to think another way since I do not want to get the public bus as where I live is way too far from here, taking a public bus will be forever to get back. I saw one person in the taxi but not leaving. I went up and asked if I could share this ride and pay for the fare in order to get back 3rd ring in Beijing. It turned out that the passenger is a chief journalist from France. He is looking for getting some food but driver told him that it will be hard to find one around this time, plus his English is really bad. We all have trouble to understand. So, I told him that I will make a deal with him that I will help him to find a place to eat and he will let me to share the taxi ride. When we got into the town, I realized that there is seriously no place to go for a dinner. Due to Olympic time, a lot of evening restaurants and even bars closed very often to stay home watching games. ye, if you come to Beijing now, it is very much in the hot hot, super hot Olympic spirits! I remember that by my aunt's place there is a BBQ, so we went there. But this journalist concerns if he could get a taxi back easily later. I told him that I will have a dinner there too. So, when we finished the dinner, I will help him to get a taxi back. He was so happy!



In BBQ, you have so many options, he had a lot of fun time. Originally he said he only will take 20 mins for this dinner, but he stayed over one hour! He said that later this evening that he will write one sports article and one food article. He will talk about this meal. By the end of dinner, he was so shocked about the price, very inexpensive. He thought I made a mistake in translating, such as forgetting a zero in the end! We laughed a lot. Since he could not understand well, I need to write down a lot of English words on the paper to show him, but it did not block our communication. Since he has all the events games tickets, he invited me to go to some, wow, my shared taxi ride is getting me further than a ride home. After ensuring him back to taxi, I am very tired and ready to call off the day.