Kamakura and the big Buddha

On day two in Tokyo we visited the area of Kamakura, just outside Tokyo. It is an area with many Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The biggest, literally, is the Great Buddha, or the Daibutsu. It is 10 meters tall (about 32 feet) and made of bronze. It was housed inside a wooden temple building but a tidal wave years ago destroyed the building but the Buddha was unharmed.

(Chuck with the giant Buddha in Kamakura)

At the Hase Kannon Temple, there were literally thousands of tiny statues at the many shrines along the walk. Each temple had longs walking paths with gardens and statues.

(Hundreds of tiny statues of Jizo, the guardian of children)


(Incense burns outside the Great Buddha)

We also visited the Zeniarai Benten Shrine that is located through a steep rock tunnel in the mountain. Once inside, it's tradition to take money and wash it in the spring water at the shrine to bring you more financial success.

(The main sanctuary at Hasedera Temple)


(One of the Buddhas at the Hase Kannon Temple)

Baseball, Beer and....Noodles?

The first day in Tokyo for R&R, Nashville photographer Mark Humphrey and I decided to take in a Japanese baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. It was the Yamiuri Giants against the Bay Stars. The noise and colors great. Fans on both sides constantly chanting and blowing horns.

(Yamiuri Giants fans cheer their team at the Tokyo Dome)

We had a great time watching the game, which the Giants won 7-3. One of the more popular dishes at the game was a noodle dish. They had hotdogs and hamburgers but when in Japan....

(Enjoying some noodles at a baseball game)

And...here's something American baseball can do...have beer girls! Young women walk through the stands with a small keg of beer on their backs and pour you a cup when you flag them down. We were told that when the keg empties, the woman races downstairs where they preform almost a pit stop replacing the keg, wiping the sweat off her face and sending her on her way!

(Beer girl collects money for an ice cold beer from a keg she carries)

We're staying in downtown Tokyo near the AP bureau there. The room is very nice, but smallish. The beds are small with hard mattresses..but very comfortable.

(Room at the Villa Fontaine Shiodome)

We also shopped around in an area known for electronics...computers, stereos, etc. You name it, they had it!


(Electronics store in Tokyo)

Summer Palace

(Chuck at entrance to Summer Palace)

On my final day in Beijing, I actually had an entire day off to sight see so Alex and I headed to the Summer Palace which was about 1 1/2 hours from the hotel. We walked for several hours, climbing a hill to see the Temple of the Buddha (where we were not allowed to take photos inside)

(Buddha Temple at Summer Palace)

We climbed all the way to the Temple of Incense, which is at the top of the hill and the largest building seen from the grounds below. Walking down, we caught a boat that took us across the lake to views of the Temples and grounds.

(Temple of Incense)

The boat was pretty cool and the views were spectacular. But, it was time to call it a day.

(Dragon boat takes people across the lake at the Summer Palace)


(The Summer Palace)

Once back on land, we headed out to find a taxi to take us to the MPC for our final goodbyes, then dinner before packing for the 6am trip to the airport. The next morning, the taxi dropped me off at the wrong terminal so I had to take a bus to the correct one. But...Olympic folks herded everyone through customs and to our gates with no trouble at all, despite very long lines. I even managed to buy some Cuban cigars at the Duty Free shop in the airport.

Next stop...Tokyo for little of rest and relaxation with Nashville staffer Mark Humphrey!!!!

Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye is always hard. Covering mainly one sport in one venue like the AP does, you end up making friends with all the people you see for the 19 days. From the fellow AP staffers that you met for the first time (Kevork was the only one I had met before), to all the volunteers and all the photographers and writers from around the world that come to cover this huge event, you end up making friends with folks you never knew.

(AP photo staff with photo area volunteers)

We took photos of each other, hugged, and exchanged gifts with folks, most of whom we will probably will never see again but will remember always. We worked in very tight quarters (sometimes too close) for almost three weeks and there were only a few heated discussions. We battled the rain, the heat, and the smog. It was hard work but fun at the same time with a great group of people.

(Typical meal at the Golden Lion restaurant...one of our favorite stops)

I'll remember the meals (and the Yanjing beer) with large groups when we went out. Ordering was fun, especially when there was no English on the menus. Kevork usually took charge of that and never failed to get things everyone would enjoy (even the fungus!).

(Chuck with Nina, the hotel assistant manager, in front of the signature board at Shunyi Hotel)

I'll remember "Nina", the assistant manager of the Shunyi Hotel who greeted everyone with a big smile from the first day to the last. She enjoyed talking with everyone and has spent the last couple of days taking photos with us in front of the signature board in front of the hotel.

