DO YOU SPEAK SUSHI?

Beijing, Day 27

While the House of Switzerland is slowly disappearing and the students packing and counting the equipment, the author of these lines had the great idea to go to the Mega Olympic Store to buy a small souvenir for the "César Ritz" team. I thought: "Monday morning, Olympics over, the place will be deserted and everything on 50% sale", but it seems that about 2000 other people had the same great idea. With Nicholas' and Trude's help, risking our lives, I managed to secure 15 mugs, pens and BeiBeis or JingJings (the official mascots) for tonight's final outing as the first team members will leave Beijing tomorrow to go straight back to work.

Not for the tender-hearted: The battle at the Olympic shop

In our taxi on the way back I read the charming Beijing restaurant guide, which is giving the reader a good idea what to expect eating out in this city. Here are some examples...
...this teppanyaki restaurant boasts chefs who speak both English and Japanese, as well as a good range of Sushi. (Asakuma) ...you like things that go bump in the night? (Whale Inside Dark) ...Cantonese delicacies also include shark’s fin soup and abalone, but we’d avoid these dishes for their environmental unfriendliness (the Farm House) The café must have something to do with books, since it is called "Bookworm Café" (could also have something to do with worms???).

The next day: everything gone over night!!!

Honeymoon price for you!!! The directorof the HoS, Manuel Salchli, is selling the house.

With the help of such an efficient guide we choose to reserve a table at "WISH", restaurant, bar and lounge, for the last supper, and after a great meal full of memories most team members still had the energy to go out for a drink (or two). It was good to have them all together for the last time. Looking into their faces and listening to the last weeks' adventures I knew that all of them were already infected with the "Olympic-HoS-Virus" and would have signed without hesitation for Vancouver or London, despite the weeks of hard work they just put behind them. CK

For the last time united:
The "César Ritz Colleges" Team at the Beijing 2008 Olympics

THE LAST DAY OF THE OLYMPICS

Beijing, Day 26

The adventure reaches its end! One eye laughing, the other one crying, the team of the House of Switzerland looked at this last day with mixed emotions. While the author of this lines and his better half had their first, and also last, meal at the public restaurant of the HoS (excellent! compliments to the chefs who really spoiled us!), the first potential buyers were walking through the hall, securing tables, chef uniforms, TV screens, cutlery and stoves. We managed to keep all students out of their way, otherwise I fear they would have gone straight into slavery.

The first... and last meal at the HoS

Say cheese! Chef Bruno has two new fans in Beijing

What means ogoshi?
Ute is serving bronze medalist Sergei Aschwanden

After an extremely difficult process of scanning passport & visa and submitting photos, fingerprints, DNA samples,... we finally managed to get tickets to the Olympic closing ceremony for Trude and myself!!! Especially after I found out that Jimmy Page, guitar player of Led Zeppelin, would be part of the show I was really looking forward to be finally able to see the famous Bird's Nest from the inside.

The author of these lines with the guardian of the fireworks

In the stadium we found a rather big bag on every seat, and it took a 1 hour training to explain to all 91.484 spectators how to use the various items and tools (different flags, foils, lights, drums,....) which were in our bags. We gave our best, and when Jacques Rogge said that "these games were truly exceptional" I felt that he mentioned that probably also a bit because of our enthusiastic waving, clapping, and drumming (doped by natural mineral water only!).

The official Olympic Closing Ceremony tools!

Feeling blue!

Il Finale Furioso!

After the show we joined the HoS team in their last effort to reduce the kitchen and bar stock to a minimum, and I will for reasons of descretion and privacy give no further details. When we finally came home, the birds were singing, and the sun and Nicholas were rising (Nicholas thought it was time for breakfast, not sure what the sun thought...). What a great day & night! CK

The after party at The HoS (Censored!)

