the olympics are coming!

beijing is getting ready to host the 2008 olympics and the whole damn country is fired up about it. you know they're serious when 'beijing 2008' fake merchandise is the first stuff you're hit with each time you get off the bus.

everywhere you turn they're trying to sell you bucket hats or baseball caps with the pirated logo for $5 ... but we all decline ... repeatedly ... and save our olympic souvenir shopping for the officially sanctioned store at the airport. we feel our money is better spent that way.

by the way, after seeing the pageant the students at Jilin University put on for us, and the little cultural show at the miniature china theme park ... and the acrobatics show in shanghai ... all i can say is set your tivos now for the opening ceremonies ... i am sure they will be like nothing we've ever seen.