I went to the Summer Olympics in Beijing. I am doing edit systems maintenance for Athletics (Track and Field) and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the Bird's Nest (National Stadium). Here are a few photos of my experience. (Click a small picture to see a large version of the picture. Click the large picture to return to the small pictures.)
Date(s): 7/30/08 - 8/28/08. Album by Don. 1 - 262 of 262 Total. 10865 Visits.
enlarge 47KB, 800x498 1 Summer Olympics 2008 - Opening Ceremonies Started at 8/8/08 at 8:00 pm. "Just wanted to say thanks ..." "Wonderful photos revealing..." View Comments...
enlarge 97KB, 800x600 2 The journey starts at lovely LAX. I flew to San Francisco, changed planes, then 12 hours to Beijing.
enlarge 47KB, 800x600 3 I am on a plane just like this one in front of us.
enlarge 31KB, 800x600 4 Hello China. This is the last blue sky I will see for days.
enlarge 112KB, 800x600 5 Everything went great on arrival in Beijing until they decided to change the way they do things. We all had to give up our ID and passports so they could be checked one at a time in the security office. We flew in with a few of the American athletes.
enlarge 148KB, 800x600 6 Beijing has a huge beautiful airport with lots of unused space. "The airport we landed at i..." View Comments...
enlarge 94KB, 800x600 7 Where is everybody?
enlarge 149KB, 800x486 8 Here is a shot from GoogleEarth showing the Media Village (where I am staying), the IBC (where I ride the bus to) and the stadium (where I walk to).
enlarge 148KB, 800x486 9 Another GoogleEarth shot showing the 1.2 mile walk from the bus to the NBC compound at the stadium.
enlarge 120KB, 800x600 10 The Media Village consists of twelve 32 story apartment buildings. This is where most of the world's press and broadcasters are staying.
enlarge 97KB, 479x800 11 My room is on the 12th floor.
enlarge 143KB, 800x486 12 GoogleEarth shot showing the Media Village.
enlarge 56KB, 800x600 13 My room for the next month.
enlarge 42KB, 800x600 14 Not a bad room. The air conditioning works great.
enlarge 71KB, 800x343 15 View from my window. The Media Village is on the left and behind me. Most of these buildings are apartments. The main Olympics area is three miles out there.
enlarge 124KB, 800x600 16 Outdoor gathering place at the Media Village.
enlarge 91KB, 800x600 17 Bus ride to work.
enlarge 75KB, 800x600 18 The "5th Ring" freeway.
enlarge 99KB, 800x600 19 Continuing to work.
enlarge 132KB, 800x600 20 The Tennis Stadium
enlarge 123KB, 800x600 21 These guys are everywhere. Their main job seems to be to stand at attention on a box for many hours. They can also be seen marching to and from their box. They do not answer questions. They do not direct traffic. They protect us.
enlarge 121KB, 800x600 22 The Olympic Village, where the athletes live.
enlarge 66KB, 800x398 23 The IBC (Internation Broadcast Center) where the broadcasters have their main studio facilities. NBC has a huge amount of space here.
enlarge 108KB, 600x800 24 Inside the IBC.
enlarge 80KB, 800x600 25 Inside the IBC
enlarge 103KB, 800x600 26 First view of National Stadium or the "Bird's Nest" where I will be working.
enlarge 64KB, 600x800 27 This tower is near the Swimming venue so we joked about it being the high dive. It actually is one end of the cables for the cameras that fly over the Olympics area.
enlarge 60KB, 800x600 28 The "Water Cube" building for Swimming and Diving.
enlarge 84KB, 800x600 29 Concourse between the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. Each of the pods in the tower has a TV studio in it.
enlarge 80KB, 800x600 30 Signs
enlarge 114KB, 709x800 31 Label from bag of pistachios. "Enjoy Use Of The Nature To Provide Precious"
enlarge 109KB, 800x600 32 Opening Night fireworks above our compound next to the stadium
enlarge 88KB, 800x600 33 Co-workers watching fireworks. The fireworks were all around us. Probably the best place for a picture would be a mile away.
enlarge 59KB, 800x390 34 View of the stadium from our compound.
enlarge 105KB, 800x600 35 National Stadium
enlarge 38KB, 800x336 36 We see this light show every night.
enlarge 60KB, 800x600 37 Light Show
enlarge 60KB, 800x600 38 For the Opening Ceremonies I was able to get into the stadium but had a hard time finding a place I could take pictures from.
