Beijing Blogging Blues

Oh, man. Blogging at the Olympics is tough business.

First there are work duties, which were vast (in addition to the B.C. Canada Pavilion's second week at the Games, assignments came in from one other client pavilion as well as another client who arrived for the Closing Ceremony weekend).

Then off-the-clock there are ticketed events, unexpected opportunities, spontaneous pin trades, transportation timing and challenges, new and old friend visits and other 'distractions' with which to contend. By the time you're back at home for the night, it's time to crash and gear up for the next day's adventures (sadly, blogging is not on the brain, though there are countless stories perfect for sharing).

Excuses aside: I'm now back from Beijing, following a 23-hour commute that included four-airports/flights, four overweight suitcases ($130 fees to transport hundreds of pounds of Olympic loot), and some of the worst airline food available (the prize goes to the Tokyo McDonald's so-called bacon cheeseburger, though they do deserve props for accepting the last of my China yuan AND a few U.S. dollars as payment).

It's Friday morning and my rear end is planted at my favorite Milwaukee Hotel (the historic Ambassador Hotel near downtown and Marquette University) and their awesome Deco Caffe. I have a six-pack of 10 oz. Coca-Cola bottles and plenty of wireless and laptop battery, so the blogging about Beijing resumes now. Sorry to leave everyone for my last week in China -- the 2008 Olympics will be very tough to top, and the next few entries/topics will explain exactly why.

Feeling Very Olympic Today

Games Day One. Spectacular!

Started the day at 7 a.m. with a taxi ride for first visit to the Olympic Green, which is grand central Olympic station north of the city. My colleague Paul and client Julie shared a cab to just east of the Bird's Nest, scene of the greatest Olympic Opening Ceremony of all time just eight hours prior.

Our mission: Find the McDonald's pavilion, host of the Around The Rings breakfast press event slated to include World Olympians Association President Richard Fosbury. Though this high jumping gold medalist had to jump to another event, the breakfast was no "flop." But before I get to why ...

The taxi driver tried his best, but just could not get us to the right stadium. I think we visited two other massive stadiums in Beijing before we spotted the Bird's Nest on the horizon. Then there were the races from security gate to gate, in search of "the other one" to provide access onto the Green. Where are those padded insoles when you need them most?

Turned out we were about a mile south of our destination by the time we got on the Green. Which brought the question: Hike? Or risk another cab ride into infinity?

We walked. Well, we sort of race-walked, past some of the largest Olympic venues and other buildings I have ever seen. And everything -- EVERYTHING -- is covered with the gorgeous "look of the Games" colors, flags and emblems.

After three screening areas, 45 minutes, litres of perspiration and a few choice words, we at last arrived at what had become to us "Xanadu" with Golden Arches. But no Fosbury!

But also, no worries. His replacements turned out to be very cool and very experienced in the WOA and the Olympic scene.

IOC Member Anita DeFrantz and Olympian (and former Atlanta Olympic Village Colleague) Willie Banks, now president of U.S. Olympians, were the guests of honor, and we noshed on McMuffins while they answered questions from Around The Rings and other attendees.

For Mr. Banks, I posed a question about the WOA's challenges to track down Olympians in remote nations. He answered with great information about the WOA's mission and how the organization is establishing chapters in National Olympic Committee affiliates.

For Ms. DeFrantz, my question related back to discussion of the previous evening: How is the IOC going to tackle the challenge of the time it takes more than 200 participating NOCs to enter the stadium (my suggestion, for anyone interested, is to keep the tradition of letting every participant encircle the stadium behind their flag, but to have two, three or even four simultaneous entry points so there are up to four NOCs announced at once). DeFrantz responded that the IOC has looked at the challenge and considered options, but it is a fine balance to switch traditions entrenched in the Olympic lexicon.

We had barely finished our last round of hash browns when we trekked to the Main Press Center (MPC), the left ventricle of the media heart of the Games (the right ventricle being the next door neighbor International Broadcast Center (IBC). With thanks to the Vancouver 2010 media relations team, our MPC Day Pass and tour helped me reconnect with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Social Butterfly reporter/blogger Jennifer Brett to compare notes on our Games experiences thus far (I suspect you can read about her afternoon cooking adventure in her blog).

The MPC is only steps from the Olympic Sponsor Village on the Green, but there is a Great Wall of China security fence between the two. So to solve the challenge: MORE walking! My girlfriend would be proud of all these hikes! For me, I just get tired!

We needed to check out a few of the sponsor pavilions that British Columbia's Premier will visit next week, and we were greeted by a smiling Edelman colleague and our client, GE, at GE's Imagination Center, which is absolutely fabulous (I'll write more on their pavilion in future entry when we return next week). We were hosted for a quick tour, then our walking adventure resumed to find the Olympic Green's newly opened train station to get us back home to City Center to prepare for our evening event at B.C. Canada Pavilion.

