Arrival at the Palace Gates

After having hung out in Daxing for a couple days and sparring with the US team (which was a rather physical experience), getting over our jetlag and pretending to get used to the air quality, we finally took the bus to go to the Olympic Village. After a little search we found we were in buillding 9A, the top appartment from which we have quit the view most of the time interrupted by the smog and humidity in the air. Most of the countries have their flags bound to their little balconies. Across form us there is Congo and R'wanda. To name another exotic one: at lunch today I came across the Solomon Ilsands and they were wearing something that looked mostly like hawaiian shirts. Les flowers more leaves!

The Dining hall we call the binge barn (freely translated from Dutch) but it does it's name justice. There are different cuisines and within each there are three of the same buffets to be able to survice all the athletes that might decide to arrive at the same time. There is Asian, Mediterranean, Halal and International food, there is bread and cheese and hummus and all sorts of fruit. There is a breakfast bar with all sorts of cereal and bagles and and and.. there is more.. there is a McDonalds!!!! The fact that it is there is one thing but there are actually quite many people eating there too! Everything is open 24/7 too and we all have a little plastic bottlechip which we can use anywhere on any drinking machine to draw water, gatorade, coke, icetea or anything else you might want.

I share my room with Yasemin and my apartent with 6 other girls from my team at the top of the building (view is from the windo that says please do not open). Am very greatfull for the Dutch organisation to have organised wirless internet for us in the buildings as of course it makes it a lot easier to keep you all updated even when you don't really want to know what I'm doing.

Most everyone here is wearing their national team outfit which cuases quite the confusion because we are not used to have other dutchies around other than girls form our team. So every time you see the blue white orange comination you start waving or excitedly call out and then often come to realise you don' t even really know who these people are and possibly a friendly yet slightly confused smile. A similar reaction is that every time you see Russian or Hungarian or athletes from some other country you know plays waterpolo you think that is what sport they play but then it could really be just about anything when you are here. I did have to conclude though that really all the Russians look pissed off and all the greeks look somewhat arrogant! (no offence ot anyone!).

-(View on a less polluted day and on a higher one)-
We are not supposed to go off the village grounds untill we are done playing so I really hope I find some entertainment other then internet, my puzzle books, reading books and journal or else I'm afriad I might go a little crazy. The weather is really to humid and warm to do anything else and even though we have quite a large pool in this area I don't think I'll be spanding my spare time in there... I wonder why? They seem to have some music and dance going on at the far end.. maybe I'll go have a look there in the evening. Untill the next update!

And last but not least: Thankyou all for the comments on my post on blogger or by mail, they really do make my day! :D

Quote: Citius, Altius, Fortius