That’s why some of the chatter at the party tonight was striking. Yes, sure, everyone was expressing their opinions about the opening ceremonies (like all you who commented on my first post, the Chinese pretty much loved the Zhang Yimou production, but those in attendance said it was hot as hell in the Bird’s Nest, and as Yifei put it, “the rest of it just took too long.” Another friend, who had better remain nameless, said: "How is it that Hu Jintao appeared to be the only one of us out of 91,000 not sweating? Did he have little electric fans under his jacket”); but several Chinese, unprompted by me, expressed shock and sadness at the murder. For all the paranoia in the press about demonstrations, protests and “locked down” Beijing, a random murder of a foreign tourist is the last thing anyone ever expected.

So many Chinese so desperately want these Olympics to be “perfect,” that this single savage act affected people strongly. But the odd aspect of it is, it’s the kind of tragic, lunatic thing that could happen anywhere, isn’t it? Even in Beijing, even during the Olympics. Sad.

Anyway, the party was a terrific scene nonetheless, until around 11 o’clock, when it just poured rain, sending everyone listening to the music outside (us included) scattering for their cars. More tomorrow.