Beijing 2008

With the Olympics nearly over, many tourists are out getting one last taste of Chinese culture and that means sampling the food.  Cam MacMurchy takes us to one of Beijing’s most popular, and most bizarre, food streets.

This food street is lit up beautifully.  There’s lanterns all the way along and there must be a couple thousand people meandering along the street.

Q: What are you eating exactly? 

A: Just a scorpion. 

Q: How does it taste? 

A: Like a potato chip. 

Well it sure doesn’t look like a potato chip, but what about over here… 

Q: What have you got here? 

A: Snake, snake. 

Q: That’s snake? 

A: Yeah, wanna try?

I have to describe the snake.  It’s white and it looks like jelly and it’s actually on a skewer and I’m not sure if I want to take a bite.  It almost looks like gelatin of some kind.  Anyway, snake is one of the things that you can find on this famous food street here in Beijing.

A cloud of suspicion continues to hang over China’s women’s gymnastics team.  Many people feel the gold medal winners are underage, but China insists they meet the minimum age of 16.  Cam MacMurchy is in Beijing where many people haven’t really heard of the controversy. 

Most people we asked about it today simply said they were unaware there was even an issue.  China has closed down debate on the potentially embarrassing subject, which centers on the ages of two female gymnasts.

Mr. Lee says he’s never had any doubt that they’re old enough to compete.

“I heard from the TV that they are already 16.  I don’t know why people are questioning that they’re not 16.  I don’t think it’s a big problem, but what I’ve read in the newspapers and on TV, they’re 16 and I believe they’re 16.” 

An investigation has been launched after a US computer expert uncovered documents he says prove the girls are underage.

China’s DVD shops and street sellers are famous for brand new Hollywood movies on high-quality DVDs for only a few dollars. But with the Olympic Games in town, China has worked hard to rid the city of one of its most popular tourist attractions. It’s mostly succeeded, unless you know where to look.DVD stores aren’t what they once were because they used to be wall to wall with all the latest Hollywood movies and some movies going back decades, such as Alfred Hitchcock films.

Looking around, I see a lot of Asian movies, and it seems a lot of Hollywood movies have been removed prior to the Olympic Games. There were however, seasons of Lost and 24 available, and the entire Sex and the City TV show collection for only $28 US.

 It’s really a DVD buyer’s paradise. Many of my friends in Beijing have collections of 200-300 DVDs because most of them only cost between $1.50 and $3.00 per DVD.

The air in Beijing has been remarkably clear since the Olympic Games began but now the question is, how much longer will it continue? People in the Chinese capital are optimistic.

Beijing is one of the most polluted cities in the world, which caused some consternation among athletes and visitors prior to the games.

But thanks to cars being pulled off the road and factories being shut down in the five provinces that ring the city, the government managed to pull off some relatively clean air

The Chinese government announced this week that it would try and maintain Beijing’s rare clear air quality after the Olympics end.

One man living there says he’s enjoyed the clean air and it’s definitely better. One month before the Games, when the weather was good, you could even see the mountains far away.

Another person is optimistic it will continue, and one woman says she hopes that after the Olympic Games, the air quality will continue this way and can get better and better. She believes the government has a long-term plan to change the air quality, and she thinks it will be better.

Others believe it may get worse, as the cars return and factories ramp up production to make up for lost time.

The Canada Olympic House is our athletes’ home away from home in Beijing.

The house is open only to accredited athletes, their friends and family, and it set up inside an old restaurant near the Bird’s Nest.

It’s a comfortable place with a big screen TV, a large outdoor patio for barbecues, and Internet access. House Manager Nishi Aubin said it’s a piece of Canada.

Athletes, friends, and family have access to food, drinks, snacks, Internet access, and various guidebooks and help navigate Beijing’s busy streets.

The house also features a nearby store selling all kinds of Canadian paraphernalia.

Canada’s men’s 8 finished 5th in Athens and were determined to redeem themselves in Beijing.  They did it in style, having led for the entire race and winning the gold medal. 

Rowing manager Adam Parfitt says he was confident before the day began. 

“You know after all the heats and semis, we kind of knew that our crews were where they needed to be.” 

Canada won bronze in the men’s 4 and women’s double.  They were cheered on by a whole section of boisterous Canadian fans decked out in red and white.

Security measures dictate that no food can be brought into the venues, which is a problem when there isn’t much food inside the venues either.

Bennett here says he’s disappointed by it all.

“The food is like a vending machine staffed by real people. They don’t have much food, and it’s all packaged.”

The food selection is one of visitors’ most common complaints. I popped by the Wukesong Baseball Field however, and found hot dogs and sandwiches on the menu.  Neither, I might point out, appeared edible.

Baseball is a popular sport in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and parts of the Caribbean, but that’s pretty much it.  Because of this niche style market, baseball is being tossed from the Olympic Games. 

There’s nothing like some peanuts and cracker jacks to get in the spirit, it’s just that most of the world isn’t familiar with cracker jacks, or baseball. So this is the final year it will be an Olympic sport.  

Allan says it’s a shame. 

“I’m disappointed in that, of course.  Most Americans are big baseball fans, so it’s always nice to go out and see baseball in the Olympics, but there are a lot of other choices for baseball in the US.  It’s just the rest of the world suffers.” 

Despite baseball’s popularity in America, it’s relatively unknown elsewhere.  One woman said if baseball is in the Olympics, cricket should be too.

Many Olympic visitors are learning that China isn’t what they expected.  It’s not all secret police and eavesdropping. 

Paul James has worked in state run media for years and currently hosts an international political talk show.  He gets a first hand look at what the state requires in media coverage and says hosting a successful Olympics is more important to the Chinese government than just maintaining power. 

“I don’t know if it’s so much about preventing or protecting the party’s authority, in so much as it’s protecting what they perceive as social stability.” 

James says many of China’s security measures were also used in Athens.  He says regardless of how the world views the games, they will most definitely be viewed as a success within China.

         He is called the Flying Fish by the Chinese, and he is taking the Olympics by storm.  Cam MacMurchy is in Beijing where American swimmer Michael Phelps has won his sixth gold medal.
          Six down, two more to go to set an Olympic record. Michael Phelps is getting an increasing amount of media attention within China for his feats.
          And his name comes up in any discussion involving the Olympics. One person said, “He is like a dolphin pretty much.”
          That may be, but Adore from Holland says she’s a fan for other reasons, she said, “All swimmers are good looking.” Besides the golds, Phelps has also set six world records during these Olympic Games.