The Hangover Has Begun… Or Has It?

I went to Hooters last week for dinner. Not because I like the Hooters concept, but because it’s the only place left in Hangzhou to get a decent burger, and one of the few places to get a fresh salad. Actually, I am not a fan of Hooters’ service idea— having the waitresses make boring conversation with diners while they eat. But when I was at Hooters last week, it was one of the best dining experiences there that I have had. Not a single staff member talked to me— they were all glued to the Olympics on TV. It was great.

This has been the story at every restaurant and bar I have gone to since August 8. They all have TVs set up and all of the TVs show the Olympics. It was actually quite nice to have live sports action on TV everywhere I went. Of course, it could be a problem when you want to ask for the bill and all of the wait staff is not paying any attention to you since they are watching TV. But I tried to look on the bright side.

Now the Olympics have ended, with many critics predicting an epic “hangover” here in China. The 2008 Olympics have had extensive coverage and hype throughout China since 2001. Now that they are over, what can fill the void? Of course, there was a lull in activity just after the Olympics ended, especially in Beijing. But there is no denying that the event permanently changed China for the better. This can be seen not just in the investment and large civic projects that the Olympics created, but also in the increased understanding Chinese people have toward overseas visitors. It is also important to note that these overseas visitors also have a much better understanding of China.

Still, as hotel prices come back down to normal levels, locals return to their normal evening routines, and the crowds disperse, awaiting 2012 in London, I still wonder what will fill the void left by no Olympics. I had the privilege of being in Beijing in 2001 when the city was chosen to host the 2008 Olympics, and it has been a momentous event.

Even as early as 2006, my friends and I would sometimes play a drinking game during the 7:00pm nationwide evening news on CCTV. Every time the news casters mentioned the 2008 Olympics, we had to take a sip of baijiu. By early 2008, one could get pretty drunk playing this game. But now what? Should they change the evening news from 30 minutes to 5 minutes? What will they talk about?



Of course, there is still plenty of news to discuss. And with the Olympics proving China has become a modern day world power, the newsworthy events will continue to increase. Now more than ever is an ideal time to visit this country and see the impact that the Olympics have had nationwide first-hand. And if you want to have some fun in the evenings during you visit, you can try watching the 7:00pm news and taking a shot every time the newscasters mention the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Posted at 02:07PM Aug 28, 2008 by admin in Laowai Talk  |  Comments[0]