The Opening Ceremonies are just underway! The last few days have been hectic getting everything ready. Lots of venue faxing (facilities checking), and even tonight we've been diasgnosing an RF problem between the director of the show and some remote cameras (all is now well).
I think you are in for a treat. The Opening Ceremonies in Athen's cost $28 million to produce, and tonight's ceremonies are rumoured to have cost close to $300 million. Today's date: 08-08-08 is no accident, the number 8 is considered to be lucky in Chinese culture. The show started at 8:00pm and opened with exactly 2008 drummers doing a countdown. The show will also use 30,000 fireworks shells. Wait to you see what they do with the floor of the stadium!
I am in the process of turning around my work hours from noon to midnight, to midnight to noon. I've never had to work nights before, so it should be interesting, not just from a time perspective, but how it will affect sleeping and eating patterns.
Last night I went to bed at 1am, then got up at 6am to go visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City (I'll show you in another post). I got back to the MV at noon and then slept till 4:30pm. I'm not actually due back in to work until midnight tonight, but I wanted to be here for opening ceremonies, and there is a transportation lock down from 6pm to 8pm, so I had to catch a 5pm bus.
I hope you watch and enjoy the Opening Ceremonies!
My company writes software for the communications systems used by many broadcasters, including NBC, who use a large system for covering the Olympics. This is my 6th trip to the Olympics providing support to NBC inside the International Broadcast Centre (IBC), and these are my ramblings on what's going on in Beijing and at the Games.
Weather
Posts
Visitors
3 comments:
Sean... watched some of the opening this morning on CBC - very nicely done - I liked the "lighted" costumes and was not aware that the Chinese invented the compass.. invented printing.. invented explosives...at least that's what CBC indicated.
Hope you're having fun and feeling better.... can hardly wait for an update on local gastronomy -with pictures:)
Haven't had any local food yet, and am a little wary of doing so by myself (have heard some horror stories). The NBC commisary food is just OK, even the Asian cuisine is a little disappointing.
hi sean - so great that you're at the olympics again!
i like reading your stories - thanks for sharing the fun!
if you go to any huge buddha statues, please take some pics :)
enjoy your stay!
marlaine (mike's wife...marc's roomate from uow)
Post a Comment