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It is startling how often Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang appears on TV in Beijing. I swear that he is in every third commercial that I see (I can't understand a word of the commercials, but by now I know Liu when I see him).
Although Yao Ming is far bigger globally, I see Liu's visage more in Beijing. And you know what? I would hate to be Liu on Thursday, when the final of the 110-meter hurdles is run. Don't you think the weight of an entire country might drag you down a little?
Staying in Beijing for a couple of weeks will make you long for more available public transportation in more American cities. The subway here costs two yuan (about 30 cents) per ride. Buses are everywhere. The Chinese even frequently share bicycles, riding them two people at a time (and never with helmets).
They really thought hard about the details at the 91,000-seat Bird's Nest stadium. The foot lamps that light the walking paths to the stadium at night all have decorative covers that mimic the Bird's Nest in miniature.
I think the fact that there are 1.3 billion people in China – and they are used to having to be in each other's personal space – translates to the roads in Beijing as well. You wouldn't believe how close the buses and taxis come to one another, nearly clipping each other's side-view mirrors on a routine basis.
