2008 Olympics: How to get tickets to the Beijing Olympics – Part 1
If someone has a chance to actually travel to an Olympic Games they should always go. Even if they don’t have event tickets they should go. This is especially true of the Beijing Olympics. It’s a great opportunity to visit a country that has been a mystery to many people around the worlds.
Besides, there are always methods of getting tickets for “any” Olympic Games regardless of where they are taking place.
First of all, you can try by applying through the primary lottery system where everyone has a chance of getting lucky and win the opportunity to purchase tickets to the event of their choice.
With the advent of the internet, there are many sites where one can purchase Olympic tickets. It’s simply a matter of googling “Olympic tickets for Beijing” and all sorts of hits will pop up. Of course these tickets will not be cheap. There are many sports holiday booking agents who will have access to tickets and accommodation packages, and like most things in life, if you are willing to pay the price, there will be tickets there for you.
There are many huge corporations that will have blocks of tickets available for the games as these are often alloted to Olympic corporate sponsors. Normally they are used by the management part of the company and their families, but if you have access to someone who is high up in one of those companies, they may be able to help you with tickets.
When I was a volunteer at an Olympic Games in my city, it was not unusual to see huge blocks of empty seats at some Olympic hockey games because the tickets were not used by the company who had access to them for that game. In a way it is wasteful and an avenue that might be looked at to find some tickets while in Beijing.
I would never let not having venue tickets deter me from going to the Olympics in any city. There will always be tickets available for some events. Regardless if it is an event that you are not particularly fond of, you will still have an opportunity to see some of the best in the world perform and actually be part of the Olympic experience.
Whenever there are big events in the world, you can bet there will be scalpers who want to cash in. It never hurts to go to even the most popular events and try your luck at picking up last minute tickets. The price will most likely be high if it’s a marquee event, but if you are patient enough to wait until the event has started, you might pick up some cheaper tickets, as scalpers won’t want to be stuck with them.
There is also a chance that someone has spare tickets because of someone being sick and unable to make it. They will be trying to well their spare ticket of tickets as they are very costly. It never hurts to be there and hope for the best.
It might just be your lucky day and your opportunity to be present at an Olympic event where history is made.
Visiting the 2008 Olympic games, China
December 25, 2009 by admin
Filed under Restaurants
Michael Bristow who is a BBC Correspondent in Beijing China wrote an article in the BBC News Website: “Is China Ready for the Olympics”? After reading such slander including the so called air pollution”, the time has arrived to clear the air. The reason for such slander in the Western Media is that they pander to ignorance as well as the desire to maintain their predominance in the media world. The Western Media cannot accept the fact that China [as well as other nations such as India] are becoming powers in their own right. The Western Media has also invented these slanders in an attempt to sow hatred amongst the world.
I have just recently returned from a visit to the People’s Republic of China and had the honour and pleasure of visiting the cities of Beijing and Tsingtao. The People’s Republic of China and CRI [China Radio International] English Service were very kind and generous. Beijing, Tsingtao, as well as CRI and the People’s Republic of China exceeded my expectations. In fact, both cities have come a long way baby [citing the phrase used by Canadian Comedian Mike Myers in some of his films].
Beijing is a thriving cosmopolitan city in which the air was clean. Beijing is like any other city with advertisements such as Colombian Actress Sofia Vergara encouraging the people to use Pantene Shampoo. China has also approved of laws that encourage air and food cleanliness. I suffered from allergies and was afraid what would have happened. The result was that during my stay in Beijing [even though I took precautions], I did not feel any allergies. The Western Press cannot condemn the air in Beijing [which is a cosmopolitan city] and not condemn some of the pollution in Western Cities where I have felt the allergies. I had the honour of visiting the Great Wall of China and climbed up to the top of the mountain of that great historical monument. The air was clean and fresh.
The food in restaurants in hotels such as the China People’s Palace in Beijing and the Sophia International Hotel in Tsingtao were of a healthy quality. I even tried the Peking Duck for the first time in its purest form and it was excellent. The cooks and waiters served the food and beverages with gloves and the coffee was served in cups that are reserved for wine in the Western World.
I would like to give the Western Press a piece of advice based on what Jesus Christ said: “He or She who is without sin cast the first stone”.
2012 Olympic Games Resources Online
Olympics is the biggest sports gathering event in the world which happens once every four years and covers winter and summer games. It is an international event and hundreds of countries throughout the globe participate in the games.
