That security would be ramped up in China before the Beijing Olympics was to be expected and is entirely normal.

My abiding memory of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City – just a few months after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. — is of removing and putting back on my heavy winter boots several times a day at security checkpoints.

The experience of my wife and son at Qingdao airport yesterday, however, suggests that even security precautions can sometimes go a little too far.

After spending a couple of days at the seaside in the city that will host the sailing for the Beijing Games next month, three-year-old Max had packed his bucket and spade along with other favourite toys in a little plastic suitcase for the journey back to the Chinese capital.

Having successfully negotiated the metal detector, he was with his mother waiting for the bags to reappear from the X-ray machine.

“You have a weapon,” the female security guard said to my wife.

Sal, I must stress, is largely a law-abiding citizen of the People’s Republic and has no previous record of involvement with gun-running or hijacking. She adopted the internationally-understood facial expression for confusion.

“You have a weapon,” the security guard repeated and, as if to clarify, pointed at a poster on the wall that pictured an array of hand guns and an AK-47. “We have seen it.”

Still confused, Sal opened Max’s suitcase for inspection. 

Casting aside the Woody and Buzz Lightyear action figures, the Kung Fu Panda DVD and several Disney-themed colouring books, the guard seized upon Max’s bright red and orange plastic water pistol, raising it triumphantly into the air.

“You cannot have this,” she said with a certainty that brooked no argument.

Not wanting to upset Max before the flight, Sal gestured for the guard to quickly put the 10 yuan toy out of sight, which she did. 

The skies above China were safe once again. 

Picture of an unorthodox police drill in Taiyuan this week by REUTERS/stringer 

Photographer David Gray took his weekly trip down to the Bird’s Nest today and fortunately after couple of horribly polluted days, the skies were relatively clear. 

On top of the ’nest’ he captured this inflatable structure.

The stadium is now effectively shut down to visitors because of the secrecy surrounding the preparations for the opening ceremony, which everyone is expecting to be a spectacular affair.   

Could this could be something to do with that? Or a security tent? Or the mother of all bouncy castles? 

Picture by David Gray, who else?    

Wong How Man is one of China’s best known and most active explorers, whose accomplishments include an expedition that discovered a new source of the Yangtze, China’s longest river.   

More recently the Hong Kong native and his group, China Exploration & Research Society, have taken on a number of conservation projects in Tibetan areas of China — work that helped him land a spot as an Olympic torch runner last week.

Wong, one of Time magazine’s Asian heroes, carried the torch briefly on a section of the route in Qinghai province — home to many Tibetans — on June 23, opting for the lower-key destination to draw attention to his work rather than the more controversial leg in Tibet.

He wrote an e-mail about his experience to Reuters Taiwan bureau chief, Doug Young:

Q: Can you give some quick thoughts on the experience?   

A: Outside of Everest and Lhasa, this is highest relay site (Shangri-la is about same elevation as Qinghai Lake).  Again, not counting Everest, this is only site in a natural setting and synonymous with much of my work, dealing with nature, wildlife and culture.  

Q: What were some of the most enduring memories you took away from your participation?  

A: We had 162 torchbearers at this site, each running for 38 meters.  Took me exactly 38 steps and just under half a minute …. like to think that is the most important 38 meters I have run, but then my final approach to both the Yangtze and Mekong sources also count as important, if not more so. 

It was great to see that those 15 nominated by Coca-Cola came from all walks of life, including many many young people and students.  I at first thought most candidates would be gov’t officials monopolizing the few places, and that turned out to be not the case.  Met many wonderful people, from different parts of China …. but the best positions, at the starting point and finish line, were all kept for local Tibetans …. that is great arrangement.  There were also a couple of foreign runners.  

Q: Did you feel any political element in what you were doing, or did this seem like a purely non-political event? Do you think people will criticize you for taking part in such a controversial relay and, if so, what would you say to the critics?  

A: Too many police escorts and security measures, making an otherwise festive event into a high risk occurance. This I must blame on people who over-politicize the torch run.  I have conducted dozens of projects in Tibetan areas over almost 30 years if I care to count them. 

But I think if we were to take out all the noisemakers from those who have actually contributed definitively to betterment of Tibet and Tibetans, I am afraid we may be left with a decimal point of what all those involved in the Tibetan cause and movement.  This is the most political torch run I have seen in my adult life. 

China has improved a great deal since my first visit 34 years ago.  Though there are still much room for improvements, I have seen tremendous changes, especially over the last ten years.  But outsiders who knew little are not only impatient, but at times down right ignorant! 

I have a center run all by Tibetan staff, except one staff who belongs to another minority group.  We have great trust and respect for each other, so I feel a bit more entitled to speaking up, ready to be in the crossfire.  The few who made complaints or disturbances have compromised all other Tibetans, and put us backward in progress and peace for the entire Tibetan region.  

