As reported by Xinhua, “Good Luck Beijing” international boxing invitation tournament was held in Beijing’s Worker’s Indoor Arena (BWIA) from 17 to 22 November. It’s among a series of test events for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, featuring 76 boxers from 18 countries and regions, including 12 from China.
BWIA, renovated in 2006, will be the venue of the invitation tourney as well as the Olympic boxing and Paralympic judo competitions in 2008.
The six-day event expected 23 medical workers from eight hospitals and 450 student volunteers from 11 universities, according to the organizers.
As the venue is next door to where I live (and work), I wanted to see how it was now after repair. Not too bad, simple but certainly fits the bill. Some improvements in signage are due (try to find the toilets – you circle around clueless) and hopefully security screening will be beefed up to avoid long waiting lines. This time, no problem as the gymnasium was maybe filled for 10% only. We bought 3 tickets of RMB 20 each and spend part of the afternoon of 18 November.
See here the picture gallery (and all others) – click on this link:
http://homepage.mac.com/bjprc/PhotoAlbum12.html
Beijing This Month Party – 7 Dec 07
Charles Dukes, editorial consultant, photographer, friend and good company for a conversation invited us for the party in the Landmark Hotel, so we left Tianjin that day in a rush to be there on time.
Beijing This Month has published a series of good maps and guidebooks about Beijing and also has a couple of monthly magazines I like.
A big crowd – mainly Chinese – turned up, including some VIPs from BOCOG and the Municipal Government. One was Ms. Wang Hui, Director of Beijing Municipal Information Office and also BOCOG vice director for Media & Communications.
The performances were great and I was particularly impressed with the large screen and the visuals. OK, the lighting was a weak point and it seemed they all wanted us to concentrate on the legs rather than the faces (there were some nice legs, fortunately).
We even got some passionate Latino dancing and the participants (see pics) passed the sensuality test. And lots of conversation with Charles.
Click here the link for the photo gallery (and all others):
http://homepage.mac.com/bjprc/PhotoAlbum11.html
Tianjin International Hardware Machine City
Our friend from Wenzhou, Hu Shijun is also Board Chairman of Maigou (Tianjin) Group Company, building a very large shopping mall to host suppliers of electrical, electronic and mechanical equipment.
Situated in the renovated central area of Tianjin the building is now taking shape, the last time I was there I attended the ground-breaking ceremony and gave a speech.
On 7 December I attended a signing ceremony for several of the new partners in the project.
a view on the location of the new building as seen from the hotel where the ceremony took place; the girls playing a wide variety of music (including…. La Marseilleise) and more pics of the ceremony (with poster boy Gilbert)
All part of the daily and colorful life in China… Chinese event organizers often try to have some foreign faces in the VIP line. Looks good. Having gray hair and many titles is even better, so I perfectly fit the bill.
CCTV Tower, WTC3 and acrobat workers
See here some recent pics taken from Julong and China Resources building (Amcham Office) showing progress of CCTV Tower as well as China World Trade Center Tower 3.
And acrobats on the roofs of Julong. Or is it a good spot for meditation?
2007 Ten Most Influential People in Beijing
Really? Not me anyway.
I was invited to that party, 28 November, at Block 8’s I-Ultra Lounge. No clue how I landed there but was the first time I went to Block 8 (Chaoyang Park West Gate), discovering a vast complex of entertainment venues. One more.
The event “The Blanes Award” was a bit puzzling (and disappointing), I mean their choices. Most entertaining and moving was the ballet of a deaf girl from a family in need they had discovered and groomed. She was so enthusiastic to show off her skills they had a hard time stopping her.
Cute. But after that I skipped the disco party.