If you want to learn more about this prestigious even- when, where, and how this started. Here are some interesting facts about it:
The first Olympic game was done in the year 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. The games were held in Greece till 393 AD. Eventually in the year1896, Pierre Fredy, Baron de Coubertin, a French nobleman revived the Olympic games which gave way to the birth of the Modern Olympic Games. From 1896, Olympic games were held once in four years and terminated during the World War 1 and 2. After the war, Olympic games resumed up to the present. In fact, the next Olympic games (2008) will be held in China, in the city of Beijing.
2004 Athens Olympics
The United States dominated once again in 2004 Athens Olympics and that is the reason why a lot of people are asking on how many gold medals did the U.S. women win in the Olympics (Athens)? I can’t remember how many but the US garnered 103 medals all in all in Athens. Will the US still be dominating in the Upcoming Beijing Olympics- its closest rival for the top Olympic rank? The US will probably be working double to remain on the top rank considering their closest competitor has its psychological advantage since they are the host country in 2008 Olympics.
2012 Olympic Games
The 2008 Olympic games will be held in London, England and at present, the Country is preparing for this biggest sports event. The Sports Arena is already showcased, the 2012 Olympic logo design has been shown in public, the accommodation for visitors and other important stuffs.
If you do not live in London for sure you are glad that the the 2012 Olympics will be held in your country, however it is probably true that other parts of the country will not benefit as much as those situated within the vicinity of London. What the politicians do to deal with this bone of contention remains to be seen.
Whatever your point of view, be sure that the London 2012 Olympics will be a great spectacle for all to see. With all those tops sports people and athletes performing at the top level in the world it will be a great event that the world will be focusing on – the 2012 London Olympics.
The Olympics gather up the greatest humans with the greatest skills, ability and agility and test them against fellow man to see who claims top honors and genetics in athletic ability of all. There is probably no larger and greater contest of strength and will all put together in one place than the Olympic Games.
Best of 2008: Athlete
2008 was undoubtedly a fantastic year for sport, but there was no greater show of athleticism and sportsmanship than that displayed during the Beijing Olympic Games. Known for centuries as the pinnacle of the sports calendar, this is one of the few sporting events that truly brings all countries together, regardless of race, religion or politics. This year was even more closely fought than ever, and many records were smashed completely. In this article we will look at the Olympians who truly raised the bar for their sport and showed themselves to be the best of the new breed of Olympian.
Michael Phelps – The Beijing Olympics cannot be talked about without mentioning this man. He not only broke six World records in swimming in one games, he also became the most accomplished modern Olympian. Phelps has won an astounding 14 Gold medals over his career, more than any other Olympian since the modern Olympics began. He swam in seventeen races over the course of nine days, and it was clear from the very beginning that nobody could touch him. He even broke his own previously set World record in the 400m individual medley by two seconds. He did it all with a smile on his face and a intense pride in his country, never once underestimating or talking down to the competition. Phelps truly epitomised what it meant to be an athlete this year.
Chris Hoy – For the first time almost a century, Great Britain was a true contender in the Olympic Games. This was helped in no small part by Edinburgh-born cyclist Chris Hoy. He became the first British Olympian in over 100 years to win three gold medals, and the most successful Olympic cyclist of all time. His performance gave Britain something to be proud of, and he has inspired many young people around the country to get involved in sport and turn themselves into the Olympians of tomorrow.
Usain Bolt – This Jamaican sprinter earned himself the nickname “Lightning Bolt” after stunning viewers all over the globe with his showmanship and truly amazing running during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Although some accused the 22-year-old of showboating, with his chest slapping celebration during the 100m final slowing his finish down, there is no denying that he is one of the truly great athletes of our time. The fact that a man ran 100m in 9.62 seconds even after slowing down is surely a sign of a great talent.
Chelsie Memmel – Although Memmel did not share the gold medal success of fellow American gymnasts Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin,
Beijing Phelps Renew Expectations Of Getting The Eight Gold Medal
Phelps mission of getting eight gold medals in Beijing is still on track after winning the 4×100 freestyle relay against France. This competition was impressive and really excited; not just because Phelps still has the chance of reaching his goal, but also because Jason Lezak, Phelpss American teammate, who finished the last leg by just 0.08 seconds to the France Team -it was just amazing. The US team, besides obtaining the gold medal in that competition, broke the world record with 3:08.24. This competition gives Phelps hope for continuing with his supreme goal at the Olympics.
