China--Ready for the Olympicsby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 14 Jul 2008 01:20 PM Don't call it a makeover. Chinese officials say what they did to their capital in preparation for next month's Summer Olympic Games is beyond a mere renovation. They consider it nearly a complete overhaul. Beijing has had seven years to get ready for the 2008 Summer Games and officials there say they've made good use of the time and are ready for visitors to start pouring in. English-language and anti-spitting lessons (one of the government's slogans is: "Spitting kills even more than an atomic bomb.") along with tutorials in personal hygiene were required for everyone from taxi cab drivers to doormen at local hotels. Entire neighborhoods were ripped down and rebuilt and now the ancient Chinese capital looks like it has been transformed into a scene from the Jetsons. Neon-electric futuristic landmarks made of concrete, glass and steel have replaced dilapidated slums. Even Beijing's International Airport got a massive upgrade. The facility's Terminal 3 is now the world's largest. If you are planning a trip to China for the Olympics or beyond you can expect to see cash machines on every block (they replace the squatters, which lined streets in years past), upscale hotels, world-class restaurants, new art galleries, top-rated boutiques, updated nightclubs, clean cabs, new buses and more subway lines. And something else about those new restaurants... according to city officials, many are now displaying color photos of their dishes on their menus so those who don't speak fluent Chinese don't have to guess what they are sinking their chopsticks into. While the ancient Forbidden City is still a must-see so too is Beijing's new architectural jewel---the 91,000-seat, $450 million National Stadium. Its nickname is the Bird's Nest because of the latticework of steel beams wrapped around the exterior. It will host the opening and closing ceremonies plus the track and field events. Visitors without Olympic tickets will only be able to admire it from afar, but once the games are over tourists will be able to tour it for a lot less than the cost of an Olympic pass. Will you be traveling to Beijing for the Olympics? Related Articles: Pre-and-Post Olympic Tours of China China's Airport---What To Expect If You Are Going To The Olympics Can You Still Get a Hotel Room in China During the Olympics? Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevanttravel tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags Beijing, china, hotels, Summer Olympics, Summer Olympic Games Discuss this article
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