Lights Out!

See You In Vancouver!

Love,

Olympic Kate!

Bye Beijing!

It’s been three weeks, and now it’s over.

After countless press conferences, athlete interviews, sweaty shirts, Snickers, Chinese dinners, taxi rides, security checks, elevator & bathroom attendants, “fapiaos” (that’s Mandarin for receipts), water bottles, live shots, and other interesting experiences I can’t remember right now … we’re heading home.

We’ve met wonderful people from all over the world, but the warmest thank you goes to the Chinese people who welcomed us and made us feel at home.

The Beijing Olympics were simply spectacular.

Xie xie China!

-Aixa

 

 

Zaijian China…Goodbye China

 

The Hearst Argyle Olympic Team

 Two things happen when you spend 24/7 with eight other people.  You either love each other or you hate each other.  

I’m glad to say I’ve grown to really love working with the people you see in this picture.

From left to right:

Andy Ireland.  Andy is a weekend sports guy at KCCI in Des Moines, IA.  It’s the same station where I worked after college right before I moved to Sacramento.   Andy is hands-down the nicest person on our crew.  The Chinese loved to take pictures of us and Andy never turned them down.  I, on the other hand, would resort to telling them Andy was my mean boss who forbid pictures while I was on the clock. Like I said, he’s the nicest guy in show business.

Aixa Diaz.  Aixa is a Hello Kitty loving, Spanish speaking ball of Puerto Rican fire and she is hilarious. Aixa works as a weekend anchor and reporter at WESH in Orlando.    I’ve never seen her in a bad mood and that’s saying something because when you see people 24/7 you’ve seen fire, you’ve seen rain, you’ve seen fire once again.  With Aixa, it’s all sunshine.

Jaime Brassard.  Jaime is a photographer from WPTZ in NY.  He’s getting married in a month.  He made the girls practically cry when he took a morning off to buy his fiancee pearls at the Pearl Market to wear on their wedding day.  We offered to go with him, thinking he’d be freaked out at the responsibility.  He was totally cool and she’s totally lucky.

Travis Sherwin.  If I pity anyone, it’s Olympic Zone producer Travis Sherwin. Poor Trav had to sit next to me for the last month as he did at the Torino Games.  I talk to myself a lot.  I talk to myself out loud a lot.  Travis is either exceptionally kind or deaf in his left ear.  He’s a wonderful producer and an even better friend and I will missing talking his ear off, intentionally or otherwise.

Kate Amara.  Kate works in Baltimore and is one of the most persistent reporters I’ve ever met.  She brings a “why not” attitude to everything.   The Chinese don’t really do “why not” so it’s been quite entertaining to watch at times.  Kate has been sitting to my left for the last month.  She’s the yin to Travis’ yang.

Erin McManamon.  Erin works out of the Hearst DC Bureau and is the boss lady on these Olympic trips.  It’s rare to work for someone who is completely dedicated to their job and yet has a pulse.  Erin is obsessed with doing things the right way and has some of the best news judgement I’ve ever seen.   She’s a blast to work with and hang out with and the result is that the two blur while the clock is ticking.   A win for everyone.

(far right)  Kent Westberg.  Kent is a photographer at WDSU in New Orleans and has amazing stories of life post-Katrina in that city.  Actually, he has amazing stories period as he’s served in Iraq.  My favorite memory of Kent came about a week into the Olympic assignment when he called me at 10:17 from the lobby wondering where I was.  Our meeting time was 10:20.  Clearly, he’d never worked with me before.  Clearly, I’d never worked with a military guy. 

And finally…

 

Fitz & Domi

Mike “Domi” Domalaog.  Domi works with me at KCRA and we’ve now traveled to the last five Olympics together.  We’ve logged more miles with each other than we have with our spouses and he’s one of the greatest professional partners and friends I’ve ever had.  It’s a privilege, an honor and ridiculous fun to be in his company.  

I’m officially out of thoughts to think.  So, Deirdre’s Diary, the Beijing edition is officially over.

Ziajian (goodbye) from China!

Closing Out Beijing

Travis Sherwin/Orlando

This being my last post, I’m leaving you with what I’ll remember from the Beijing Olympics.

Of course, I’ll remember meeting America’s medal-winning athletes and their events, but I’ll also remember the incredible people, places and tastes of China.

Starting with what will forever be the image of the Beijing Games:

The Bird's Nest at night

The image I’ve always associated with China:

The Forbidden City

Then, there’s the wonderful Summer Palace. I never knew it existed, let alone that it is so beautiful.

Steps at the Summer Palace

I’ll never forget the food. Including the signature dish of Beijing:

Peking Duck

And, there’s also what I call the Chinese version of fondue:

Hot Pot

I’ll always be fascinated with the way they get around here.

A popular way to travel

Finally, there are the friendships. Like the new one I made with our translator, Mady.

Mady at the Summer Palace

And, the lifelong bonds I’ve made with our team.

The HATV Olympic Team

It’s time to pack and take a much-needed break. See you in Vancouver!

Xie Xie, Zai Jian,

-Travis

A pearl of an opportunity…

From Deirdre Fitzpatrick/ Sacramento: 

We had the rare morning off today and so the girls planned a shopping trip to the famous Pearl Market. 

Think flea market with walls.  

No one vouches for the validity of anything you buy there…but it’s fun to haggle and hang out.

You ought to be in pictures…

From Deirdre Fitzpatrick/ Sacramento:

It’s not over until it’s over and in Beijing….it’s nearly over.

Photographer Andy Ireland and I headed out to the Birds Nest tonight to shoot what we call the “ins and outs” of our story for nearly 30 Hearst stations.  It’s our last assignment in Beijing.

Let’s just say the people of Beijing are in a festive mood as the games draw to a close.

3 … 2 … 1

For my news people: I just tracked my last package in Beijing!

For my non-news people: I’m done!

We’re only in Beijing for another couple of days. Now that the work is done, we can sightsee, enjoy the city, and relax!

Can’t believe three weeks of Olympic work have come and gone!

-Aixa

Iconic Venue

Travis Sherwin/Orlando

If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you have seen the Bird’s Nest many times. But it’s hard to show you how huge this stadium truly is.

National Stadium

Also known as National Stadium, the venue seats 91,000 and was built using over 49,000 tons of steel. For those of you with a pickup truck, like me, you would make 100,000 trips to the steel store to deliver the goods.

The grounds are just as fantastic, including the lights along the concrete walkways. They’re miniature replicas of the stadium and periodically change colors when they’re on.

Nice lights

Everyone wants to have their picture taken in front of the Bird’s Nest. Right now I’d say it’s replaced the Forbidden City and the Great Wall as the most popular photo op in all of China.

As you would expect with the Olympic Games, security is very tight and very visible. You see many types of law enforcement, from police to military, marching in unison, patrolling the area and keeping the peace.

Security patrol

A funny thing about the Chinese people, it’s like they’ve never seen an American. They stare, they take your picture, they follow you around and observe you.

These ladies stopped in front of me and nearly demanded that I take their picture!

Chinese girls

Despite their smiling faces, they would not take no for an answer.

-Travis