REACHING THE END

Beijing, Day 25

Back in town. After two weeks in the fresh air of Switzerland, the author of these lines is back...in the fresh air of Beijing. It was great to come home to an apartment full of life, as Mr. and Ms. Fournier were still here, as well as the director of our office in China, Nicolas Luo (agent 008). And I didn't come alone this time either, as my better half and Career Services Manager, Trude Gulbrandsoy, took a week of holidays to join me in the last days of the Olympic adventure. Our first steps took us to the friendly neighborhood, the police station, for registration (like all aliens do), and then we went straight to the HoS to see how the team was doing, and they were all still there, looking ... slimmer (Julian, transformed from Kung Fu panda to almost Bruce Lee shape), paler (yes, even Fides can look like that), tired, but all with a big smile and ready for the final 100 meters.

The "César Ritz" family

Peking Duck no 25 million....


Tony and his wife, both working at the Grand Hyatt Beijing

After lunch at, Nishi Group, Heidi Ni's family's restaurant, and a short nap we went back to the HoS, this time packed with local and international visitors, before we had Mr. and Ms. Fournier's farewell dinner at the "Made in China" in the Grand Hyatt. It was good to see Shuimiao (freshly promoted to Assistant Restaurant Manager), and Tony Han again, newly appointed restaurant manager of the "Made in China", one of Beijing's most popular places.

After a delicious dinner (we had probably the 25 millionth duck eaten during the Olympics, didn't do them any good, these games...) the Fournier family took of to the airport, while we went...back to the HoS where we met Julian and his parents who probably brought him some "Maultaschen" from back home. A good part of the Swiss Olympic team spend their last evening in the House, so the party was on until long after the official closing hours of the HoS Beijing 2008. CK

Julian and his parents at the HoS

Ian, the Blogger, late at night

The Norwegian team is celebrating two golds!!! (the boys celebrate Fides)

LUNCH ON THE RIVER

C. Konrad, T. Guldbrandsoy, H, and S. Fournier went to lunch at the Nishi Bogong Restaurant. It is owned by current University Center "César Ritz" student, Heidi Ni's parents. It is in a spectacular location on the river near the hotels Kempinski, Kunlun and Westin.

View from the Kunlun Hotel, on the left is the Kempinski, the Bogong restaurant is on the river in the distance

The outdoor terrace is shaped like the bow of a ship and marine decoration is seen throughout the restaurant. The concept is great: all the items on the menu are on display and you get to choose what you will be eating before retiring to a private room. Chinese dining at its best!

S. Fournier, Nicolas Luo, H. Fournier, C. Konrad, T. Guldbrandsoy with Heidi's mother, Mrs Zhan Lan Hao. She is the President of the NISHI GROUP which owns 4 restaurants in Beijing and some real estate, including a fish farm.

THE OLYMPIC BIRDNEST

At the Olympic Green

"César Ritz" students at the House of Switzerland do work hard, and not only when the Swiss win medals. On their days off (few and far between) they have the chance to catch an Olympic event. Inside the Birdnest with Fides, Hakon and Yves: 200m with the fastest man in the wolrd: Ushain Bolt, high jump, hurdles and more...

The NBC Today Show

TV in the metro

THE HOUSE OF GERMANY AT THE KEMPINSKI

"César Ritz" graduate Katarina Rust - Sales Manager

The German Olympic Federation (DOSB) chose the Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center as the official site for the German House. Compared to the House of Switzerland, the concept is slightly different: it is not open to the public. It is essentially a platform for the official sponsors to promote their products and for the German athletes to meet the media and Olympic officials. Every day the official press conference takes place at 11:00 am. The German TV stations ARD and ZDV both have studios for the sport shows and many live interviews. The famed Waldi und Harri talk show with Harald Schmit here daily.