(Olympic countdown clock and crossing sign...look EVERY way when you cross the street)

I'll remember Alex, who was the photo manager at the same venue in Athens in 2004 and helped everyone with any problem with a smile (and was great fun at dinner and drinks after!) The volunteers who were so helpful and nice. But mostly I'll miss hanging out with our AP folks at the venue. Dan, the writer, who we made an honorary photographer. Bertrand, the main editor, who TRIED to keep us in line and shooting EVERYONE. Kevork, who I enjoyed sharing a beer and a cigar with on numerous occasions. Greg, who shared the longest, slowest, rainy ride from the beach volleyball venue. And last but not least, Kirsty, who always enjoyed eating fungus and broccoli, and really liked shooting photos of the shirtless men canoeists and kayakers!

I love them all and hope to work with them again. We made a great team!

(One last group photo from the rowing/canoe/kayak medals stand)

I board a plane tomorrow for a few days of R&R in Tokyo before my final flights home to Charlotte. It's been a blast!

Forbidden City

(Chuck in front of one entrance to the Forbidden City)

We had a few hours in the morning before the last of our medal races so Greg, Kevork and I took a one hour cab ride (everything is a one hour cab ride in Beijing) to see the Forbidden City. It was an awesome sight, and it was very crowded. The first thing after we entered, security whisked us all away from one area, probably because of a VIP (turned out to be the British Prime Minister). The military guys were polite but insistent, but a couple of plainclothes guys arrived and made it clear we were to move...NOW!

(Security starts to clear an area)

So, we took a different route around the area. The ornate designs and volume of construction is hard to believe. We rented small radios to listen at certain points.

(Golden dragons decorate an Imperial roof)

The tour tells you about the construction, emperors and empresses, concubines, eunuchs, stone sculptures, etc., just about anything you'd like to know. You walk at your own pace...but we hurried around because we had limited time.


(The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity)

The same cab driver that took us to the Great Wall drove us there, waited and drove us back to the hotel in time to catch the bus to our venue for the last time.


(View of one of the Palaces with a stone sculpture in Forbidden City)

"Gan Bei"

(Adam, center, orders dinner for all of us)

Last night we went to dinner with three of the local volunteers that are in charge of photography at our venue, Adam (his English name), the photo manager of the venue, and two of his assistants. Adam ordered most of the dishes and the food, as usual was great. We had sushi, a beef dish, whole fish (grouper I think), a pork dish, some greens with lots of garlic and vinegar as well as others. He tried to order goose, which he says is much better than duck, but they were sold out.

(Sushi dish)

After dinner (and Yanjing beer of course), he ordered a Chinese after-dinner drink for some toasts. They poured it into very small glasses (less than a shot glass) and he told us that Chinese tradition was to make a toast and then drink the whole glass at once and the more we did it, the more powerful we were. The toast was "Gan Bei" which means "dry glass". After four or five toasts (and that stuff packs a punch!), we emptied the bottle and headed back to the hotel.

("Gan Bei" toast among friends)

This morning after dropping off laundry (a laundry down the street is a lot cheaper than the hotel), we took a taxi to the Silk Market again for some shopping. While riding we travel through a very picturesque toll plaza. Kevork wanted a watch and was taken downstairs to the basement and into a room where he eventually got the watch he wanted for the price he wanted. The woman would NOT let me shoot a photo of them and all the Gucci bags, Rolex watches, etc., so...no photo! After the morning shopping we headed to the venue for the first day of medals in flatwater racing.

(Toll plaza on highway around Beijing)

Marathon Swimming....like NASCAR?

(Start of the women's swimming marathon)

The past two days we've had men's and women's swimming marathon. Twenty-five competitors swim a 10K. I started thinking how much like NASCAR the event is......25 competitors start the race (not 43). They swim in a counter-clockwise course (making left-hand turns). During the the race, coaches and trainers hold out food and drink on long poles (a gas and go pit stop). NASCAR.....er, I mean event officials, follow them in boats to guard against bumping and blocking. The only difference, no wall for swimmers to knock their opponent into. Obviously, I've been here too long when I start comparing events to NASCAR!

(South Africa's Natalie Du Toit prepares for the marathon swim)

Seriously, it is unbelievable that these men and women can do this! In fact one woman that competed had lost her left leg below her knee. She didn't win, but she finished in the middle of the pack and beat a lot of racers with two good legs. Very inspirational. I shot the start from a TV tower overlooking the venue. The position only has room for one person so everything I shot is part of an Olympic pool that is made of of the four major wire services.