enlarge 56KB, 800x600 39 Opening Ceremonies
enlarge 115KB, 800x600 40 Opening Ceremonies
enlarge 102KB, 800x600 41 I could get in the halls under the stadium. Here are some of the people involved in the show.
enlarge 87KB, 800x600 42 More people getting ready for their part. I heard there were 15,000 people in the "cast".
enlarge 92KB, 800x600 43 Here are the girls that formed the ring around the center of the stadium for the athletes entrance.
enlarge 67KB, 800x600 44 Show Time!
enlarge 154KB, 800x600 45 I finally got a great spot way up at the top of the stadium with the NBC guys that run the receivers for the wireless cameras.
enlarge 84KB, 800x333 46 Entrance of the Olympic Athletes. This lasted about an hour. Even though I am way up at the top of the stadium, I had to stitch three shots together for this picture. "you could sell that" View Comments...
enlarge 125KB, 800x600 47 The American Team "What? No cowboy hats?" View Comments...
enlarge 154KB, 800x600 48 The Crowd
enlarge 151KB, 800x600 49 The VIP Section
enlarge 75KB, 800x600 50 Stadium Halls
enlarge 91KB, 800x600 51 The Water Cube from the Stadium
enlarge 107KB, 800x600 52 More buses than I have ever seen. This is not even half of them.
enlarge 70KB, 800x600 53 Stadium
enlarge 61KB, 800x600 54 Water Cube
enlarge 87KB, 800x600 55 Morgan Plaza Hotel
enlarge 56KB, 800x600 56 This building has video screens on three sides.
enlarge 128KB, 800x600 57 Water Cube
enlarge 128KB, 800x600 58 There are many pieces of art around the park.
enlarge 73KB, 800x600 64 Back to the Media Village
enlarge 74KB, 800x600 65 Temple at the south end of the Olympic Park
enlarge 111KB, 800x600 66 TV Wires
enlarge 99KB, 800x600 67 Some of the wires from our compound into the stadium.
enlarge 24KB, 798x170 68 Panorama of the Olympic Park
enlarge 117KB, 800x600 69 West entrance to the stadium. Notice the guys at attention on their boxes. They are very good at that.
enlarge 97KB, 800x600 70 Stadium Entrance "Go pick a flower - see wha..." "The Attention Guy is proba..." View Comments...
enlarge 191KB, 800x600 71 Flowers near the stadium.
enlarge 165KB, 800x600 72 Flowers next to our compound.
enlarge 95KB, 800x600 73 Inside the IBC
enlarge 91KB, 800x600 74 Inside the IBC
enlarge 91KB, 800x600 75 Grass Walls
enlarge 163KB, 800x600 76 I wonder how you mow this? "Thats just what I was thin..." "What will happen when grav..." View Comments...
enlarge 108KB, 800x600 77 National Stadium
enlarge 87KB, 800x600 78 National Stadium
enlarge 83KB, 800x600 79 Plaza next to stadium.
enlarge 57KB, 800x600 80 NBC compound from stadium.
enlarge 110KB, 800x600 81 NBC compound.
enlarge 107KB, 800x600 82 Entrance to NBC Compound
enlarge 92KB, 800x600 83 NBC Compound "It always cracks me up how..." View Comments...
enlarge 89KB, 800x600 84 NBC Compound. This is my "office" for the next month.
enlarge 109KB, 800x600 85 NBC Compound
enlarge 67KB, 800x600 86 Avid Editing Rooms
enlarge 54KB, 800x600 87 Avid Editing Rooms
enlarge 92KB, 800x600 88 NBC Compound on a rare sunny day.
enlarge 98KB, 800x600 89 This is where many meetings take place.
enlarge 93KB, 800x600 90 The NBC cafeteria tent.
enlarge 120KB, 800x600 91 Wires between editing rooms. "Which wire is yours?" "That one down there on the..." "Don't laugh, this looks li..." View Comments...
enlarge 182KB, 800x600 92 All the power in our compound is from these two dual generators.
enlarge 54KB, 800x235 93 "TOES" Linear Edit System
enlarge 81KB, 800x600 94 My Room
enlarge 76KB, 800x600 95 The Bird's Nest
enlarge 58KB, 800x600 96 Fountain that dances to music.
enlarge 96KB, 800x600 97 Olympic Flame
enlarge 81KB, 800x600 98 Converting the stadium from Opening Ceremonies to Track and Field. "Yeah, how did they do it, ..." View Comments...
