BEIJING (AP) 鈥� There are many disadvantages to working inside the hermetically sealed 鈥渃losed loop鈥� at the Beijing Olympics. The 鈥渂ubble鈥� separates reporters, athletes and Olympic staff from the real Beijing public, giving access only to venues, the media center, or the hotel.
But if you're shopping for souvenirs, it鈥檚 the place to be.
That鈥檚 because the coveted fluffy Olympic panda mascot 鈥� named Bing Dwen Dwen 鈥� is in short supply everywhere around Beijing, but available in limited quantities inside the souvenir shop at the media center.
鈥淚t鈥檚 harder to buy the souvenirs outside the loop because there are more people and some will get into the line in the middle of the night in order to buy souvenirs,鈥� Meng Qingpeng explained.
Meng, who is working at the speedskating venue, said he lined up at 9 a.m. outside the souvenir shop. By 2 p.m. he'd made it into another line 鈥� this one about about 50 meters (yards) away at a post office set up for shoppers to mail gifts from inside the bubble to the outside world.
He said he hoped to be done by 4 and enjoy a late lunch.
Meng stood alongside four green-and brown cardboard boxes. He said he'd landed one mascot, T-shirts, caps, bags and other Olympic items.
He was not alone. At least 50 others were in the twisting line, leaning on boxes, bending down to address packages, or waiting to have boxes sealed shut.
鈥淏efore the opening ceremony last week, there were not many people in the shops,鈥� Meng said. 鈥淭hese souvenirs got popular in one night.鈥�
And the key question: Are you going to resell this stuff?
鈥淣o,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot for resale. This shows my good heart for friends, and to get something for my parents."
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Stephen Wade, The Associated Press
