Mary Xia Flag painter
Outside the Games venues, along with groups taking pictures of the iconic 'Bird's Nest' and 'Water Cube' venues, are dozens of locals selling national flags or offering face painting. Mary Xia is one of them.
'Do you want to have a national flag painted on your face? It costs only 10 yuan [HK$11.40],' the 22-year-old Beijing student asked a little boy and his mother.
Despite showing interest in the service, many passers-by found it a little expensive and asked for a discount. Ms Xia, a business student, insisted she was not doing business, but just something which would increase people's enjoyment of the Games.
'Many people - from kids to the elderly - like this service because it's meaningful,' she said, adding that she had painted Chinese, Korean and Russian flags, and the Olympic rings on faces and bodies.
She said she was only chosen to work as a volunteer for the preparation of the Olympics, and was trying to become more involved by offering painting.
