The Beijing Super Epic, Part 1 - Old Stuff, Olympic Village: Day 18

This... tour group just got a little bit bigger. Like from 20 people to 75!





















Crazy Emperor Palpatine chair in the lobby of our hotel.
















Beijing Super Park.
































The 4 Chao Sisters.
















For some reason, there was this strange sailor dude writing songs for people in this park.





































































Maria stuck in some strangleweed.





































































Don't mess with these two. They have ice cream!
















It's my head in a pot.
















Big ole' Pagoda.
































Here we are waiting because tour group B got lost.
















Sweet Potato vendor.
















Not as good as I had hoped.





















How do you get lunch for 75 people?
















You book the whole place. Or get a banquet hall i guess...





















































































































































































Here is a crazy building with SEVERAL - GIANT TVs on the side of it. It's right next to the Olympic village. I think this is where I saw a youtube video of the fireworks show being filmed from. That is, the youtube video was filmed from here. There is a giant main building that is supposed to be shaped like a dragon and 4 other companion buildings.





















We'll be visiting this building later. But now we're just passing through. 7 stars?!? I didn't even know there were 6 stars but makes sense that the 6 and 7 star hotels are in Dubai. Figures they would invent such things. Even if they didn't, I blindly blame Dubai for 6 and 7 stars. Dubai is the true king of XJB extravagence.
















Jeeezus.
































Water Cube glimmers in the Sun
















Bird Nest in the distant.
















Seriously, this picture does not capture the scope of this sucker. This thing is epically HUGE. If you look inside the steel mesh, you can make out what is the actual stadium. Imagine that as the size of the largest stadium you've seen. It holds something like 91,000 people!!! OK, so the UMich stadium holds 100K+ but imagine that and then put that giant steel mesh around it. It really makes the Roman Colosseum seem like a mere toy.
















Maria and I are doing the "Beijing Huan Ying Ni" arm motions. If you don't know the reference...























I think that's the media tower. I can't imagine having that job for a month. Climb up a giant tower and film people for a month. Still, they could be working in a cave...





































Detail: Inbetween the mesh





















Interesting lines
















Inside we experience the Bird Nest
















and all its thrills
















"high five!"
















The Olympic Torch





















Down on ground level.



I taste VICTORY!!!
















Maria & I. I'm drunk on my victory here.