enlarge 115KB, 800x600 99 National Stadium
enlarge 76KB, 800x600 100 National Stadium
enlarge 20KB, 800x81 101 360 degree panorama of Olympic Park. "The best way to view this ..." View Comments...
enlarge 33KB, 800x211 102 Indoor Stadium
enlarge 54KB, 800x235 103 Getting ready for Track and Field.
enlarge 137KB, 800x600 104 After the rain, a beautiful day at the Media Village.
enlarge 142KB, 800x600 105 More Media Village
enlarge 44KB, 800x179 106 Another panorama of the view from my window.
enlarge 126KB, 800x600 107 More view of apartments from my window.
enlarge 112KB, 800x600 108 Apartments next to the Olympic Park.
enlarge 85KB, 800x600 109 Indoor Stadium and Water Cube
enlarge 106KB, 800x600 110 Olympic Park
enlarge 148KB, 800x600 111 Olympic Park
enlarge 69KB, 800x416 112 Today Show set. They go on the air at 7pm (7am in New York).
enlarge 91KB, 800x600 129 Olympic Park at 5:30 in the morning. My day is done.
enlarge 78KB, 800x600 130 Olympic Park at 5:30 in the morning. "Looks like the "eyest..." View Comments...
enlarge 99KB, 800x600 131 The Bird's Nest Stadium
enlarge 76KB, 800x600 132 Sunday afternoon I took the subway past the Olympics and walked back. Here are some shots from the walk.
enlarge 186KB, 800x600 133 These are potted plants made to look like trees. "Very cool! Rhonda 8/20/08" View Comments...
enlarge 79KB, 800x600 134 Street just south of the Olympics.
enlarge 135KB, 800x600 135 This looks like something Jay Leno would drive to work. "I totally want one of thes..." "Looks like a drive-a-ble h..." "Looks like it gets excelle..." View Comments...
enlarge 61KB, 800x600 136 NBC News is located here a few blocks east of the stadium. They have camera locations on the roof where various stations can do stories with the stadium in the background.
enlarge 77KB, 800x600 137 Cafeteria Tent
enlarge 98KB, 800x600 138 See, I really was at the Olympics. "Photoshop can do some amaz..." "I'm sure you hear this all..." "Thanks for the great pics...." "Your good looks are only e..." "Don, looking good. I stood..." View Comments...
enlarge 80KB, 800x600 141 Avid #3 "Dude! Is that Starbucks in..." "Thats going to be me in 20..." View Comments...
enlarge 100KB, 800x600 142 Ray running one of the EVS disk recorders.
enlarge 80KB, 800x334 143 Part of the Tape Room. Strange name because there is very little tape used anymore. Most of the recordings are disk based.
enlarge 181KB, 800x600 144 Back of the camera control units. "I'd really hate to be the ..." "That is the easy part. Thi..." View Comments...
enlarge 129KB, 800x600 145 TOC - Technical Operations Center
enlarge 72KB, 800x600 146 Avid #2 room is on the right.
enlarge 76KB, 800x600 147 "TOES" Edit Suite
enlarge 87KB, 800x600 148 "TOES" Edit Suite
enlarge 90KB, 800x600 149 Art "LOL. Beam me up, Scotty!" "Awesome...mission control ..." View Comments...
enlarge 102KB, 800x600 150 Main control room for Track and Field.
enlarge 75KB, 800x358 151 National Stadium (The Bird's Nest)
enlarge 82KB, 800x600 152 Morgan Plaza Hotel and Water Cube from the Bird's Nest.
enlarge 84KB, 800x436 153 The Bird's Nest
enlarge 143KB, 800x469 154 On Monday I decided to walk to work. GoogleEarth says it is 4.35 miles. It took about 2 hours. I took my time and took lots of pictures.
enlarge 85KB, 800x600 155 The subway (which I took yesterday) next to the Media Village. The giant Lotus store across the street.
enlarge 82KB, 800x600 156 Subway Station
enlarge 104KB, 800x600 157 Ah, now I understand. "ROFL" View Comments...
enlarge 90KB, 800x600 158 Wall O Flowers
enlarge 127KB, 800x600 159 Where I have been.
enlarge 133KB, 800x600 160 Where I am going.
enlarge 106KB, 800x600 161 From one of the foot bridges crossing the street. The north end of the Olympics Park is to my right. I am headed for the south end.
enlarge 73KB, 800x600 162 One of the many flowers along my walk.
enlarge 102KB, 800x600 163 Some of the many apartment buildings. "You've shot some very inte..." View Comments...
