Photos from our third day at the Olympics in Beijing

We had four tickets for the evening fencing match and two tickets for afternoon diving competition. We all went back to the market to pick up Tim's glasses, which by the way were perfect!....and cost about 1/5th the cost if we had ordered them in the US. We gave the diving tickets to the kids and they headed to the Olympic area and Tim and I went to Tian' a men Square. We have been there before but wanted to see the Olympic decorations. And...we had several hours before we had to be at the fencing match.




The taxi driver could not stop at an of the normal stops....they were not allowed to stop anywhere around the Square. So we walked from the taxi stop....went into the underground entrance and then through security. We came out of the underground into the square.
There were lots of people at the Square and it was decorated beautifully.

Large topiaries were sculpted into different designs relating to the Olympics other Chinese events.
Beautiful flowers
A sculpture of a bridge that has recently been built in Hangzhou

Lots and lots of people




One World One Dream is the motto for the 2008 Olympics
More people

More sculptures
More guards

From the Square we went to the Olympic Village. We were very excited about this.....today was the first day we could enter this area because our tickets were in buildings in the Village.

This is the birds nest taken from outside the village.
Other interesting architecture...

The above street walk way to the Village...love the flags! There were lots of people hanging around outside the village...

We went through security.....no lines....and then we were in the "official Olympic area".

We were so surprised.....there were no people...the place was a ghost town!
Drink vendors....
The Cube....this is where the swimming and diving events are held.



The village area was huge!!!! It has a lake in the middle of it and we walked and walked and walked....we saw very few people....



There was music playing over an intercom system but it was very sleepy music.



I was so surprised.....I thought there would be people, and restaurants, and bands playing, and big TV screens and shopping and EXCITEMENT!!!!!

This area was a little garden under the main street of the village. This was next to the only restaurant in the village.....and guess what it was.....McDonald.
McDonald's...

In the entire village there were two McDonalds and several drink/snack vendors. So....guess what we had for lunch....again!!! And we were happy because at least they had all the items listed on there menu. Ahhhh.....this is where all the people are!
workers keeping it tidy....

There were several corporations that had exhibits.....this was the State Grid building....showing how they put in power lines in remote areas.
This was the China Mobil ....this is a giant size figure reaching through the walls of the building. It was pretty funny.
These pictures are from the VW exhibit

We were still looking for a place to buy Olympic T-shirts...

There was an Adidas exhibit show casing all their cool Olympic wear....I asked where we could buy their shirts....At the Super Store at the end of the village...... we walked some more and found the "Super Store". It was big....but had only one small area where they were selling shirts and hats....and...they were out of every shirt we asked for. "Mai You"! AHHHH there are those words again....remember this is day three of the Olympics! The rest of the super store was filled with more small "trinkets". We bought a few pins and some flags....and left the store a bit disappointed.
We walked and walked and walked....and saw many beautiful things in the village.
We found an area with many different displays of Chinese culture and history. They were interesting and the group from Shanghai gave us each a little gift for coming to their tent.

Still no people.... we continued walking....
This is the lake area with the birds nest in the background.
I started noticing lots of signs and "closed areas" in the village....and after a while I started taking pictures of them just for fun....

This sign was next to a beautiful walking/sitting area by the lake.....it looked great but no one was allowed to use it.....hmmmmmmm
More signs...No Entry

More beautiful landscapes...
and sculptures...
This entire area was "closed".
AH.....we heard music and found a small parade.....I thought...we must have just been early for the entertainment...now the place is going to "liven up"!


The costumes were beautiful

The parade lasted only a few minutes...

By this time the diving event was over and we met the kids outside the Cube.

Tucker and The Cube
Inside the Cube....
A cool waterfall on the inside walls of the Cube

Interior archatecture of the Cube Mens sincrinized diving competitors
Mascots entertian the crowd

Diving begins....
around....
and down...

and around...
down...
all most there...
stretch....

and splash!!!
Medals presentation


Country flags being raised.

Streets in the village..

More signs...
More closed areas....
Park......closed....
Direction signs....

Drink and snack vendors...
More signs....

The kids thought the "no Entry" signs were pretty funny too!
Nope....can't go in here!

Tucker decided to change the moto to "One World No Entery"

Can't walk on this either.....

I was starting to think that they had built another "Forbidden City". We heard that this whole area will be open to the public after the olympics and The Cube will be a public swimming center. I hope that is true.

Time for Fencing!!!!!

Inside the fencing building...birds nest in the background


Inside the fencing building.....
Womens Fencing finalists....three from Italy and one from Korea

Let the games begin!
take that...

this was really cool....around the back and over the shoulder....and Score!
take that!
and that!!

We loved the fencing matches....we watched three games.....all were pretty close scores and all were very exciting! This was Abi's favorite event!
The gold medalist ....her coach carried her around the staduim. Normally during the matches they can confur with their coach...but since two of the matches were Italy vs Italy the coach remained in the background....each player was on her own.

The medals presentation...

the flag ceremony...
The press....
Kiss those medals!

The kids during the break...
Nice....only faces a mother could love!

It was dark when we left the stadium...

The cube all lit up...it was very impressive! We walked to the Super store again after the fencing match hoping that they would have more shirts.....but arrived just in time for them to close. We exited the Olympic Villiage by taking the mysterious subway line #8 to the end of the Village...It really does exist!!!

More sights from earlier in the day...

Bomb squad.....

the nest
Water way....No entry!
Water fountains in the lake...

Oops....can't go here either...
Abi with the Olympic Moto!