I've not written much yet on our media mission for the pavilion. In addition to working with all of Canada's media deployed for the Games, Edelman Beijing and yours truly have been busy inviting media to experience all that B.C. Canada Pavilion offers as a destination in the Olympic City. Tonight, the pavilion hosted its third consecutive VIP evening, and media were on site in droves, including new friends from the Vancouver Sun, The Province, Global TV, CTV, Associated Press TV and the Reuters IOC Writer, who mentioned he'd seen this blog and gave me one of the best pins of Beijing (the coveted Reuters China pin -- thanks, Karolos!).

So tonight I'm blogging with some post-media event bliss, and some Games euphoria setting in for a fortnight. Can only guess what tomorrow's adventures will bring, and can hardly wait!

Sites and Sounds of Day One

The first two days in Beijing were absolutely amazing. Sensory overload and sheer exhaustion mixed with elation to be at the Olympic host city and to get reacquainted with friends from past Games.

After a restful night and sumptuous breakfast (including pork dumplings!) at Novotel Peace Beijing, I spent a bit of the first morning in my room getting organized (packing back in Atlanta was a bit of a late-night whirlwind). But by noon on Day One, it was time to venture out across the city with Olympic credential in hand, braving Beijing's metro system.

The city subways are the best I've ever seen (at last, a "Metro" like the one imagined from the famous and totally awesome '80s hit by Berlin (that's the band Berlin). Every station is spotless and fussed over by a small army of security, maintenance and blue-shirted Games volunteers eager to help. The nearest station to our hotel is just four stops, including one transfer, from Tiananmen Square, and I'll always remember emerging from the underground to see Mao's Tomb in person for the first time, as well as a sea of tens of thousands of tourists spending time in the square (across a 12-lane street from the tomb).

T-Square's outer border (across other highway-like surface streets) is lined with massive sycamore and evergreen trees providing much needed shade. I stumbled into the first of three Olympic stores just before spotting my new work home for the next 28 days: British Columbia Canada Pavilion, the Games destination created by Edelman client, The Province of British Columbia.

After a quick tour and introductions in the Pavilion (which I will describe in much more detail in a future post), it was time to head over to Edelman's Beijing office, another metro ride. By this early evening time, my eyes were a bit blurry, so in the time spent looking up at the 40-or-so level tower that houses Edelman, I completely missed the iconic new (and gargantuan -- must-see-it-to-believe it!) CCTV Tower under construction behind me (the photo taken from Edelman Beijing is a bit dark, so hoping to snap a daytime shot later -- I was speechless when seeing it for the first time, overwhelmed and also stunned at the question to self, 'How did I miss that?!').

Everyone is so friendly here! From the volunteers to colleagues, street vendors to complete strangers, Beijing is about to burst with pride and excitement. I've captured many stares and curious looks from kids, but always with a smile and usually with an attempt at conversation (starting to pick up a few catch phrases ... for the folks back at Edelman Atlanta, none of these phrases qualify for the "curse word fundraising board" - yet).

I didn't make it out of the Edelman office that first night until about 11:30 (2330 hrs), which made for an intense search for a taxi. It was wonderful to rest and start the whole thing over again yesterday. More from Day Two to come in next post.

Blame Canada

"You're going to China on vacation, right?!" was the question posed by a colleague.

Reply, with smile: "Not exactly!"

As a part deux of work that began in Torino in 2006, for 30 days I'll be in Beijing for a client of Edelman public relations, home for the last nine-and-a-half years of my career. As in Italy's northern metropolis, while in Beijing my host (and media relations assignment) is with client The Province of British Columbia, and more specifically B.C. Canada Pavilion (be sure to watch the video!).

In Torino, the Province built the hugely successfuly B.C. Canada Place "log cabin" on an urban piazza not far from the Shroud of Turin (the lines at B.C.C.P. were affectionately nicknamed "The Crowd of Turin"). In the Chinese capitol, the Province took over part of a museum adjacent to Tiananmen Square, and I'll be spending time with many of the Canadian friends met in 2006, as well as colleagues/friends from Edelman Vancouver and Edelman Beijing. B.C.C.P in China is one of several Olympic clients for the firm, most of which are part of Edelman Sports (we're just one big happy Edelman Olympic Family with several folks bound for the Olympic City).

The B.C.C.P. setup is a bit different for the summer Games, but I'm sure we'll find time to fit in a game of street hockey, and hopefully host some of Canada's favorite sons and daughters (shaking hands with Alanis, Celine, Leonard, Avril or Alex would be very interesting, but impossible to top Tom Green's visit in '06 -- no, this was not my video, but his appearance on The Tonight Show from the B.C.C.P. was hilarious yet not available online).

Our mission is to tell plenty of B.C. Stories and get business, tourists and Olympic fans to experience all the Province will offers before, during and after the 2010 Winter Games.

No vacation, but definitely a pleasure to be back in the company of red & white-clad friends.