The next races wont be easy and thats something Phelps keeps in mind, but his motivation, confidence and determination is real in his mind too. On Tuesday morning he will compete in the 200 metre freestyle. Next, Phelps will compete during Wednesdays morning in the 200 metre butterfly final and the 4×200 freestyle; then in the evening Phelps will have his 200M heat.
People are speculating if Phelps can keep up with all and at the same time be successful in all of the competitions. But like everybody knows, Phelps is amazingly talented swimming, like Tiger Woods is in golf or Michael Jordan was in basketball, and some others that have done things nobody believed someone could do. So -by no means- I believe he can do it, for Phelps everything is possible; and Im not the only one who believes it, fans, family and media are expecting the best for this superstar swimmer.
Michael Phelps had held several records in different events over the years. Back in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Phelps tied the record for the majority of medals in a single Olympic event with Alexander Dityatin, by winning eight medals from which six were gold and two were bronze. After coming back from the Olympics of 2004, Phelps moved to Michigan following his coach, who got a job at the University of Michigan as the head coach of the swimming team. However, Phelps didnt swim for the university because he lost his leisure status after accepting endorsement money from sponsors like Visa, Omega, Speedo and Power Bar. Instead, Phelps did trained and raced from 2004 to 2008 with Club Wolverine, which is a USA swimming club
Before coming to Beijing Phelps participated at the 2007 World Championships and obtained seven gold medals, tied records and broke 5 world records. For this 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Phelps will attempt to get gold medals in his eight swimming events and by it, break Mark Spitz world record of seven gold medals.
Currently, Phelps has competed in two events: the 400m individual medley and in the 4×100m freestyle relay. In both accomplished world records and gained the gold medals. The next competition is the 200m individual freestyle so everybody hopes The Baltimore Bullet will continue with his dream and acquire a third gold medal. Like some critics said: Everybody knows this shark will do whatever he wants in the water; he is the super star swimmer of all times!
10 Must Sees of Beijing
April 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under Tourist Attractions
It barely needs saying, but Beijing is an absolutely fascinating city. There is a proud ancient history demonstrated by monuments and museums, juxtaposed against the impressive modern structures constructed in time for the Olympics this year. In this list of 10 must sees, you will see the old mixed with the new – all part of the contrast which makes China’s capital such an exciting, vibrant destination to visit.
Drum and Bell Towers
In olden times, most cities in China would use their drum and bell tower to sound the beginning and end of each new day. Nowadays, Beijing’s drum and bell tower is largely for tourists, but is well worth visiting on a holiday in China – if nothing else than for the wonderful panoramic views of the city offered from atop the tower! There are hourly performances as well, giving you an insight into how days were greeted in times gone by.
The Forbidden City
Refurbishments due to this year’s Olympic Games have been particularly kind to the Forbidden City – home to 24 emperors of China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Essentially a huge imperial palace, this is one sight that is an absolute must-see, and although it would take two days to see it all, the main attractions can be seen in a single visit. Be sure to take in the great halls and the imperial gardens, and be left in awe at the incredible architecture and huge sense of scale. A must see on any Asia holiday!
The Summer Palace
If you have not had your fill of palaces with the Forbidden City, the longish trek to the Summer Palace is well worth it. Located in a tranquil lakeside location, the complex has a huge number of walkways, gardens and temples to explore and you should be sure to have your camera handy for the brilliant view of distant Beijing from the Tower of Buddhist Incense.
798 Dashanzi Arts District
Once upon a time, this was an electronics factory. Now the site is home to a buzzing collection of cafes, galleries and studios with a very trendy feel to it. A nice alternative to the ancient monuments and sites, Dashanzi Arts District is a must visit part of the city for those with any interest in modern Chinese art.
The Great Wall
If you think of the biggest tourist attraction for a holiday in Asia, the Great Wall of China has to be a major contender. Originally built to keep out the Mongol forces, the wall is synonymous with the country and it’s hard to imagine a luxury holiday in China passing this by. Despite being photographed an incredible amount, the Great Wall still always manages to leave me in complete awe at the sheer scale of the amazing structure every time I visit.
