Inside the Bird's Nest 08-08-08 for Opening Ceremony

On the morning of Opening Ceremony (08-08-08 A.M.) had breakfast with Paulo, a fun Brazilian from our hostel. Departed from the comfy and cozy area of our hostel in the Nan Luo Gu Xiang Hotung (alley) around 9:30 AM to join masses of wandering Chinese outside of the Olympic Green area. We were directed then redirected again AND again by lines of military police. Although many people might have come a long distance I was the only non-Chinese. Hmmm I thought, as we were told to walk in another direction, there certainly are not many decisions that I can make. I did get to cross a bridge and get close to the Bird's Nest gate and saw a few anglo looking roller skaters pass by, had my picture taken often and was interviewed by several TV crews. Then, after hours, saw the first official looking volunteers who spoke only Mandarin. As I walked further it became clear that the goal for those in charge of crowd control was to confuse us and to get us further and further away! As a law-abiding citizen I followed their command. Then after another mile of walking and being told to walk back in the direction which I came, I actually saw a lone "lost cab" on an empty, yes empty guarded street! Did have to break ranks and surpass the police to hail the cab down, but got a ride back to the subway area where I started. Ahhh these olympic rings or circles have a new symbolism for "mois"!!! By 5:00PM thousands of ticket holders were passing me and how were they to know that I needed a ticket? I had to make a sign but there were no other people with signs! Were all these guards keeping others from making signs? Were there new rules for the olympics? I didn't know, but I made my sign anyway while I wondered where all the Olympic foreigners were. Then I saw a guy dressed like Elvis with a sign, whew. I saw more foreigners, whew, a little olympic craziness, finally! By the time a man from Saudi Arabia who had an extra ticket came to me, it was close to the time for the Opening Ceremony. His first offer I didn't take. I don't carry much cash. Then, am sure he wanted to enter the national stadium bird's nest with his ticket so he came down to a bit lower than face value, AND MY SPIRIT SOARED!

I had a flashback of Opening Ceremony 1968 as I rounded the corner for entry. I walked a few steps further and sheez, I saw an old olympic friend, Randy, with open arms. He was with a bunch of Olympic Pin Traders from Atlanta. They were all wearing the same olympic shirt as my AOB uniform from Atlanta '96 (which I didn't bring because I am traveling so light.) What a buzz. Couldn't talk for a long time but Randy said he didn't have a ticket for the opening and the police let them stay there, so close to the Olympic Green entrance without moving them on. Leave it to Randy! He was concerned that I might not get in because of all the fear of matching passport pictures on tickets and counterfit tickets. "We'll be here if you don't get in so join us at a nearby big screen!" HauGEEla!!!