Q: Was there any media at the event? Do you think this will help draw attention to some of the causes that you’ve been working with these last few years?   

A: I did not usually talk to media … this is one of the few exceptions … I get more done by doing it quietly … noisemakers have little time remaining to act …

Q: Why is it important for you to “discover” the sources of these major rivers in China? Do you think China minds the fact that a non-Chinese is leading these important discovery expeditions in China?  

A: I am Chinese, born and raised in Hong Kong, educated in the US, and hope to contribute to the advancement of China and betterment of all Chinese.  Almost all great rivers of Asia starts from the Tibetan plateau.  I believe we can all protect these sacred places together, as their drainage area affects hundreds of millions of people, maybe over a billion….  

Picture of schoolchildren with homemade torches in in Huzhou, Zhejiang province by China Daily, enthusiastic crowd in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province by Reuters stringer.

No matter how many records are broken or who takes home the most gold at the Beijing Games, one group of people will stick around as some of the city’s greatest unsung heroes: its traffic wardens.

Posted at hundreds of intersections across the city, these men and women have the thankless task of trying to bring a bit more order to Beijing’s infamously chaotic streets.

Armed with only flags, whistles and their own zeal, they try with varying degrees of success to prevent particularly pedestrians and cyclists from flouting the rules. (Without any real authority, they have to leave cars to the cops.)  

Some stick to a crisp blow of a whistle and wave of the flag, bringing cyclists to a halt at red lights, then waving them on as if for the start of a race when they turn back to green.

Others cajole, chatting up pedestrians on the virtues of waiting one’s turn or cracking jokes with regular passersby. And then there are the shouters, who take their jobs so seriously they jeer jaywalkers for their lack of civilised behaviour and the potential danger they’re creating.  

In a way, they’re the ones who deserve a medal, breathing in the often noxious air day by day as they grapple head-on with the widespread disregard for traffic rules, trying to raise awareness with every wave of the flag, every whistle, every red light.

Picture by David Gray

A hot topic conversation these days amongst my friends is Beijing’s enormous new airport terminal, often incorrectly referred to as the new airport.

And opinions are very divided. It generates strong views — people either love it, or hate it. There seems to be little middle ground.

Personally, I’m not a fan. For a start, it’s way too big. To get to and from the international section, you have to take a little train. Fun if you have the time, but a drag if you are in a hurry to get out of the airport and on with your life.

The much vaunted promises of better shops and restaurants also appear to have been ignored, aside from the arrival of the city’s first Burger King outlet, a much welcome addition.

At least when it comes to one gripe, poor serivce, the message does seem to be getting through to some of the staff ahead of the Beijing Olympics. On a recent flight, the lady checking me in gave me a broad smile once I had completed the proceedures, and wished me a pleasant trip. It was such a surprise, it put me in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Still, I have found a way to avoid all the problems associated with the new terminal — use the two older ones. Since Terminal Three opened, Terminals One and Two have been relatively deserted.

They are much more compact, making getting to and from the gate a breeze, have a good selection of restaurants in the basement, and there are still a large number of destinations you can fly to from there.

The international side of Terminal Two these days is especially unhurried.  So my suggestion? Sure, go and admire the amazing architecture of Terminal Three, but when it comes to flying, stick with the much nicer old terminals.  

Photos by China Daily (top) and Jason Lee.

I caught up with IOC vice president Thomas Bach for an interview the other day in his Berlin office.

Bach has been one of the most eloquent opponents of any boycott of the Summer Olympics in Beijing — leading a lightning pro-Games campaign earlier this year when tensions in Tibet flared.

The man who won a gold medal in fencing for West Germany in 1976 in Montreal was more than happy to talk openly in his soft southern German accent about a wide range of issues.  

But the smile disappeared from Bach’s face when I asked about comments last week from Zhang Qingli, Tibet’s Chinese Communist party boss: “We will certainly be able to totally smash the splittist schemes of the Dalai Lama clique.”  

Bach had already seen the remarks made in conjunction with the Olympic torch relay through the Tibetan capital, Lhasa.  

“I don’t consider that to be an acceptable formulation, especially at the Olympic torch relay,” Bach said. “It’s essential that one carefully chooses the right words — there is after all a dialogue going on now with representatives of the Dalai Lama. And that evidently did not happen here. That is not the type of language that is appropriate for the dialogue and for the Olympic torch relay.”  

Bach said German Olympians would be free to express their opinions about any issues at all in China — but political demonstrations are forbidden.

“One has to respect the position of the athletes, and by that I mean any position they have.”  

Bach is certain the Olympics have already contributed to a great opening of China and believes the effects will be lasting.

“The Games are definitely contributing to an opening in China. There’s already been a considerable development and the Games will further that development. When 25,000 journalists, hundreds of thousands of overseas visitors and 10,000 athletes from 205 nations come into a country and communicate with the people, all that will leave an impact on Chinese society.  

