One World One Dream...

BEIJING, BEIJING, BEIJING...

Olympics 2008 has transformed Beijing into a very different city.

Yes! I made it to Beijing.
After seeing the impressive Olympic display and fantastic looking venues on the telly and Brix's photos from his Beijing trip, it's hard not to pay a visit to Beijing...especially no excuse when I was visiting Hong Kong, and it's less than 4 hours away.



The Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed Birds Nest, is as impressive a structure as I have imagined it. Designed by Swiss Architects Herzog & DeMeuron, took under five years to construct, was the stage for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the field events. Cant quite figure out the logic of the frame and it appears to be over-structured...but it's such a marvellous space to be in. The fun National Aquatics Centre, known as the Water Cube, is also available for visiting. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get in due to entry fee costing more than the Forbidden City... and I chose the Birds Nest out of the two. The Cube apparently is the first polyhedron steel structure to be built based on the water bubble theory, and also the only closed public building entirely clad in an outer membrane. It changes colour due to the LED lights installed in every 'bubble', but it didnt change colour when I was there.















Construction are still visible everywhere in Beijing but the whole city underwent almost a complete transformation for the Olympics.










A lot of the old Hutongs (old alleyways) and traditional quadrangle houses were demolished to make way for new malls, roads, subways, office buildings, terminal, Beijing National Theatre, CCTV building, etc.
Gone are the days when there were more bicycles than motor cars. Not many Hutongs left where the local people can mingle, gather and play chess. Traditional houses have been replaced by rows and rows of high-rise. It's frightening how much Beijing has changed in the last 10 years.

Good job the Great Wall, Forbidden City and some quadrangle houses are preserved and left for the next generations to enjoy and appreciate.