A Few Thoughts:

Betsy and I are back at work.  Jessie and Katy back at school.  The short statement Jessica is the most decorated US Track and Field Athlete for the US at the 2008 Paralympics.  We are very proud of Jessica and also very glad to be back in New Jersey.

This weekend was the harvest festival, that means people visit the city and celebrate. The crowds were overwhelming.  We left extra early this AM to get to the stadium before all the people took to the subways but it was crowded everywhere (a lot of pushing and shoving, not Miss. Betsy's cup of tea; we are ready to come home to the good life in Hillsborough).  The day was long.  Left the hotel at 6AM and got back at 8PM.  Jessie did the 1500 pre-lim and the 200M Final in the AM and the 800M final in the evening session.  It was expected to place second in the 200M.  She performed well sub 17 but got second and the Chinese women bettered Jessica's World Record time.  The 800M however was a heartbreaker losing by less than 1/1000 of a second was hard for all of us (Published time for the race is tied with the winner).  I don't have pictures because the race was so exciting I mistakenly turned off the record button.  You would have been proud , however, to see Jessie came roaring from 15 meters behind (and I thought won but the electronic pic's confirmed the loss).  Amanda McGrory placed 3rd and Cheri Blauwett in 4th.  The race was very slow at 1:57+ so Jessie's World Record Time of 1:49.88 is well in hand.  This slow pace is typical for an 800M at a big event; no one wants to take the race out and be the rabbit and lose.  Jessie had beaten the Chinese athlete in the 400M and the 200M.  Welcome to racing at the elite level where anything can happen on any day.   

1. Weather has been great the past 3 days. Low to mid 80's. Sunny, no Smog.

2. Subway System gets you everywhere and now that we know the Lines better it is great.

3. There are bargains if you fight for them.  Pearls, Suits, Coats, Shirts, etc..... 

4. The Food in the Night Market looks just as bad as it did on TV during the Olympics.

5. Christine is our Hero; she ate the Scorpions and Beetles in the Market.  The Scorpions are alive before you drop them in boiling oil.

6. McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut are Big Here.

7. The Venues are packed for every event, quite exciting.

1. It Rains a lot here!

2. It Rains a lot here

3. It is smoggy!

4. They have a lot of people !  18 million just in Beijing and an additional 1 Million non-residents come and go each day.

5. The City is huge.  Has to be at least 3 times the size of New York.

6. Transport is easy.  Great Subway and only 33 cents a trip.  With a Paralympic ticket (to and from the Hotel) it is free.

7. The Stadium seats 91,000 and it is full for every session.  Much different from Athens and Sydney where 10,000 was a normal turn out per session.

8. The great Wall is long and a tough clime just to get to it and then a very steep hike once on it.

9. The people are fantastic.

10. There are 850 volunteers a day working around the city to make Beijing easy to get around for the disabled.  We took Jessie on the Subway the other day and at least 8 volunteers helped her get on and off the lifts and subways.  When we got on the subway they radio ahead and another 8 were waiting at the station to help get us to the street.  Pretty cool!  I thought we had a lot of volunteers with the 650 or so for our games Beijing has 1,000,000 helping!!!!!!

11. Cabs are very in expensive but you need cards with the place you are going written in Chinese.

12. Chinese food is different from our normal Chinese restaurant menus.  (I want a number 5 > Roast Pork Lo Mein and can’t find it).

13. Food is good however.  For Breakfast we have Eggs, Bacon, Tea/Coffee, Juices, Dim sum, California rolls, Fruit, assorted rolls, and some soup I can’t make hide nor hair of what it is.

14. Driving in New Jersey is a easy compared to here.  You share the road with cars, buses, and thousands of bikes and gas scooters.

15. All buses are electric.

16. The manufacturing of Silk if fantastic….

17. There are bargains but you have to “work” the transaction with the vendors.

18. Today is Wednesday the 10^th and we have been here since the 5^th and this is the first day I can see the Sun!  Hope it a good omen for tonight’s 400 final! 

19. Beer in the Stadium is between 33 cents and 2 dollars a glass depending on brand (Bud is about 1 dollar).  A Big Mac Meal is around 4 dollars. 

20. The Chinese love Kentucky Fried Chicken.