(South Africa's Natalie Du Toit gets help from an official after the race)

We ventured away from our normal restaurant rotation and went to a smaller place where no one spoke English. The food was god and pretty cheap. We also tried some kind of meat on a stick. On the menu it said it was venison, but it's not any deer I have ever tasted.
(Kirsty tries some kind of meat on a stick!)

Below is a photo from the Silk Market I visited a few days ago during a break in the beach volleyball. Many booths crammed into a large building with vendors wanting to sell you anything!

(Vendors selling jewelry at the Silk Market)

The Great Wall

(Chuck at Great Wall)

I finally got enough time off to do a little sightseeing. Kevork, Kirsty, Dan and I rented a cab and went to the Great Wall. The section we visited was the Mutainyu section, which is about a one hour drive from Shunyi...which is one hour north of Beijing. The most popular and closest section to Beijing is the Badaling section but it is more crowded and actually has a Starbucks! YIKES!

(A guard stands inside a watchtower on the Great Wall)


(The Mutainyu section of the Great Wall)

Photos don't do it justice and it was a wonderful experience. We took a cable car ride to the top of the mountain and walked the wall for about two hours, then took a cable car back down. The walkway up to the wall was lined with vendors trying to get you to buy t-shirts, hats, etc. The folks are relentless but if you're a good negotiator you can get a good deal.

(Another view of the wall)

I also am back at the rowing venue helping mostly editing the flatwater racing (canoes and kayaks). I'm scheduled to be the pool photographer shooting the start of the marathon swimming tomorrow and then will edit the rest of the day.
(A vendor blocks the sidewalk on the walk down from the wall)

Beach Volleyball!

(Philip Dalhausser of the U.S. returns a shot)
Monday I changed sports...to beach volleyball. Two people on a team. I helped photographer Natacha Pisarenko for the men's quarterfinals. USA, Brazil teams, plus Georgia, the Netherlands, and Austria. The venue was nice, crowded and music to pump up the fans. And, of course,...the famous dancing girls! The first two matches went quickly and we had time to eat lunch and browse at the silk market. By browse I mean you run for your life as merchants chase you down narrow rows of shops teaming with bags, jewelry, watches, and anything else you can think of.

(The volleyball dance team performs during a break)


(Georgian athlete celebrates from the stands after their win)

After lunch it was back to the venue for the evening matches....and rain! Our laptops were set up on a table with no roof so we covered everything with plastic and before the match started, the rain finally stopped. The Brazil team beat USA in the final match and gave us great reaction photos.

(Brazilian player dives for ball)

After everything finished the AP sent the worlds slowest driver to take me back to the hotel. Plus, he got lost...twice. A 45 minute drive took almost two hours. Good news though....back to rowing/canoe venue for flatwater racing the rest of the week.
(Team Brazil celebrates after defeating team USA)

(Chuck editing at rowing venue)

The final races in the rowing were Sunday and I was assigned to help edit with Bertrand because there were medal ceremonies and races going on at the same time. Kirsty filled in for me and made a wonderful photo of the Canadian coxswain being thrown into the water after they won the gold medal in men's eight. I set up a remote camera for the medals and the rain started just before the races.

(Remote cameras for medal ceremonies)

We also stopped in the tea shop again and talked with our friends. I'm being assigned to beach volleyball for the rest of the week, I think so I said goodbye to my friends at the venue that have been so helpful.

(Chuck with photo workroom assistant)

And the winner is.......

(Norway's Olaf Tufte celebrates his gold)


(Bulgaria's Rumyana Neykova cries as she listen's to her country's national anthem)

Saturday was the first day of medal round finals for rowing. To see athletes like Bulgaria's Rumyana Neykova holding her country's flag and crying as she looks on during her national anthem after winning the women's singles sculls was quite emotional. Others were like Olaf Tufte, of Norway, who celebrated by showing his muscles as he rowed past the crowd with his gold medal after the ceremony. And the British fours team were surrounded by photographers as they posed after winning the gold.

(Australia's men's pairs celebrate their gold win)

There were races and medal ceremonies going on at the same time. Kevork shot action photos from the start, I shot the finish line and reaction, and Greg shot the medal ceremonies. After each race, the competitors came to a dock to cool of, then do interviews before their medal ceremony. Then they rowed their boat past the crowd back to the boathouse area.

(Romania's women's pair hold up a flag after winning the gold)

We also set up a remote camera to capture the medal ceremony. And we couldn't help but take a team photo from the medal pontoon.

(From left, Greg, Chuck, Kirsty, Kevork, and Bertrand celebrate on the medal pontoon)