Hong Kong and the Olympics

Some pictures of "The Friendlies", the official mascot of the 2008 games, and some Olympic related sights around the city:

I'm home from work because of another Typhoon, canceling school once again. I've been quite busy moving into my apartment, starting a new job, getting set up again, etc.

I haven't had much of a chance to watch the Olympics this year, even though that's all I seem to hear about. Hong Kong has embraced the spirit of the games (several months before now, actually), and people are showing great pride in having China host the games. All of the equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong, as horseracing is a huge sport here. So, I've seen some Olympic athletes and media people wandering around. Tourism is at an all time high as well, especially before the games started. The other major influence has been on the climate and air quality. Many factories in China have shut down in these couple of weeks, and the air has never been cleaner here. I've been able to see much farther and breathe in much cleaner air than usual! I'm curious to see the reaction once the factories are up and running again.