Olympic Highs, Lows, And Revelations

Commentary: Jeff Glor Reflects On What He Witnessed At Games In Beijing

(CBS)  CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor looks back on the things he saw while covering the Summer Olympics in Beijing. They ran the gamut.

It's been an enlightening three weeks:

I watched a sublime opening ceremony.

I watched a nation full of people fiercely proud of their chance to host the Games.

I watched Beijingers inside the Bird's Nest cheer for athletes from any and every country.

I watched them roar when Chinese athletes, in particular, were named.

I watched thousands of volunteers, many of them young, display unending energy and dedication.

I watched a massive and effective neighborhood watch program protect the streets.

I watched the Chinese take a truly unbelievable number of pictures of themselves with Olympic venues in the background.

I watched many locals extremely eager to practice their English, and I realize, when I go back home, nobody’s going to be practicing Mandarin.

I watched a city full of people who put more emphasis on being serious than being funny.

I watched an ever-increasing sense of nationalism, spurred by economic and athletic success.

I watched a rising power assert itself by winning 51 gold medals.

I watched different countries and different organizations display medal counts in different ways.

I watched all kinds of sports that rarely make primetime, such as archery and fencing and judo, and I wish this stuff was on every night.

I watched most events on China Central Television, which I'm glad has nine different national channels.

I watched the Internet so I could witness even more contests, and I can’t want until broadband connections are consistently reliable.

I watched CNN International get blacked out when it ran something Chinese authorities found disagreeable.

I watched iTunes notify me it was unavailable in China (Apple was selling songs that advocated for a free Tibet).

I watched U.S. Embassy warnings that I should have "no reasonable expectation of privacy," even in my hotel room, and I wonder how many people were watching me.

I watched Chinese officials say one little girl's image wasn't "flawless" enough to appear in person at the opening ceremony.

I watched a girl who looked younger than 16 win a gold medal.

I watched some people spit, but not as many as I was expecting.

I watched locals nudge and push and bump without giving it a second thought, because in China, people generally don't stand in line.

I watched a general disregard of rules on the road.

I watched less protesting than most were predicting.

I watched how bad the Beijing air really was when I flew in.

I watched the skies improve dramatically after only a few days, and mostly stay that way.

I watched the beautiful mountains that surround Beijing, which are visible on the clearest of days.

I watched the open square of Tiananmen and the buildings surrounding it and was awed by its size and history.

I watched my hand direct a stick full of fried centipedes into my mouth.

I watched and tried plenty of other dishes I’ll likely never touch again.

I watched the cooks here make omelets with chopsticks.

I watched workers serve me a Big Mac, corn, and sweet taro pie at 6 a.m.

I watched a bill for a sumptuous six-person lunch total only 20 U.S. dollars.

I watched Jason Lezak complete one of the two greatest sporting comebacks I’ve ever seen (Bills over Oilers, 1993, is the other).

I watched Usain Bolt run faster than any person ever and win without even trying that hard.

I watched the U.S. boxing team put up its worst Olympic performance in history, and I wonder if it’s because all the young fighters are choosing MMA instead.

I watched the Redeem Team justify its name.

I watched a volleyball family deal with unspeakable sadness.

I watched a volleyball coach display uncanny strength and dignity in the face of despair.

I watched a volleyball team triumph in the most bittersweet and beautiful moment of these games.

I watched my hand move across my chest and settle on my heart as our national anthem played, and I felt incredibly proud and lucky to be an American.

I watched the clock, and I can’t wait for London in 2012.

[NMlost]

Well said, Glor, but fried CENTIPEDES?