"I don't have tickets for the Games, but I really want to feel the Olympic atmosphere myself," said 77-year-old Huo Meiyun at the Beijing Olympic Park.
Huo came from northern Shanxi Province. The enthusiastic senior visited the park on Saturday.
"To come and see the real Olympics is a big thing for me," said Huo, smiling.
The park saw noticeably more visitors on Saturday. They either held tickets to watch field and track events at the National Stadium, or swimming in the National Aquatics Center, or simply came here just to see the park, otherwise known as the Olympic Green.
Wang Wei, spokesman for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, said earlier more tourists and Beijing citizens would be granted visits to the park within its accommodation and security guarantee capacity.
"It is really fantastic!" said 10-year-old Su Jinhong, after participating in boxing and electric guitar playing in a digital experiencing center run by Olympic sponsor Lenovo in the park.
Su, with her mother and cousin, watched an Olympic walking race here on Saturday.
The center attracted an average of 4,000 people each day, according to Zhang Li, the center's staff.
Alexis Miramon from France, bought a ticket for the field events on Saturday evening. He arrived in the park early in the morning and walked around in it.
He said Beijing's air quality is much better than before.
(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2008)