Obviously this is great exposure for the Kempinski Hotel. "César Ritz" graduate Katharina Rust came to Beijing in 2005 in the Front Office Department. She is now Sales Manager and has been working on the coordination of this venture for the last two years. The public areas, some of the function rooms, the garden and even the Chinese restaurant have been set-up to serve the needs of the German delegation. The hotel was built in 1992 with 526 rooms, 170 apartments/offices and 7 F&B outlets, including the famed Braühaus-Biergarten. Paulaner beer is brewed right there and guess what, the menu includes sausage, sauerkraut and potato salad. There is also a bakery and deli which is very popular with the ex-pat community: welcome to Little Germany!

Pictured below is Lars Wismer Project Manager for the HoG. He is married to "César Ritz" graduate Claudia Winkelmann whose brother Christoph is also an alum.

The TV studio for the Waldi und Harri show

SOFITEL WANDA BEIJING

The 5-star hotel scene in Beijing has seen 5000 new rooms put on the market for the Olympics, bringing the total amount of rooms of this segment to approximately 20'000. Needless to say that business will be ultra competitive after the Olympics. The properties are expecting a drastic drop in the occupancy rate, especially for the month of September, since the visa restrictionswill be in effect until the end of the month.

Hotel Manager Lionel Houliat (worked several years at Hotel des Bergues in Geneva), Drusilla Gao, H. Fournier, Toumert AL Khalloufi, Nicolas Luo

Drusilla Gao with Cedric Besler F&B Director and Thonon graduate

The Sofitel Wanda Beijing, 417 rooms with 660 staff and 6 F&B outlets opened in August 2007 in the CBD area. "César Ritz" graduate Drusilla Gao joined the pre-opening team in November 2006. She had graduated (WSU) in 2004, completed her last in-training at the Mirador Kempinski overlooking Lake Geneva and then returned to China to work in events at the Kempinski Great Wall. She then joined the Accor group and is now E-commerce Marketing Asst. Manager at the Sofitel.

The entire hotel celebrates the intimate links between two splendid cultures: the visual ambiance of Chinese design with a subtle blend of French and Western contemporary style. Drusilla is keeping up her French, she is even taking advanced lessons.

The Central Business District (CBD) includes the China World Shangri-La and the following new properties: Sofitel, JW Marriott, Park Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton and the Mandarin Oriental which has yet to open (pictured below next to the CCTV tower)

It was a pleasure to catch up with Toumert AL Khalloufi at the Sofitel. Our 2001 graduate and F&B trainee is now Vice-President Academic Affairs at the Delter-Telfort International Business Institute in Beijing. The institution enrolls 15'000 students overall. Tom oversees the tourism faculty with around 1500 students. There are plans of expanding the programme, this is China after all!

HOUSE OF SOUTH AFRICA AT THE WESTIN

The Westin Beijing Chaoyang Hotel is a luxury and upscale full-service hotel which is developed and established by China Jin Mao Group and managed by Starwood Hotel and Resorts Group. The General Manager, Daniel Aylmer is a "César Ritz" graduate. The Westin Beijing Chaoyang Hotel is ideally located in the heart of Beijing, a 25-minute journey from Beijing Capital International Airport. The 34-storey hotel forms part of a large mixed-use complex in Liangma He, which comprises office towers and extensive retail shopping. It opened on 21st June, just in time for the Olympics. The hotel welcomed during the first week an important American delegation including the President of the United States, Mr George Bush.

The South African Olympic delegation has also chosen the Westin as their official venue for the Olympics. The House of South Africa occupies the main ballroom and some of the function rooms. Numerous events are taking place there, mainly to promote the second largest event in the world after the Olympic Summer Games: the 2010 FIFA football world cup. The excitement around the hosting of this event has spurred large investments in infrastructure. The nine host cities alone are expected to enjoy about 100'000 job opportunities as a result. It will provide the country of South Africa an excellent opportunity to boost tourism and the sports industry. The organizers have had the opportunity to experience the expertise shown by the Chinese for the games in Beijing and they will no doubt put it in practise for their own event.

Exquisite food in the various F&B outlets

The suites and rooms with the Westin touch and the Heavenly beds