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A Beijing resident of 15 years, Nick Bonner has booked his ticket out of the capital during the Olympics period. But it's not because he has any complaints about the Games being held here - it's because he'll be attending what he sees as a far bigger spectacle, in Pyongyang. 
How long have you been in Beijing?

Since 1993.

How long have you been running your company, Koryo Tours?

Since 1993.

What exactly is it that you do?

We specialise in tours and cultural exchanges with North Korea. A friend of mine was in North Korea when I came to Beijing and he met someone there who suggested there was a need for a travel service.

Why are you going to North Korea during the Beijing Games?

Because of the big 60 in North Korea, the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea coincides with the Olympics. The anniversary is September 9, but the celebrations start on August 4. Sixty is far more important than 50 there. At least 120,000 people will be performing in North Korea, and have been preparing all year. Of course China has also been preparing for years.  As far as I'm concerned, the three biggest spectacles of the year will all be taking place in Asia, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics, and the Mass Games in North Korea.

Can you draw any comparison between the two communist countries' mass spectacles?

China's not a communist country any more. It's fantastic that China has the Olympics, but it's all about individuals, whereas in North Korea it's about the individuals performing for the good of the whole. There the failure of a single individual can damage the performance of the whole group. China doesn't concentrate on sports as a whole. They take individuals out and train them. In North Korea, every child has access to sports. The danger in China is that if you take sports away from a whole generation of children who are already spoilt being single kids, they won't learn about things like team work, and the benefits sports can bring.

Do you think China has missed something in preparing for the Olympics?

There was so much opportunity here to make the Olympics for the people. Instead they are making it elitist. There could have been more play areas, but this is more about aesthetics and show. I was in Barcelona with some landscape architecture students during the run-up to their Olympics. I saw how they changed the city, creating parks and systems and humanising the city before the Olympics. I don't think that's happened here. They have taken out the human element. The interface between the public and the state is things being closed off more and more. They should really tackle the real problems, such as pollution, the reduction of bicycle lanes, and so on. Instead of looking at all these buildings going up, I would have tried to create a place where people want to live. 

A final word about the Games in Beijing, that you won't be here to see

I'd like it to go  well but it's going to be polluted, I can't see how it's not going to be polluted and I hope they can take a lesson from that.




Nick Bonner