Lama Temple
Visiting various temples is a key part of most holidays in Asia, but if you only have the time to visit one of them, Lama Temple should be the one. Regarded as the most important Buddhist temple outside of Tibet, this collection of shrines is guaranteed to leave you impressed almost beyond words. The craftsmanship is always impressive, but perhaps no shrine more so than the enormous Maitreya Buddha, which is officially registered as the world’s tallest Buddha in the Guinness Book of Records!
CCTV Tower
One of the more modern wonders of Beijing is the China Central Television Tower – or CCTV Tower for short. By far the tallest building in the city, its observation deck sits at an impressive 238 metres, with the tip of its antenna reaching 405 metres! As the name suggests, the tower contains broadcasting equipment for China Central Television, and the observation deck offers incredible panoramic views of the city.
Temple of Heaven
Although the Temple of Heaven sounds on the surface like one to miss for those suffering from temple fatigue, it’s actually an entirely different proposition from most holy sites. As well as having particular historic worth (it was the main centre of worship for the country’s leaders, and ancient emperors would come here to give thanks with offerings), it’s a popular hang out for many local residents, who can often be found singing, dancing and exercising in the surrounding gardens.
National Centre for the Performing Arts
For a more unusual modern structure, China’s holiday makers should look no further than the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Colloquially labelled “The Egg” by locals, it’s a dome of glass and titanium surrounded by an artificial lake. Love or hate the architectural style, it’s certainly a talking point and well worth a visit.
Beihai Park & Houhai District
While central Beijing can be a little on the overwhelming side with its crowds and bustle, the same accusation cannot be levelled at Beihai Park and the nearby Houhai shopping district. The former is an oasis of calm that seems to encourage relaxation, and the latter is a quiet area dotted with quaint little shops and charming restaurants. If the pace of modern Beijing is getting to you, make sure you stop by here on your holiday in China.
There’s plenty more to see here, but this should definitely give you a start. Whether you’re interested in history, art or culture, a luxury holiday in China’s capital cannot be recommended enough.
Travel Guide to Beijing Olympic 2008
Everyone knows that we need 4 Years of waiting to get involve Olympic Games. But now the games are quickly approaching, taking the host by China – one of the powerful countries in the world. Putting the controversy over the host aside, the Beijing Games 2008 is shaping up to be great. The facilities are simply astonishing. The Beijing National Stadium, nick-named the bird-nest, is certainly a unique piece of architecture. Herzog & de Meuron Architekten AG, a Swiss firm, won the bid to begin construction way back in 2003. Their other notable works include the Allianz Arena in Munich and the Tate Modern in London. The venue will have a seating capacity of 80,000.
With a newly designed, high-speed metro train service to help transport tourists to events and main attractions, visitors coming to the ancient metropolis are also presented with a series of user-friendly, innovative travel itineraries on the Beijing event website.
On testing the new train system from the airport terminal, Chinese President Hu Jintao told a group of foreigners that the country was ready to “open its arms and welcome all of the friends of the world to come.” Certainly, the city has not looked more attractive.
Among the must-see attractions, such as the famous Forbidden City – where visitors can stroll through the residences of China’s former emperors – and the monolithic Great Wall of China, the Beijing tourism authority has suggested a number of culinary and nightlife hotspots too.
On the list, include the happening Houhai Bar Street and famous restaurants Kaorou Ji and Dasanyuan. But tourists looking for a taste off the beaten track, should aim for restaurants recommended or populated by locals
Other recommendations include visiting the Drum Tower, Beijing’s ‘Big Ben’ and original time-keeper. Around the tower is an antique market worth exploring and the bustling Hutong fruit market. Other interesting parts of Beijing include the Underground City near Tiananmen Square, a subterranean network built when the country feared Soviet invasion in the 1960s and the Ancient Observatory, an incredibly preserved Tibetan temple.
Despite the full of joys you’ll certainly receive from friendly sport competitions atmosphere, if you have a chance to visit China during Olympic 2008, it might also be decent chance to get to know more about this giant country as every people in China see this world’s major sport event as an opportunity to dazzle the world. Traveling around, Shanghai is one of the China’s top destinations as such.
Beijing Air not the Only Focus During the Olympics
March 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Tourist Attractions
Beijing air quality has been the focus of foreign reporters since a long time ago. Even though Chinese government has tried every means possible to make the air clearer and better, some people still don’t show any trust due to their deep prejudice about the air quality in Beijing. One athlete even declared to wear mask when coming to Beijing in order to protect his lung.
Beijing air been a focus and debate
Just before the Olympic begins, images of the Beijing skyline seemingly bathed smog and haze. The air have been a common sight on the world’s TV screens in recent days and weeks. Foreign journalists with handheld air pollution detectors have been popping up on street corners checking levels of soot and dust. Everyone seems keen to prove that the city’s air will be a decisive and debilitating factor for one of the world’s most high-profile sporting events.
The debate about the Beijing games deserves more fair play than it has received. Indeed, real and, one hopes, long-lasting achievements have been made by the Beijing organising committee for the Olympic games, the city as a whole, the government, and the six provinces concerned. This is all the more remarkable when set against the city’s double-digit economic growth and the fact that the games are being staged in a developing country, with all the social, economic, health, and environmental challenges this entails.
Other things to be considered about besides the Beijing air
There is lots of sports related stuff for people to care about like how the Olympic game opening ceremony is designed. We all fully aware that the Beijing Olympics pops up a lots brilliant design work that make the whole world surprise. Fashion accessories and elements used in the Olympic design need to be studied. Decoration in the bird nest is amazing that we can bring a few elements into home decoration. The cloud torch is the best looking one to my point, as well as the Cotton Fabric with cloud on it.
Beijing air quality getting better with more to be done
Beijing authorities have been keen to improve air quality by the Olympic year. In a bid to meet World Health Organization air pollution standards and live up to its “Green Olympics’” promises, the city implemented new vehicle emissions standards – equivalent to those applied by the European Union – on March 1, and from July, the number of cars allowed on the city’s streets will be reduced.
According to a blue paper on public services and development published in January by the Social Sciences Academic Press, Beijing has enjoyed success in reducing air pollution caused by industry. But to achieve further progress, authorities must now focus on curbing air pollution generated in areas surrounding the capital, an academic has said.
What they (China) have done is extraordinary: planting millions of trees between the Gobi Desert and Beijing, removing hundreds of thousands of polluting cars, closing polluting petrol stations I think they have done a commendable job. The statistics are very clear. The pollution levels are coming down. It is not yet perfect. (But) it is safe for the athletes.”
Rogge had a word of advice on the haze that shrouded Beijing a day before the start of the Olympics, too. There is a difference between the haze enveloping the city and damaging air pollution, he said, rubbishing claims to the contrary.
What you see is the result of “humidity and heat”, he said. It does not mean it “is the same as pollution”.
After winning the right in 2001 to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Beijing has made a lot of efforts to hold a “high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features”.
Rogge is highly satisfied with the preparations. “We have worked very hard with BOCOG for seven years Let me say that we are extremely eager for the Games to start.”
Beijing, Beyond the Olympics
March 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Tourist Attractions
Beijing was the seat of power for various Chinese dynasties throughout history. During the Ming dynasty, the Yongle Emperor built the Forbidden City, a compound surrounded by a moat and walls to enclose some 980 buildings and the palace. It was the home for many emperors and some of their treasures survive to this day and can be seen in the Palace Museum. Due to its significance in Chinese architecture and culture, it was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Beijing also boasts another World Heritage Site in the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is an estate 294 hectares in size renowned for its landscape of gardens, lakes, pavilions and bridges. It was the refuge of peace for many Chinese royals throughout the years.
Another notable Beijing landmark that was the location of a modern day tragedy is Tiananmen Square. Situated just south of the Forbidden City, this immense square measuring 40.5 hectares, many notable events in Chinese history took place. Chief amongst them was the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989 where students and intellectuals made protests against the Chinese government. As a result, and depending on the propaganda source, 200 to 3000 protesters died between April 15 and June 4, 1989. To this day, the square remains a gathering place with other notable landmarks such as the Tiananmen Gate to the north, the national legislature known as the Great Hall of the People to the west, the National Museum of China to the east, the Monument to the People’s Heroes to the south, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in the middle.
But perhaps the most famous landmark of them all is the Great Wall of China. Yes, this too is a World Heritage Site. The Great Wall measures 6,700 km in length and construction first started in 220 BC. Throughout the centuries, it has been built and rebuilt and sections of the Wall are on the outskirts of the Beijing.
The Chinese capital of Beijing truly holds a wealth of history with many more tourist attractions of temples, tombs and gardens. As the Beijing Olympic Games rolls around it will certainly add more luster to its history as well as inheriting world class modern buildings built for the Olympics. What a great blend of the old and the new. This is what makes Beijing such a great place to visit.
