Fond memories of the Beijing Olympic Games

After the Olympic flame died down at the Bird's Nest Stadium, it seemed like Beijing had been changed forever. In the space of only seven years, the Olympic host city had undergone a major facelift, which brought with it hundreds of shiny new buildings, countless kilometers of new road and rail links, and an entirely new atmosphere.

Construction cranes and flat screen TVs

For the American Serwat Perwaiz, the ever-present construction canes came to symbolize Beijing's profound and speedy transformation into a world-class Olympic city:

"For the past year, orange construction cranes in the Beijing skyline greeted me every morning on my way to work and wished me pleasant dreams as I pulled down the shades at night. Everywhere I went, everything I saw, was a testament to the unbound energy that China, and especially Beijingers, had for the preparations for the 2008 Olympics that they would host in August 2008. And all of that energy and excitement could be symbolized by the omnipresent bright orange construction cranes."

"Though always happy to be in Beijing, I decided a few weeks before the Olympics that I should explore the country outside the sixth ring road – broaden my horizons, my experiences, and my knowledge of the diversity that is China. As a result, I found myself enjoying the 2008 Olympic opening ceremony via a giant flat screen TV that dominated a small market square in the the Songshan mountains in He’nan. Surrounded by wushu students, masters and wannabes, I tried not to even blink so as not to miss a moment of the spectacular show being played out in front of me – both on the TV screen and in the audience, as the students around me burst into cheers out of pure happiness, pride and appreciation for the Olympics."

"After a few days, I made my way back to Beijing. There I roamed the streets, looking for a place to watch the closing ceremony in the company of other Olympic enthusiasts, as TVs had suddenly appeared in virtually every diner, high-end restaurant, convenience store and barber shop across the city. In fact, it appeared as though my familiar orange construction cranes had all but disappeared, having been replaced by an army of flat screen TVs."

"While the number of orange construction cranes in city skyline had lessened, I found no diminishment in the level of excitement of Beijingers for hosting the Olympics and the Olympic guests. In fact, the excitement only grew (although I would have thought this impossible) and the extreme friendliness, hospitality and genuine smiles that greeted me around the city matched the fervent excitement and clamor of the wushu students with whom I watched the opening ceremonies. China and Beijing and its people have exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. And as a foreigner who has adopted Beijing as her home, I too find myself carrying on my face a ridiculous smile that spreads from ear to ear – filled with pride for this city and its people and all that they’ve accomplished."

Proud of Beijing

Returned overseas Chinese Wang Su appreciates the improvements that the Games brought to the lives of ordinary Beijingers:

"The Beijing Olympic Games provided a good push for improving the city's infrastructure. Now we have state-of-the-art stadiums like the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube and other modern sports facilities, an extended metro network and a new grand international airport terminal. The infrastructure served well the athletes and visitors during the Games, and will continue to benefit the local residents afterwards. All these improvements help to accelerate Beijing’s development into an international metropolis."

"Also, Beijing has seen more blue skies due to the government’s emission control efforts before and during the Games. The proven effectiveness of the measures, especially of the restriction on the use of private cars, provides good reason for the locals to use public transportation and other environmentally friendly means of traveling more often. 'Green Olympics' is not Beijing’s ultimate goal. I’m confident that the government and the citizens will work together to make the capital an even greener city, with blue skies and clean air after the Games."

Many new sports facilities were built in the run-up to the Games. (Image: Radio86)"The Games also brought changes to people’s daily lives. When people meet, they usually greet each other by asking ‘have you had your meal?’ During the Games, they would ask instead ‘did you watch the competitions?’ or ‘how many gold medals did China collect today?’ The basketball, volleyball, gymnastic, swimming and track & field competitions were the most talked about events in my family and among my colleagues. Even after the Games, the wonderful competitions continue to be our hot topics. People here really enjoyed the Games. My mom and dad said they enjoyed every moment and that this summer was the happiest they ever had. People have also become more active in all kinds of sports activities like jogging, swimming, table tennis, taiji and wushu, in the aim of improving their physical fitness and leading a happier life."

"The Games served as good promotion of China’s image, too. They gave people from all around the world an opportunity to see the real China for themselves. While here, people could easily make their own judgments, helping to clear any misunderstandings or misconceptions they may have had before. This is far more persuasive than anything the Chinese government or the Chinese press says. For people from other countries, coming to the Games was not just about sports, but also about culture. They could increase their understanding about the Chinese culture and traditions by visiting the many historical sites, talking with local people and dining at local restaurants. As a native Beijinger, I’m very proud of Beijing and China for honoring the commitments it made when bidding for 2008 Olympic Games and for hosting these 'truly exceptional Games’. The Games successfully fulfilled their role of promoting peace, friendship and understanding."

One world, one dream

For Zhang Nan, the Beijing Olympics presented above all a lesson in harmony:

"The 29th Beijing Olympic Games have bidden a warm farewell to the world with a spectacular closing ceremony. The previous sixteen days were an international festival for people from all over the world. We got to see and experience so many splendid and impressive things that we could never forget, from the amazingly beautiful opening ceremony, to exciting record breaking moments, from volunteers' hospitable smiles, to the medalists' happy tears, from the iconic Great Wall, to the National Stadium and the Aquatic Center. From the very bottom of our hearts, we truly enjoyed an exceptional international sports event! Not only have Beijingers benefited from the event in terms of improved facilities, environmental protection, services and tourism, and developing a heightened sense of the importance of sports, but in addition, the world also got a chance to see the true China. The event served to prove that the world could live as one big family and cherish one common dream in a harmonious way."

"Although the Olympic flame has gone off, we hope that the friendship between the athletes and people of different countries will grow deeper and last long. The Games were an opportunity for athletes to realize their professional dreams. Furthermore, they were also an opportunity for the world to pass on and cherish the common dream of peace and love. This is the greatest relay of mankind indeed."

Edited by Stina Björkell
Interviews by Wang Su