The Red Dragon Olympics – Beijing 2008 – episode 2

It was by far the most expensive Olympics ever organized in the history of the world. Over 50 billion dollars were spent, millions of people were moved out of their homes in order to make space for the infrastructure, one of the biggest steel mill in the world was moved hundreds of kilometers away and some of the most futuristic sports complexes in the world have been built. It was an Olympics without a budget – “it takes what it takes” because the Middle Empire didn’t want to test its economic force, but to assert it! read more…

Beijing – 5000 years of history, 5 days of visiting – episode 1

Destroyed by Genghis Han, praised by Marco Polo, rebuilt by Ming emperors, visited by the Romanian noble Milescu, thrown in chaos by Mao, reborn by Deng, completed by the Olympics – Beijing is a fascinating town, that you just cannot pass without being marked for life. First of all you’ll be shocked by its dimensions (Beijing’s area is roughly about the size of Belgium), by its infrastructure (the new airport terminal is the biggest terminal in the world and the city is surrounded by not less than 5 circular highways with very many lanes), by its history (the first human settlements that were discovered are older than 5000 years), by its historic wealth that is reflected in the architecture (the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace or the legendary Great Chinese Wall) but also by the skyscrapers of the 21^st Century. read more…

Time to go. China… here I come

After a month spent more or less home, with a few trips around the country, it is obviously, time to go somewhere … and my new destination is People’s Republic of China, the country which amazes any seasoned economist, but also any traveler. Obviously, being such a huge country, it is extremely varied – from frozen deserts to semi-tropical jungle, from Central Asian-type of culture to Tibet, from super-modern cities to rural backwaters… And as I love variety of experiences in my travels, I am looking forward for a multitude of experiences.

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