So, was it worth it?

With the Olympics now in our rear-view mirror, it’s time to answer the $40 billion question.
Was it worth it?
China spent $43 billion on these Games, more than doubling the previous record of $15 billion for the 2004 Games in Athens. The government shut down hundreds of factories across northern China and pulled half of the [...]

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The Sports Burka

BEIJING – One of the many things that makes the Olympics great is that at some point in the Games you are guaranteed to see something you’ve never seen before.
I’m not talking about watching a man run faster than anyone in the history of the world, even after slowing to a jog and beating his [...]

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The Bird’s Nest

BEIJING – Don’t we look great together?
I’ve never had a crush on a building before, but when I saw the National Stadium in Beijing, I just knew.
It’s the prettiest building I’ve ever seen. And the most photogenic. Trust me. I have 137 photos of it.
And it looks perfect in all of them.
I know what you’re [...]

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Heineken House

BEIJING – A few weeks ago, this building was an agricultural exhibition center.
It’s the size of a small convention center, or a very large sports bar.
On August 8th, the place turned into a giant beer hall, dance club, and ticket dispensary, and it will stay that way until the Closing Ceremony. It’s called the Holland [...]

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The seventh fight of the day

BEIJING – The opponent came out first, to polite applause.
His name happened to be Joe Murray, and he happened to be representing Great Britain. But none of that mattered much. No one had come to the Worker’s Gymnasium that day to see Joe Murray.
The man they were waiting for came out moments later, and a [...]

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