the chinese know how to dance

getting into the stadium to see some athletics (track & field) was a challenge. we tried one night to get tickets by bargaining with scalpers but the prices were pretty steep. it seemed like the cost wouldn't drop until after the event was completely over. we found that borrowing a large "need a ticket" sign was the only way to get in for a good deal. we enjoyed watching all the events we remembered from childhood: javelin throw, pole vault, long jump, leg races and decathlon. from our third row seats we saw maurren maggi, the brasilian gold medalist, hug her coach after winning the long jump. we then squeezed further through security and made it to the front row behind the cameramen on the opposite side of the stadium for the award ceremony when an american won... something decathlon related. on the final day of the games scott obtained a single ticket for the handball final and watched france and iceland compete for the gold - a sport neither of us had seen before, then miraculously made it into the stadium on sunday for the closing ceremonies without an advance ticket. he watched the dancing and light show from the front row again. dustin admired the festivities via a big screen on a rooftop restaurant by the canals of the houhai district with friends from england and australia. only the chinese could pull off such a creative and elaborate show. thousands of fireworks were pumped into the sky throughout the city. as for the food, we've enjoyed fried noodles, dumplings with peanut sauce, bok choy, and morning glory. chinese food here is surprising similar to american chinese food. we're taking a route south through xian and chengdu, and looking forward to train travel through gorgeous landscapes. and dustin got his hair buzzed by a chinese barber.