One of the Beijing Olympic’s most anticipated events is soccer. The tournament to crown an Olympic champion in the world’s most popular sports will run the duration of the Games. Matches will be hosted in Beijing, but also in Shanghai and Tianjin, bringing some of the excitement of the Olympics to other regions of soccer crazy China.

The announcement that two of Brazil’s biggest stars will be part of their nation’s squad has brought a bit more buzz to the Olympics. Robinho and Ronaldinho, both stars on the national team and on their Spanish club teams, will be making the trip to Beijing with Brazil’s other footballers. These choices have to make Brazil one of the early favorites for gold.

But Brazil won’t be on top of the podium on August 23rd if Argentina and their young star Lionel Messi have anything to say about it. The blue chip winger is one of the game’s best players, and Argentina has one of the best under -23 teams in the world. Beating them will not be impossible, but will be quite difficult, even for powerhouse Brazil.

China has lofty goals. At least, coach Ratomir Dujkovic does. He was successful at the 2006 World Cup, when he led upstart Ghana past group play and into the knockout stage. The task will be a little bit tougher in China. They will have to win over New Zealand in their opening match, and then oust Belgium before taking on Brazil. The Chinese squad will need to win at least two games to guarantee themselves a spot in the next stage of the tournament. That’s a tall order for a team that was just knocked out of qualifying for the World Cup 2010 at a very early stage.

Upstarts New Zealand are entering their first major international competition with high hopes. It will be a major upset if they win more than one match during group play, but the team has plenty of players with high-level club experience.

Even “budget” hotels will be raising their rates during the Olympics. With most of their four and five star brethren near capacity already, sleeping venues at the lower end of the hotel price spectrum are set for an influx of visitors.

As anyone who has traveled on a budget knows, finding accommodation that is both good and cheap can be tricky, even if your standards aren’t very high.

Here are a few hotels/guesthouses that earn high marks for quality and service despite their reasonable prices.

1. Youth Hostels are scattered throughout the city. Leo’s Hostel (Tie Shu Xie Jie) is known for its lively scene. The rooms are Spartan, to be sure, but the bar is lively, and any place that has a Playstation in the lobby can’t be all that bad. Beijing City Central Youth Hostel is the cleanest, most convenient (in terms of location and sevice), and most popular hostel in town. There is a 24-hour convenience store, internet access, and an English speaking staff.

2. Experience life in Beijing’s famous Hutong (networks of alleyways) at Beijing Houhai Courtyard (Sanbulao Hutong). Single rooms only cost 15 bucks (non-Olympic rates), with shared rooms going even more cheaply. The guesthouse offers tea in the courtyard, tours of the surrounding area, and bicycle rental.

3. Another hutong hotel is Beijing Join Inn (Qinmao Hutong, just off Zhaodengyu Ave). It is a rarity in Beijing for more than its clever name. Located in the hutong, but near a main road and a subway station, it offers proximity to both old and new Beijing. Where else can you find both a McDonald’s and a hutong noodle stall within walking distance?
Even though many budget travelers prefer to shoot from the hip and not book in advance, booking before the Olympics is a must. Beijing City Central Youth Hostel is the most coveted spot. It will undoubtedly be filled to capacity for the duration of the games. So booking early is a necessity.

Beijing will be packed during the Olympics. The main tourist attractions will be more densely populated that Disney World during high season. Where can you go to get away from the crowds? Between August 8th and 24th, such an escape might not be possible.

Unless, that is, you are prepared to travel beyond Beijing’s city limits. Beijing has a little known sister city, Tianjin. It is a populous town, but has somehow managed to miss the tourism renaissance felt in Beijing, Shanghai, and China’s other major cities.

Though not as tourist friendly a destination as Beijing, Tianjin is the prefect place too get a glimpse of the real China. Beijing will have on its make-up for the Olympics. Tianjin just might be the perfect place to get behind the façade.

The river city can be reached easily from Beijing. High-speed train and bus service is cheap and the distance is covered quickly.

But what can you do once you get there?

The Ancient Cultural Street hosts a huge market. It rivals many of Beijing’s markets in terms of atmosphere and options for souvenir searching. Bargaining is aggressive, even when compared to Beijing. You will be expected to negotiate hard for any purchase.

Tianjin is cheaper than Beijing in general. Even inflated tourist prices will seem cheap after a visit to Beijing.

Tianjin has many schools and universities. Thus, there is a youthful party scene, especially at bars and clubs near major universities. The cream of the dancing crop can be found at clubs with names like Scarlet, Seven, New York Bar, and Sitong Bar.

Hotels in Tianjin might leave a little bit to be desired, but you will probably be able to find decent rooms even after Beijing’s lowliest guesthouse lights up its No Vacancy sign. Tianjin First Hotel and Astor Hotel populated the budget end of things, while the city’s Hyatt and Sheraton offer 4-star accommodations.

During the Olympics, souvenir hunters will have ample opportunity to pick up sports-related material. But what about some Chinese folk art, antiques, or hand made crafts? There will be plenty of knick-knacks for sale from vendors around Olympic venues and in Tiananmen Square. You’ll have to bargain hard to get a good deal, but these trinkets are harmless as long as you don’t expect something authentic.

