Published Aug 28, 2008
The closing ceremony in Beijing on Sunday marked the official end of the Olympic Games, but the legacy of the games will follow China for some time, manifested in the twisting steel of the Bird's Nest and, more importantly, the new global perception of the country.
My own perception of China has certainly changed. I knew China was an emerging economic powerhouse, but bicycles, rice paddies and little white stickers on cheap plastic toys were the first images that came to mind prior to the Olympic Games. Now, those pictures will be replaced by the Bird's Nest.