We arrived at Beijing's Olympic Park right before sundown on National Day. There was still enough light to snap a few good shots of the famed bird's nest before the sky began to darken & the National Stadium was illuminated by a soft red glow, while the cool bubbles on the outside of the National Aquatics Center slowly changed color from blue to red to green.
The color show was impressive, as were the buildings themselves. The Olympic Park grounds were huge, & filled with masses of Chinese people enjoying the holiday. We passed several people selling kites, & a man who did an impromtu tai chi performance. Lots of people tried to discretely take pictures of us, the foreigners. By this time, Debra was getting used to the star status that comes with being a foreigner in China, & we both happily posed for the cameras.
It's such an interesting experience to finally see something in real life that you've only seen on TV or in pictures. Beforehand, you have an idea of what it looks like or what it is, but somehow it's not like it's a real thing. But when you are able to put that place in the context of its surroundings, with all the people, the sounds & smells, & the weather to go with it, it becomes more than real. It becomes a part of your past, forever linked to your memories of you.
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