enlarge 112KB, 800x600 164 Interesting Sign
enlarge 133KB, 800x600 165 Art
enlarge 100KB, 800x600 166 Yes, here too. "Do they have the 1$ double..." View Comments...
enlarge 112KB, 800x600 167 Another interesting building. "I like how the struts are ..." View Comments...
enlarge 120KB, 800x600 168 Where I am headed. "There's never a bus when y..." View Comments...
enlarge 143KB, 800x600 169 Continuing On
enlarge 92KB, 800x600 170 Would you like a smile with that ticket? "LOL. Why do the police hav..." View Comments...
enlarge 79KB, 799x566 171 The end of a very interesting walk.
enlarge 124KB, 800x600 172 My walk to work on Friday evening. Closing Ceremonies will be Sunday.
enlarge 81KB, 800x600 173 The Today Show just started - 7pm here - 7am East Coast Time.
enlarge 94KB, 800x600 174 Today Show's Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry.
enlarge 105KB, 800x600 175 Olympic Flame at Dusk
enlarge 109KB, 800x600 176 VIP Entrance to Stadium
enlarge 103KB, 799x449 180 Video routing/transmission and video disk recorders.
enlarge 151KB, 800x600 181 Audio and Intercom Routing and Transmission "2008 Beijing Olympic Wirin..." View Comments...
enlarge 93KB, 800x600 182 Audio Console "Thanks for a most interest..." View Comments...
enlarge 97KB, 800x640 183 It's 7am (after working all night) and time for a cold one!
enlarge 117KB, 800x600 184 On Saturday afternoon we had a few hours before we had to be back at work. Erik, John and I decide to pay a quick visit to the Forbidden City.
enlarge 119KB, 800x600 185 A few of our friends in front of the Forbidden City.
enlarge 129KB, 800x600 186 South entrance to the Forbidden City.
enlarge 82KB, 800x390 187 The first courtyard. "So much for "Forbidden"" View Comments...
enlarge 125KB, 800x600 188 Tian'anmen Souvenirs
enlarge 111KB, 800x600 189 We were denied entrance to the Forbidden City. They closed at 5pm.
enlarge 97KB, 800x600 190 Outside the Forbidden City.
enlarge 85KB, 800x600 191 Keeping Watch
enlarge 96KB, 800x600 192 We came across a student art exhibit. Lisa has never been out of China but speaks English very well. She is painting Chinese characters for me.
enlarge 135KB, 800x600 193 Even though the Frobidden City was closed, there are some beautiful parks to take in. "So, do the trees just up a..." View Comments...
enlarge 140KB, 800x600 194 Old and New
enlarge 159KB, 800x600 195 Park next to the Forbidden City. After this we had some excellent dumplings and a cab ride to work.
enlarge 74KB, 800x600 196 One more shot of the Water Cube, Indoor Stadium, Fencing Hall and the IBC
enlarge 48KB, 798x183 197 Panorama of the Closing Ceremonies "Where's Waldo???" View Comments...
enlarge 127KB, 800x600 198 Some of the 91,000 people in attendance.
enlarge 128KB, 800x600 199 London put on a great preview of the 2012 Olympics.
enlarge 133KB, 800x600 200 The top and sides of the double-decker bus lowered to reveal Jimmy Page playing Whole Lotta Love.
enlarge 126KB, 800x600 201 Closing Ceremonies
enlarge 139KB, 800x600 202 Closing Ceremonies
enlarge 153KB, 800x600 203 Closing Ceremonies
enlarge 125KB, 800x600 204 The Closing Ceremonies ended with a huge fireworks show which I couldn't see because of my location. But I sure could hear it!
enlarge 62KB, 800x450 205 Edit Systems Maintenance Credits
enlarge 95KB, 800x600 206 The Beijing Olympics are over, the big screen TV's are dark and (almost) everybody has gone home.
enlarge 137KB, 800x600 207 Everybody has left except us worker bees who have to pack everything up to be shipped.
enlarge 92KB, 800x600 208 Moving Out
enlarge 108KB, 800x600 209 Moving Out
enlarge 73KB, 800x600 210 The Sleeping Wall of Fame "I lol'd" View Comments...
enlarge 99KB, 800x600 211 Basic drawing of the EVS systems at the Olympics. "Wow! XT server / recorede..." View Comments...
enlarge 70KB, 800x600 212 I know it didn't come in this box, but I think we can ship it out in this box.