Higher priced versions of these souvenirs can be found in some of the malls around Tiananmen.

But THE place to find keepsakes is The Pan Jia Yuan Flea Market. The sheer number of vendors makes this the perfect place for some window-shopping of Olympic proportions. The vendors here offer everything from cheap plastic replicas of the terra-cotta warriors of Xian to priceless authentic antiques. To find the real deals, you’ll have to be a bit of an expert in Chinese antiques and also have some luck on your side. One could wander for several days and still not see everything that is for sale.

Bargaining is a must at Pan Jia Yuan. There can sometimes be a language barrier, so some tourists find it useful to carry a small calculator on which to type offers and counter offers. Bargaining can be a bit frustrating, but it is important to remain calm and polite. Getting to the price you want might take some time, but it is all part of the experience. Of course, if you engage in the bargaining proceeds, a vendor will eventually expect you to buy. Don’t simply start bargaining for the fun of it.

Pan Jia Yuan is locared at 18 Hua Wei Li, Pan Jia Yuan Road. It is only open on Saturday and Sunday, and can get quite crowded, so it is best to arrive early in the morning.

The epicenter of Beijing’s Olympic action will be in an area of the city that has become known as The Olympic Green. Specially constructed for the Olympis, the Green houses some of the venues that will host the highest profile events. The Olympic Village is also located on the Green.

All athletes who will participate in the games will have a room reserved for them in one of the 42 multi-storey buildings inside the Olympic Village. Many higher profile athletes will probably be staying elsewhere, but it will definitely be the place to be for Olympic participants.

The centerpiece of the Green is the National Stadium, dubbed The Bird’s Nest for its winding, stick-like supports. The multi-billion dollar venue will host the opening ceremonies, the Track and Field competition, and the finals of the Olympic soccer tournament.

The National Indoor Stadium will be the main indoor venue for the games. Located adjacent to its larger outdoor cousin, it will host the handball tournament as well as the rhythmic gymnastics events.

The National Aquatic Center, nicknamed the Water Cube for the water-like appearance of its exterior walls, will host the swimming and diving events. It can seat 19,000 fans at a time and will probably be filled to capacity most of the time.

The Olympic Green Convention Center will host visiting media personnel and be the venue for press conferences. Some of TV’s most recognizable faces will be spending most of their time here.

Smaller venues on the Olympic Green include the Olympic Hockey Field, a 17,000-seat venue that will be the home of Field Hockey. The Hockey Field and adjacent Archery Range (capacity 5,000) will be deconstructed after the games and converted into a large public park. Tennis will be played at the Olympic Green Tennis Center. It has 10 competition courts and an overall capacity of 17,000.

For many athletes, simply making it to the Olympics is a reward. The competitive Olympic track and field trials in the US and Jamaica have shown just how hard it is to even make it to Beijing. More than a few world-class athletes will be watching on TV while others vie for gold in mid-August.

For a select few, however, the Olympics mean the chance to confront their rival and compete for the most storied prize in all sports, an Olympic gold medal.

Sports fans can expect dramatic duels from the following events:

1. Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, and Asafa Powell will be sprinting for track glory in the men’s 100 meters. This event regularly produces the most drama of any race. This time, record holder Bolt will have to compete against veteran Powell, the US’s best sprinter, Gay. To even qualify for the finals in the 100 meters, runners will probably have to post sub-10 second times in the early rounds. That means that any one of the final 8 sprinters will have the chops to cross the tape first.

2. Terrance Trammell and Liu Xiang have dueled for the top spot in the 110-meter hurdles before. This time, Liu, the 2004 gold medalist, will have the hometown fans behind him. Neither of these aging stars holds the world record though. It belongs to Cuban Dayron Robles, who could play the spoiler by relegating the veterans to the lower two platforms on the podium.

3. 2004 400-meter champ Jeremy Wariner will have to overcome the momentum that LaShawn Merritt has earned by beating the odds-on Olympic favorite twice in their past two meetings. Whoever wins will have to run at nearly world record pace. All the pressure is on Wariner, the heir apparent to Michael Johnson at 400-meters.

Despite its pollution and sometimes-harsh winters, Beijing is a city of parks and gardens. While estimates suggest that the number of visitors during the Olympic Games could reach seven figures, these parks will remain bastions of calmness amidst the bustle of the festivities.

Beihai Park is Beijing’s version of New York’s Central park, only with thousand-year-old structures and religious icons. It is a favorite of locals and has enough sites and greenery to attract both sightseers and those seeking a break from the Olympic and tourist activities.

Venture further outside the city center, though, and visitors will find the Beijing Botanical Gardens. It is adjacent to the 5th Ring Road, but is easily reached from the city center on Xiangyi Road or by city bus (there are no less than 10 that stop at the Gardens). Entry into the gardens is a mere 5 yuan, making it one of the cheaper sites in the city.

The grounds themselves are not as expansive as visitors might expect. But there is a 13-room greenhouse and over 3,000 species housed within the gardens.

