CHINA: Embarrassment at the Olympics
April 20, 2008I think China will be embarrassed while hosting the Olympic games in Beijing. Tourists will be afraid to cross the streets when they see the unruly drivers cause havoc on Beijing’s crowded multi-lane boulevards and small streets.
With few people speaking English well, foreign tourists will have trouble maneuvering through the country. Now, all foreigners who spend at least one night in a private home, have to register with the police. When I went to do this with my host in Beijing, we spent an hour at the police station because the receptionist was extremely slow and had trouble using her computer system. What’s going to happen when thousands of tourists arrive in Beijing? Not all will stay in hotels. Those staying in private residences will be stuck spending time waiting in huge lines around police stations in the heat and humidity of Beijing’s August weather.