enlarge 124KB, 800x600 213 The Circus Leaves Town
enlarge 40KB, 800x600 214 An edit system used to be here.
enlarge 135KB, 800x533 215 On the night after the Closing Ceremonies the Edit Maintenance engineers got together to celebrate and drive some gocarts. This photo is from the U-Speed web site.
enlarge 84KB, 800x600 216 On Tuesday Peter and I took the subway and bus to the Summer Palace.
enlarge 87KB, 800x600 217 The Beijing subway near the end of the line.
enlarge 110KB, 800x600 218 The Summer Palace. Construcetd in 1750 as a place of leisuer for the emperors and empresses. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. In 1924 it was opened as a public park.
enlarge 54KB, 800x600 219 Kunming Lake
enlarge 113KB, 600x800 220 The Long Corridor which runs along the lake shore is almost 7 football fields long.
enlarge 152KB, 800x600 221 The Long Corridor has magnificent paintings for the entire length.
enlarge 168KB, 800x600 222 The Tower of Buddhist Incense and a flower elephant.
enlarge 165KB, 800x600 223 Paintings at the Summer Palace.
enlarge 176KB, 800x600 224 Arch at the Summer Palace.
enlarge 104KB, 800x600 225 We took a boat tour of the lake.
enlarge 105KB, 800x600 226 Summer Palace from the boat.
enlarge 91KB, 800x600 227 Peter taking another award winning photograph.
enlarge 139KB, 800x600 228 Paintings in the Long Corridor.
enlarge 135KB, 800x600 229 The Summer Palace
enlarge 111KB, 800x600 230 Some of the 100 steps up to the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.
enlarge 119KB, 800x600 231 The Summer Palace
enlarge 132KB, 800x600 232 The Summer Palace
enlarge 110KB, 800x600 233 View from the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.
enlarge 145KB, 800x600 234 The Revolving Archives
enlarge 136KB, 600x800 235 The Grand Theatre
enlarge 145KB, 800x600 236 The Summer Palace
enlarge 141KB, 800x600 237 We saw this plaque many times: "Help protect the cultural relics. Help protect the railings."
enlarge 85KB, 800x600 238 The Summer Palace and Kunming Lake.
enlarge 118KB, 600x800 239 On Wednesday Erik, Peter and I went to the Great Wall of China. We took a chair lift from the parking lot to the wall. Here are the rules for the chair lift. "you should send this in to..." "I did. They didn't publis..." View Comments...
enlarge 140KB, 800x600 240 Taking the chair lift to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.
enlarge 67KB, 800x600 241 Our first view of the wall.
enlarge 79KB, 800x600 242 The Great Wall of China
enlarge 90KB, 800x580 243 Inside a guard tower.
enlarge 98KB, 800x600 244 Stand Guard
enlarge 139KB, 800x600 245 Eirk and Peter on the sloping steps.
enlarge 116KB, 800x528 246 I really was at The Wall.
enlarge 109KB, 800x600 247 Art "Love the frame!" View Comments...
enlarge 129KB, 800x600 248 Walking the Wall
enlarge 127KB, 800x600 249 More Wall
enlarge 184KB, 800x600 250 The trip back down the mountain. "THAT LOOKS LIKE SO MUCH FU..." View Comments...
enlarge 124KB, 800x600 251 Street Vendors
enlarge 146KB, 800x600 252 Peter being separated from his money.
enlarge 81KB, 800x541 253 The freeway sign says All Clear.
enlarge 46KB, 800x600 254 The trip back from The Wall.
enlarge 102KB, 800x533 255 Peter, Erik, John and Don at the Red Capital Restaurant
enlarge 122KB, 800x600 256 Thursday morning at Beijing International Airport. The largest airport in the world, depending on who you ask.
enlarge 60KB, 800x600 257 Here is my ride home. I like the windshield covers.
enlarge 26KB, 800x600 258 Goodbye Beijing
enlarge 36KB, 800x600 259 We left Beijing at noon on Thursday. Now it is sunrise on Thursday again.
enlarge 79KB, 800x600 260 Hello USA. This is Monterey Bay.
enlarge 87KB, 800x600 261 You have just experienced a month in the life of Don at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. "Amazing, amazing, amazing!..." "Thank you for all of the f..." "Don, I can't express how w..." ""Fantabulous"!!!..." "Your picture-taking awesom..." "Visitops Rules -- 1)Take p..." "Don, fantastic job!!! Wha..." View Comments...
enlarge 57KB, 799x571 262 Emmy for Beijing Olympics
