Worse food than Seoul in 1988, fewer spectators from outside the host country than remote Sydney in 2000 - but a spectacular venue with the 'Bird's Nest' stadium - is how one veteran Olympics watcher will remember Beijing. US citizen Judy Wise, who attended her first Olympics in Munich in 1972 and has been to nearly every Games since, said the Beijing Games were less international than others in the past four decades, but they showcased the amazing changes China has undergone since she first visited 30 years ago. 'The other [host] countries I've been to have been more international. This was much more of a Chinese Olympics,' she said. Although spectators from a host country always outnumbered outsiders, she noted far fewer spectators than usual from the United States, which had a large team competing. 'While that's always true [of] a host country, it's not quite as true as it was here.' She said strict visa policies and reports about security and human rights were to blame for keeping some foreign tourists away. Her family waited for a month before receiving visas shortly before the Games. Although the vast numbers of fans were Chinese, she said they embraced the Olympic spirit. The fans were 'great' and showed the 'happiness of being there and being so excited about their athletes', she said. A track and field fan, she found the exterior of the 'Bird's Nest' beautiful, but was disappointed with the food, the uncomfortable seats and poor transport arrangements to and from the venue. 'The facility itself was beautiful and the whole grounds were really fantastic,' she said. However, she added: 'We have never been to an Olympics with such horrible food.' Although they had great meals while in Beijing, the food available in the stadium was bread and popcorn. Still, she and her family enjoyed themselves, and she expects even greater changes in China in future. 'I think the progress has been astounding - the restaurants, stores, streets, buildings, architecture and even people's freedom to some extent,' she said.