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Aug. 9th, 2008 10:25 amWe didn't spend the night at the camp out, but we did go for dinner and to hang around the campfire. It was a surprisingly beautiful drive. At one point, we went around a bend and suddenly we'd left the flat, monotonous farm field behind and in front of us laid a rolling landscape, lit up beautifully be the setting sun. I tried to take some pictures from the car which I'll post in a moment. It was a fun time. The kids met some friends and I had a chance to chat with a lady who lives just a couple streets over from me.
I was so impressed by the Olympic opening ceremonies! Leave it to China to go all out, above and beyond anything ever done before. I'm sure they feel they have something to prove to the world and it looks like they're determined to show that not only are they as modernized as the US but also as civilized. As I watched last night, I did wonder what their smoking policy would be in the stadium. They don't have "no smoking" sections in restaurants or wherever. The only time I remember seeing a restriction placed on smoking was in taxis. The drivers weren't suppose to smoke, but they always did anyway. I thought it was funny as we watched last night because I kept seeing behaviors that were so typically Chinese. One example was how the Chinese kept hamming it up for the camera every time they realized they were on screen (I'm not talking about the athletes, I mean the spectators.) Another time I saw a guy running out to have his picture taken with Yao Ming while he walked past. Yao didn't see him and the guy didn't seem to care that the whole world watched as he posed for his friend to snap the photo. Same concept applied when people snuck up and snapped pictures of us when we were going about our business. But I think the funniest characteristic had to be this random guy I saw sitting in the audience. He had his pant legs pulled up past his knees and he was sitting cross-legged in a way usually reserved for women in America. That was such a common sight, to see men sitting in such a pose. Of course, it's so hot there but grown men rarely wear shorts. Pants are the clothes of adults, but it's perfectly acceptable for them to roll or pull their pant legs up. Chris does it sometimes when we're driving in the car and he wants to cool his legs down. Did you all notice how sweaty everyone was at the ceremony? Beijing is SO hot and SO humid. I've always said that Beijing is the last place in the world that I'd want to be during the Olympics. I disliked Beijing when we visited: hot, crowded in a way you can't fathom, and polluted. You never see the blue sky. Still, as I watched the fireworks going off last night, I couldn't help wish I was there just to witness such an amazing spectacle.
I'm sad to hear that Bernie Mac passed away. I've always enjoyed his comedy. And at such a young age!
I was so impressed by the Olympic opening ceremonies! Leave it to China to go all out, above and beyond anything ever done before. I'm sure they feel they have something to prove to the world and it looks like they're determined to show that not only are they as modernized as the US but also as civilized. As I watched last night, I did wonder what their smoking policy would be in the stadium. They don't have "no smoking" sections in restaurants or wherever. The only time I remember seeing a restriction placed on smoking was in taxis. The drivers weren't suppose to smoke, but they always did anyway. I thought it was funny as we watched last night because I kept seeing behaviors that were so typically Chinese. One example was how the Chinese kept hamming it up for the camera every time they realized they were on screen (I'm not talking about the athletes, I mean the spectators.) Another time I saw a guy running out to have his picture taken with Yao Ming while he walked past. Yao didn't see him and the guy didn't seem to care that the whole world watched as he posed for his friend to snap the photo. Same concept applied when people snuck up and snapped pictures of us when we were going about our business. But I think the funniest characteristic had to be this random guy I saw sitting in the audience. He had his pant legs pulled up past his knees and he was sitting cross-legged in a way usually reserved for women in America. That was such a common sight, to see men sitting in such a pose. Of course, it's so hot there but grown men rarely wear shorts. Pants are the clothes of adults, but it's perfectly acceptable for them to roll or pull their pant legs up. Chris does it sometimes when we're driving in the car and he wants to cool his legs down. Did you all notice how sweaty everyone was at the ceremony? Beijing is SO hot and SO humid. I've always said that Beijing is the last place in the world that I'd want to be during the Olympics. I disliked Beijing when we visited: hot, crowded in a way you can't fathom, and polluted. You never see the blue sky. Still, as I watched the fireworks going off last night, I couldn't help wish I was there just to witness such an amazing spectacle.
I'm sad to hear that Bernie Mac passed away. I've always enjoyed his comedy. And at such a young age!
