© AP
BEIJING-BURBUJA
The residents of Beijing gathered on a frigid Friday night to try to see the illuminated Olympic stadium and fireworks during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Games.
Tickets for the pageant are not being sold due to the coronavirus pandemic, and only certain spectators are allowed to attend the events. Some 150,000 people are expected to watch the competitions, including winter sports fans, children, business partners and foreign embassy staff.
The venues have been isolated as a precautionary measure due to COVID-19, so that the participants are not in contact with the general public.
That didn’t stop people from gathering under blankets and blankets, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bird’s Nest Stadium from a half-mile or more away. Many streamed the scene on their phones and waved to passing athletes on the buses taking them to the closed area of the stadium for the ceremony.
Here are some reactions from residents who attended the big celebration:
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SI RUNSHENG
“I wanted to see the fireworks in person,” he said, sitting on a shared bike in an area where police pushed back the crowd, further obscuring his view. “I saw a streak of blue smoke, but it’s good, it’s fine. It is a kind of experience. I didn’t ask for much.”
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LI MOLEI
“It’s a rare opportunity to experience an Olympic year,” he said, carrying his 7-year-old daughter on his shoulders. “I wanted my daughter, as a little resident of this city, to be able to have a deeper impression of the Olympic Games, so I brought her here and the atmosphere is very good. He could feel it in person.”
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XIA LIN
“Although the virus outbreaks in Beijing are not over, our country can hold such a big event, which put me at ease,” the 23-year-old college student said. “I feel like we are very capable.”
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XU PENGFEI
“It’s Chinese New Year, so I came to see it with children, which adds more festive atmosphere,” said the 35-year-old car salesman, who brought his daughter. He commented that he accepted the policy of not selling tickets. “After all, it is not easy for a country to organize such a big event. The general public should understand.”
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YAN QIANHUA
“I look forward to witnessing this unusual moment,” said Yan, who was in high school when Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics. He has worked in the Chinese capital for a few years. “I think I’m lucky to be here. A lot of people who wanted to come probably couldn’t see the corner of the Bird’s Nest.”
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ZHOU YUDONG
“We got here two hours early and have been waiting a long time. I parked my car outside the perimeter and walked here,” Zhou said. “I am excited, because it is a once-in-a-century event for Beijing to host the Winter Olympics.”