HIGHER and HIGHER: Chapter III

BEIJING: OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

Summary:
The Haier Brothers visit the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven. They see how the old Beijing is making room for the new. The brothers soon find themselves caught up in the Olympic frenzy, but this time on two wheels. Oh yeah, and they get into a Kung Fu fight.




Chapter III FAQ:

How did you get back onto the Great Wall?
We stood on the shoulders of the women and children. Together, the Haier Brothers and the woman and children defeated the Great Wall, but we did not show this in the film due to camera difficulties.

How near is the Badaling portion of the Great Wall to downtown Beijing?
An hour to an hour and a half by bus. The ride is cheap, about a dollar. Simply catch bus 919 from the old gate of Degshengmen, a half kilometer from Jishuitan subway stop.

What days do you most often see the music groups at the Temple of Heaven?
Go there weekends, Sundays especially.

Are the Hutongs safe?
Yes, as long as there are no Kung Fu masters milling about. Such occurrences are rare though.

Where can I rent a bike in Beijing?
All over the place. If you're stumped, ask a hostel or hotel. They'll have suggestions. We really do recommend bikes in Beijing. It's amazing how much the city shrinks with two wheels. Without them, Beijing for us was just too big.

How do I get tickets to see the Olympic road bike race?
It's one of the few events you can catch without spending a dime. Just find a spot along the conceived route posted on the Beijing 2008 Web site (google it.)

Can you bike to Laoshan from downtown Beijing?
Sure. It takes about an hour, but the trails on the hill are a blast. It's amazing the park is in Beijing actually. There are routes for all levels of riders. Just don't take a wrong turn, crash and tumble into the wild reefer bushes, especially if your an Olympic athlete. The IOC will get you.

HIGHER and HIGHER: Chapter IV

The Olympics in Beijing: The greatest show on Earth

The Haier Brothers head to the nerve centers of Beijing’s history and future. They sneak into the Forbidden City and also venture onto the largest public square in the world: Tiananmen. The Haier Brothers then leave the old center and head for the new one: The Beijing Olympic Green. A party starts back in Tiananmen and the Haier Brothers get their best idea yet.



Chapter IV FAQ:

Why didn't you highlight some of the more controversial history regarding Tiananmen Square, specifically the 1989 pro-democracy protests? Regardless of being sponsored by Haier to make this film, we never intended the film to be political. We aimed to briefly touch upon China's history and parallel it to the dramatic development the nation is currently undergoing. If you want a decent overview of the protests in 1989, google Frontline and check out the documentary "The Tank Man."

Can anybody access the Olympic Green right now?
Sort of. If you want a peek, you can go to the Fourth Ring Road and stand upon one of the bridges to get a glance of the southern, most dramatic end (that's where the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube are). Also, you can try one of the entrances and explain to the gate guards (in Chinese, they don't speak English) you want to see the grounds. They may, or may not, allow it.

Are the Olympic Volunteers really helpful?
It depends. They're learning to be, we can say that much. At some moments, the volunteers were so eager to greet us that we felt overwhelmed by their smiling, eager faces. However, if we asked them a question or raised a concern, commonsense often hadn't caught up with their willingness to help. For example, the Olympic venues didn't allow bicycles, nor did they provide bike storage, a defeating attitude for "The Green Olympics." Later, some of the venues starting coming up with ways to park bikes and even had volunteers willing to keep an eye on them. To us, this showed the volunteers will increasingly become more capable of thinking on their feet. They just need practice.

During the countdown celebration, why didn't you ride actually onto Tiananmen Square? The government blocked the square so it could hold a special concert. Without special permission, you weren't allowed in. But that didn't stop Beijingers from coming out and standing on the fringes of the celebration, just close enough to see glowing lights in the night sky. In so many ways, the energy and enthusiasm felt on the fringes, amongst the masses, was much more telling than the concert.