The old Olympic green isn’t so green anymore, but they are going to re-purpose that building in the back for the 2022 games.
And, it looks like there’s some kind of festival going on, judging by those tents, so I wouldn’t call this abandoned so much as unkempt.
And, I’d rather see dead grass than wasteful water sprinklers.
Photo Credit: REUTERS/David Gray
The BMX course, the first ever for an Olympic games, was designed with the idea that China could continue to use it and possibly get a BMX scene going in Beijing.
Photo Credit: BMX News
But, these pics from 2010 make one wonder if the rumors about China just adding the event for an easy medal (that never materialized) were true…
Photo Credit: BMX News
The parking lot of the more traditional bicycle track is now the place you go when you want to take your driving test.
Photo Credit: REUTERS/David Gray
The grass around The Bird’s Nest may be dead…
Photo Credit: REUTERS/David Gray
But, the action inside isn’t.
Photo Credit: REUTERS/David Gray
And, it will host the opening and closing ceremonies for 2022’s winter games.
Jon Pack and Gary Hustwit have been traveling to former host cities and snapping photos of the venues and the people for an ongoing project called “The Olympic City.”
Photo Credit: Gary Hustwit
Their photographs have a more emotional feel to them than some of the stuff coming over from journalists and urban explorers.
Here’s that white water park again.
Photo Credit: Gary Hustwit
I wonder how many tourists actually buy these medals as souvenirs?
I know they look nothing like the actual medals from the game.
But, I’d probably do it if I got to take a selfie with the lady who sells them.
Photo Credit: Gary Hustwit
Of course, for 2022, they had to up the difficulty by splitting the games into three major cities.
Photo Credit: Beijing 2022
Though the only new structure in Beijing will be the skating center.
Photo Credit: Beijing 2022
The other two locations are currently resort towns, but they’ll need a bit of work.
Photo Credit: Beijing 2022
And, they say they’re only going to spend one-tenth of what they spent in 2008.
Photo Credit: Beijing 2022
And, unlike some cities, they aren’t waiting until the year before to get things into gear.
This pic is from a celebration of the one-year anniversary of landing the 2022 games.
Photo Credit: Beijing 2022
Yeah. They’re pumped.
And, I’m dizzy.
