Shanghai citizens impressed
By Xiang Bin
"Wonderful!", "Amazing!", "Impressive!", and many more. Citizens of Shanghai are in rhapsodies over the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Since 7 o'clock in the evening, an hour before the Opening Ceremony starts, people have been arriving from all quarters at the square outside the Shanghai Stadium.
"I came here directly after work. A lot of people are staying at home to watch the Opening Ceremony, but I chose to come here and watch it on the big screen outside the stadium. That way I can share my joy with others here," Mr. Xu, a white-collar worker from a Shanghai company tells the reporter.
But not everyone can enjoy the event like Mr. Xu. In a shopping center near the Shanghai Stadium, clerks are talking about the ceremony.
"You can see that there are very few customers here although it is the weekend. I want to watch the TV very much but I won't get off work till after 10. So I'll have to watch the rebroadcast tomorrow," one of the clerks tells me.
"The ceremony was very Chinese. The art performance showcased Chinese culture and the fireworks were beautiful. It was great," a volunteer says after watching the event.
"I like the theme – You and Me, which has shown our hospitality to the world and perfectly captures the Olympic Spirit," a student from Shanghai University adds.
"Come on, China," the crowd break into cheers when they see members of China's Olympic Delegation finally parade into the stadium.
This fantastic Opening Ceremony has ignited a passion across China that will last through the whole of the Games.
