Is Beijing Ready for the Olympics?

6:00 PM, I got on board flight MU5121 from Shanghai to Beijing. I noticed that the seats of business class in front of the airplane was changed (I fly economy). It is very like those on ANA - with automatic controlled position adjustment system. I remember in Pudong Airport, there was an advertisement that Air China has upgraded its first class from Beijing/Shanghai to Chicago and Europe flights. It seems the airlines are getting ready to the Olympics.

Airport and from Airport to Hotel

Beijing's Airport finally started construction. The square before the airport is a construction site now. I don't know what they are building, but it seems to be a big project.

Along the Airport Express, I noticed on the right hand (west of the express), walls have been built. They are those walls to separate the construction site. Near the Ring 4 Road, I found out new poles of via-duct is under construction. It seems to me that a railway from downtown city to Beijing airport. I searched and confirmed that a city link will be built, just as the one used in Vancouver in Canada.

OK. OK. I saw some construction with my own eyes in Beijing, anyway. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying Beijing is not under construction. I mean, I was not able to go to the Olympics Park near the 5th Ring Road by myself, and I didn't see the almost-completed stadiums and other facilities. I am always a quick passenger of Beijing, and it always means Airport and hotel for me. Finally, I see huge construction related with Olympics.

The taxi driver is still the same. He was in exteremely bad mood when I get on to his taxi and told him I am just going to the 3rd Ring Road. I hate to get on board a taxi when I am going to place near the airport, but do I have other choice? I always took airport bus before to save the life of a taxi driver, but today, there was no airport bus, and it was too cold. See the description of the situation in this entry.

To take a taxi in Beijing is often embarrassing, especially when the destination is just at the other end of the airport expressway. They waited for 4 hours and 55 RMB trip obviously cannot satisfy them. The difference between taxi drivers in Beijing and Shanghai is, in Beijing, taxi driver will explicitly complain about it on the whole way while in Shanghai, the taxi driver just keep silence...

OK. I am in Beijing, and ready to go to bed. I will meet with many journalist tomorrow morning, and "seem you tomorrow" if any of you are reading my blog.