Channel Seven has been copping a bit of flak back in Australia over its Olympics coverage.
But television viewers in Australia didn't have the benefit of the Chinese domestic coverage of the closing ceremony.
As the athletes started leaping out onto the arena, the atmosphere was electric.
And state television cut away to ... a solemn-faced Chinese president Hu Jintao watching on from the stands.
The outgoing Olympic organisers did a wonderful job with colour, pageantry, silver-clad abseilers and aerial trapeze artists. Athletes danced and cheered, and the IOC president declared the games "exceptional".
And London had ... the bus.
Grandstand's Gerard Whateley has called home from Beijing where he has witnessed the gruelling men's marathon on the final day of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Gerard speaks of being starstruck by the likes of Argentina's football sensation Lionel Messi, and engaging in sport's universal dialect.
CLICK HERE to download it or listen here:
Stephanie Rice knows how to play a straight bat to a bit of media off-spin.
Rice was at this morning's Australian Olympic Committee briefing where she was announced as the flag carrier for tomorrow's closing ceremony.
But with headlines like PHELPS SUCKS FACE WITH AUSSIE soaking up ink in the world's gossip columns the triple gold medallist was also asked whether she'd caught up with another golden performer at the games - US swimmer Michael Phelps.
Grandstand's Gerard Whateley shares his Bird's Nest experience of Steve Hooker's gold medal in the pole vault.
CLICK HERE to download it or listen here:
It was bound to happen... I am just starting to feel comfortable about the place and it is almost time to go.
I know how the transport system works, I am aware of the limitations of the official press briefings and I have learnt what to avoid at the complimentary media breakfasts.
The Games only go for 16 days and after the swimming program is done, it is a quick slide towards the end.
There may be veteran Olympic journalists here, but every Games are different and Beijing has been what they call "something else".
Grandstand commentantors in Beijing have been exposed to all facets of the cultural experience at the 2008 Olympics.
The photos included in this blog show Tim Gavel calling the action from the canoe-kayak semi-finals in sheeting rain at the Shunyi course.
Tim can also been seen eating a snake on a skewer on Wednesday night as part of a charity challenge to eat 15 foods he had not tried before in 15 days.
Jenny Campbell, mother of Australian swimmer Cate, is preparing to return to Australia after seeing some of the sights in Beijing as part of the Athlete Family Support Program.
The hungry Olympic reporter has a number of options for sating one's appetite.
There's the dining hall in the main press centre with healthy (salad), sort-of-healthy (international cuisine) and not-really-that-healthy (Olympic sponsor fast food outlet).
And a quick trip outside the Olympic zone can put you in a restaurant where the best of Chinese cuisine is available to all (or at least those who can speak/read Mandarin, or find a picture menu!)
But I was feeling adventurous. And I thought I should go off in search of what Olympic fans can experience on the Olympic Green.
Beneath the flame outside the Birds' Nest, I found a concession stand.
It has been a marvellous year for the Spanish with victory at Euro 2008, triumph in the Tour de France with Carlos Sastre and the rise of Rafa Nadal to world number one.
Their performance at the Olympics has also been admirable but the spark has been taken out of their synchronised swimming team who are favourites for a medal in Beijing.
The Spaniards have been banned from wearing a special swimsuit embedded with waterproof lights intended to add a little more spark to their performance.
Josh Acason, fiance of Australian weightlifter Deborah Lovely, shares his experience from the first week of the Olympics after heading over there as part of the Athlete Family Support Program.
I fell asleep on an Olympic bus today ... just for a moment.
A text message woke me from a micro-slumber on the way to the track cycling venue.
It is especially fitting, since I have been making sport of taking photos of other people taking a moment out on the Olympic transport system (see photo).
Photographers, volunteers, journalists - everyone is sneaking in aquick snooze where they can.
I only hope the bus driver does not join in.
Well, with the swimming behind us we can take a collective sigh and look back on what was an action-packed, history-making week and a bit in the Water Cube.
Six gold medals was a reasonable haul for the Australian team, even if the men stood back and allowed the women to do all the heavy lifting.
Stephanie Rice was probably Australia's outstanding swimmer - three gold medals from three events is pretty hard to toss.
From a broader perspective there was Michael Phelps, but enough has been said and written about him.
Grandstand's Gerry Collins wraps up the swimming program at the Beijing Olympics.
You can download his file or listen here:
