07.11.08
OLYMPIC VENUES
SOLANA MALL
LUCKY STREET
The day was odd. There were redeeming qualities, but overall I was thankful we’re here for almost two weeks.
The morning was consumed by the train station. Oh how we yearn for the day when round-trip tickets can be purchased – or how about ordering tickets on-line!
Anyway, Hubs went to the train station today because it’s 11 days before we leave. In Yichang, tickets go on sale 11 days before departure.
This morning, Hubs took the bus to the subway to the other subway line to the bus to the train station to stand in line – and ask others to stand in line too – only to hear the bitter news that he’d have to come back 4 days before departure.
I suppose we could have done some research and easily figured this out, but we never thought that tickets went on sale at different times in different cities!
No worries. Our only thing on the schedule was to be at the Olympic Stadium by 3 o’clock to queue for practice tickets. We learned that we could buy practice tickets and go inside a venue to see athletes practice.
We would love to go in The Cube to watch some swimmers swim or even The Bird’s Nest to see runners run.
We had the Olympic spirit and were ready to go!
We arrived at 3 o’clock only to find no one creating a queue. No tickets were being sold.
We asked a guard where to get tickets. He informed us that the only way to get inside was just before 8pm on 08.08.08 with an opening ceremonies ticket. Apparently, the Friendship Games were held in March, April and May only. Ugh.
Pollution strikes again. You could see the Bird’s Nest rising out of the haze like a beached whale.
The Cube where all of the swimming events will take place. At night, this beautifully lights up.
The Bird’s Nest – truly awesome.
Since we’ve been back, Hubs and I have both had this conversation repeatedly:
Where did you go travel?
Beijing.
DID YOU SEE THE BIRD’S NEST?!?!?!
Yes, but we couldn’t get inside.
OH!
Note: Not “did you see the Great Wall?” Not “did you eat any delicious Beijing dumplings?” Not “did you run into anyone famous” but “how was The Bird’s Nest?”
The Bird’s Nest is incredible. Even seen from half a kilometer away through a fence.
In order to redeem a day of no train tickets, no Olympic preview tickets, no blue sky, we decided Fat Burger would solve the problem.
Since the Olympic subway line had yet to open, we opted to take a bus to the Solana Mall. Introducing: the bus attendants! These friendly Beijingers come out during the thick of morning and evening traffic dressed in orange to be of service and to keep things efficient.
We asked his kind Beijinger how to get to Solana Mall. She didn’t know so she and her co-worker whipped out a book of every bus line AND every bus stop AND all the main points of interest at those stops. Forget Mao’s Little Red Book, where can I get a copy of this?
Once we found out which bus we needed to take, we got in the appropriate queue. When the bus came near, she lifted her flag to make sure it stopped.
Beijing buses are not required to stop if someone does not need to get off and if no one is in the queue. They zip in and out. I was highly impressed with the bus system. We swiped our card for 4mao (6 cents!) and were on our way.
The new Solana Mall was amazing. I felt like I was in San Francisco. The L.L. Bean store alone caused a double take. After searching high and low, it seems that the Fat Burger that Hubs had read about had yet to open. (Don’t worry Hubs – they’re projecting 25 locations in China by 2010.)
The back of the mall flows into a beautiful park.
Starbucks and Coldstone were open. We seriously considered ice cream for dinner, but then headed across to Lucky Street.
Lucky Street has a wide variety of food: German, Turkish, Japanese, Italian etc.
German it is!
It was hard to make it upstairs to the dining area when there were so many delicious treats in the bakery.
Spitzbuben.
This restaurant was amazing. We ordered more food, but once the potato salad and sausages had arrived, we put away the camera and dug in.
Afterward, we walked across the street to Coldstone because it’s been at least 4 years since we’ve had ice cream on a cold slab. I really wanted something with cookie dough, but alas there was none to be had. We settled for the cheesecake ice cream with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. In the end I’m glad we split the small cup.
Our dysfunctional day ended in a culinary delight! A quick hop on the 682 and we were back at the apartment.
Wow! I am loving your Beijing posts. I have to visit Beijing sometime in my life. Day three was especially nice to read as I loved being reminded of learning about Sun Yat-sen in my Modern East Asia and Pacific Rim History class. Thank you so much for sharing; I felt like I was there =)
How awesome that bus tickets are that cheap. A typical bus ride in Durham (5 min ride to the city centre) is 1.20GBP ($2.40).
Coldstone…I think I’ll have to add another place to my list of places to visit while I’m here in the States. Yum!!!
[...] and only allow one type of restaurant in each bar. Beijing already has that; it’s called Lucky Street. Actually, Houhai already has it as well; it’s called Lotus Lane. That Beijing authorities [...]