But Bach acknowledges that the IOC has little say in what happens in China after the Olympics are over.  

“We’re not the supra-national government of any country or the world. What’s important is that the Games make a contribution to promote communication, understanding and dialogue — and on those counts to leave a lasting impact on Chinese society. That is the task at hand for the Games and that goal will be fulfilled.”

Picture of Bach (top) by Alex Grimm, Zhang (bottom, left) by Nir Elias

Former Olympic champion Cathy Freeman, the darling of the Sydney Games in 2000, was in Beijing at the weekend with a few words of advice for Liu Xiang.

I also asked her about pollution and, although she is now long-retired, I think her reply might still reflect the attitude of many of the top athletes coming to Beijing. 

“When you become that focused, you don’t really pay that much attention to elements that you can’t control like weather or pollution,” she said.

“In my career I ran in countries where it was 45 degree (Celsius) heat and incredibly polluted but you deal with what you have to deal with.

“The fact that it is an Olympic Games should help you rise to the occasion. Sure, it’s a concern but it’s an Olympic Games.”

Picture by David Gray

China has appealed to residents to take “green” transport ahead of the Olympics, casting the city’s pledge to provide clean air and unclogged roads as a civic “duty”.      

I used to take green transport to work, cycling a round trip of 14 miles five days a week in the cooler months, and three days a week in the summer.

And then, last week, my bike got nicked from inside the Central Academy of Fine Arts. I have lost count, but this was either the sixth or seventh bike my family has had stolen since arriving in Beijing in 2003.      

China is home to a world-record 470 million bicycles, but theft is widespread. A common topic of discussion among bike owners is the latest loss, despite chains and padlocks, either in the street or in the lobbies of high-rise apartment blocks.      

Selling stolen bicycles is big business in China, prompting buyers to turn to the second-hand market to minimise their loss should their bike be stolen.      

“In this vicious cycle, those who steal bicycles and sell them on the black market benefit while urban residents suffer,” the China Daily said in December.      

My bike was a red Giant and it got me to work in 35 minutes in peak hours, compared to sometimes double that by car. If anyone thinks they’ve seen it, I’d be grateful if you’d give me a call.

Photo by Reinhard Krause

I’m glad the talk about an Olympic boycott has died and I hope it stays dead for good.The Olympics are about competition and the dreams of some of the world’s finest young men and women. Politics have to be involved just due to the sheer size of the event but governments must resist the urge to take a front seat.

In 2001, it was politicians who picked Beijing to host the Olympics, despite some serious concerns over China. Now, it’s time to take responsibility for that decision.

An athlete doesn’t and shouldn’t care much about where the Games are. Athletes spend a decade or more working for what proves in most cases to be once in lifetime shot and governments would do better bowing their heads in respect.

I guess the ultimate question is who do you compete for? Your country? Not me. I did it for myself first and probably even second. Then came family, friends and coaches. Country, even in the idealistic sense of the word, wouldn’t make top three.

My country became interested in me only once I started making a name on the international scene. By then, my mother had spent ten years financing my hobby, three high school coaches spent four years dealing with my teenage ego and a university spent $90,000 financing my education. I spent weekends on endless bus rides to competitions and sacrificed countless summer breaks to chase a dream.

I was six when I first declared that I want to become an Olympian. The 1980 Moscow Games were in full swing then and radio broadcast them day and night. I didn’t really know what the Olympics were about but the magic touched me through the airwaves. I even stunned my kindergarten teacher when I said I had to rush home to listen to the Olympic broadcast.

It’s ironic that the Moscow games, my first memory of sports, were boycotted by dozens of nations which then led to another boycott four years later in Los Angeles.

I don’t argue against a boycott because sports are holy and stand above politics. (Although they do.) I argue against it because the ultimate investment in the success of the Olympics was made by thousands of families and not those who claim the right to decide. If you boycott, you don’t ruin China. You ruin the lives of some of your best citizens.

I’m not unhappy with how my country treated me. It did its job perfectly. It supported me while I wore the national jersey and took pride in me when I succeeded. But dozens of people invested much more in me when I was at best an unbroken colt.

I owe most to those who supported me out of loving and caring and governments owe respect to those who wear their uniforms in Beijing.

Let politicians boycott. Let them skip the opening ceremony, let them make a statement and take a stand. But they don’t have the right to destroy dreams.

Balazs Koranyi was an Olympic semi-finalist at the 1996 and 2000 Games for Hungary and since 2004 has been a Budapest-based correspondent, covering mainly political and business news. He will cover the Beijing Games for Reuters.  

Picture of a demonstration in Taipei in March by REUTERS/Nicky Loh  

Fifty days before the Games open and Beijing was blanketed in smog on Thursday. 

Photographer David Gray went to take some pictures of the Bird’s Nest from a nearby apartment block and this is what he saw.

Photo by David Gray, of course.