|
This morning we visited a special museum exhibit on China and the Olympic Games at the China Millennium Monument. The first thing we saw was a live reenactment of a Tong dynasty football game from about the 10th century, CE. Two teams of three players each, clad in beautifully embroidered silk gowns, were placed on either side of a net about the size of a basketball backboard with a hole in the middle about the size of a basketball hoop. The players juggle the ball with their feet, just like modern soccer players, but then they try to shoot the ball through the hole to the other side. The game clearly takes a lot of skill, but one player managed to score three goals while we watched.
Inside there were various exhibits with artifacts from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. The topics ranged from ancient Greek and Chinese sports to the evolution of sports equipment, China’s history with the Olympic movement, and an overview of all the high-tech architecture and infrastructure developed for the Beijing Games. This last exhibit was the most popular with the Chinese and Susan says it’s because that’s what fascinates the Chinese now—big, new, high-tech development. My own favorite exhibit covered the history of the Modern Olympics, with a kiosk for each edition featuring memorabilia, video clips, and historical highlights. There was also an example of every Olympic torch since the relay began in 1936.
After the museum we went to a very nice restaurant that featured Shanghai cuisine—much less spicy than the Sichuan fare, but still a bit unusual, with several different kinds of tofu, large meatballs, and sautéed eel. We also had a more familiar roast chicken and some sweet and sour ribs that were very close to the classic American BBQ. The food has been varied and tasty, but I am getting a hankering for some kind of Western meal.
The afternoon was spent resting and watching various events on TV—the coverage in China is very different than the US. There are several channels, almost no commercials, and most of what we’d call “minor events” dominate. I watched synchronized diving, equestrian three-day event, judo, rowing, kayak, men’s field hockey and women’s weightlifting. What’s frustrating is to see the empty seats in the stands because tickets were sold out ages ago and everyone seems to be looking for them. Luckily for me, Susan got some tickets from the IOC in thanks for all the help she has been giving them. My own attempts to find tickets (starting last winter) failed. There should be some way to distribute those available seats at the last minute, like they do at big theaters. As it is there’s no way to find or exchange extra tickets except through personal contacts.
That’s not to say that there’s nothing to do, though. Most people don’t realize it, but each Olympic Movement “blends sports with art and culture,” so each Games includes a festival with literally hundreds of events. Here in Beijing there are about a dozen “live sites,” stages set up in parks with performing troupes from all over the world. There are also music, drama, dance, and opera performances, plus museum exhibits like the one we saw today. The real problem at the Games isn’t finding tickets, it’s finding time to sleep!
|