Inside the greenhouse, the displays include:
1. An evergreen garden
2. Tropical marshland plants (including water lilies and lotuses)
3. Plants used in agriculture like rubber trees, cocoa plants, and coffee bushes
4. An exhibit of medicinal plants that are so much a part of China’s medical history.
5. Several rooms are dedicated to ornamental plants that are bred either for their appearance or for their scents.

There is an educational aspect to the Botanical Gardens. There is an 11,000 square foot Specimen House featuring rare and unusual plants that have been collected in China over the years. There are also working research facilities where plants are classified, bred, and studied.

One of the most popular gardens is the Peony Garden. These beautiful flowers are known throughout China.

They Olympics are full of stories of people overcoming great odds to excel at sport. One of this year’s best stories belongs to Lopez Lomong. Despite gaining his US citizenship only one year ago, the track star is well on his way to qualifying for the Olympics in the 1,500-meters.

Lomong’s career on the track began in a very unorthodox way. At a young age, he was forced to flee his native Sudan during a bloody and violent civil war which saw young men being forced to serve in the armed forces. After escaping to Kenya, Lomong spent his teen years in a refugee camp, finally moving to the US for his last two years of High school.

He ran middle distance races for the University of Northern Arizona and quickly became one of the fastest in the nation at 1,500-meters.

The other favorite to make the US team in the 1500 meters is a well-known runner, Bernard Lagat. He won silver in Athens at the distance, losing out on the top spot to Hicham El Guerrouj by only one-tenth of a second. Lagat, like Lomong, came to the US from Kenya. Only he arrived under better circumstances and chose to become an American citizen and compete for the US instead of remaining with the Kenyan team.

Unlike Lomong, Lagat already has a spot on the roster for Beijing. He recently qualified for the 5,000 meters and has a shot at medaling there.

The US is typically not as strong in distance events as they are in the sprints and relays. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Lomong and Lagat have been making waves in the US. Both are originally from East Africa, home of the distance running powerhouses like Kenya and Ethiopia. While those nations are expected to dominate in Beijing, Lagat, especially, has a chance to get a medal to the US track team.

There were plenty of fireworks at the Australian Olympic trials earlier in the summer. World records fell and a few athletes gained the status of national heroes. Now swimming’s other powerhouse, the USA, has there chance to shine and bring some much needed hype to the event in advance of the Beijing Olympics.

At the US Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Michael Phelps showed that he was well on the way to Olympic form by nearly breaking the world record in the 200-meter freestyle. He claims that he is set to peak for the Olympics and repeat the multiple medal-winning performance that he had in Athens 2004. Though Phelps, who is arguably swimming’s biggest star (at least outside of Australia), didn’t smash any world marks, several other swimmers set new marks. Aaron Peirsol and Natalie Coughlin broke the 100-meter backstroke world records in the men’s and women’s races (respectively). Katie Hoff, who succumbed to the pressures at Athens 2004, showed no signs of the stress that forced her to break down poolside four years ago. She smashed the world record in the 400-meter individual medley and set up a showdown with Coughlin in the 200 IM finals.

The biggest rival to Michael Phelps on the US team is Ryan Lochte. As of yet, Lochte has been unable to best Phelps. He failed in his attempt to qualify for the backstroke, and has dropped out of the 200 Meter Freestyle, a race in which Phelps is favored.

Team Australia will be heading to the pool led by Ian Thorpe, AKA the Thorpedo. He and Phelps will have a couple of showdowns in Beijing, and both the US and Australian relay squads should make for some interesting and hotly contested team events.

China typically does not fare well on the Tennis courts. The host nation is set to sweep up plenty of medals in sports like diving, table tennis, and gymnastics. But tennis? It seems more and more possible by the day. Wimbledon has been the coming-out party for a new star in China. Tennis player Zheng Jie defeated one of the tournament’s favorites, Ana Ivanovic, in the third round. Instead of proving that the upset was a fluke, Zheng has done just the opposite, breezing to two more victories on the way to a semifinal showdown with American superstar and former Wimbledon champion Serena Williams.

But Zheng doesn’t even have an eye on the gold medal yet. She hasn’t even showed much excitement during her improbable run at the All England Club. That is because she was born and raised in China’s Sichuan Province. A major earthquake killed tens of thousands of Sichuan’s population earlier this summer. Zheng has showed restraint in her celebrations out of respect for the victims of the disaster. She has promised to donate her prize money to the victims of the disaster, who are still rebuilding. That will be no small sum, even if she loses her remaining matches. Wimbledon is one of the world’s wealthiest tournaments.

Chinese pro Peng Sun will compete in the men’s portion of the tournement in Beijing. He was granted a wildcard spot as were two bigger names: Jonas Bjorkman and Nicolas Massu. Bjorkman is 36 and plans to retire at the end of this season. He is a two time Swedish olympian and is hoping to end his career with a medal. Massu, a Chilean with little success in the Grand Slam events and is ranked 131st in the world, won the gold in Athens. He was also part of the doubles team that stood atop the podium.