Water Cube and Bird's Nest

The Beijing Olympics are less than a year away and already they have given us some wonder and excitement. The National Aquatic Center, aka the Water Cube, is an enchanting cube made of what appear to be bubbles. It's very fluid and clearly represents what is inside. The swimmers are sure to be struck by the grandness of the occasion from just the structure itself. The Water Cube's neighbor is the Bird's Nest, formally known as the National Stadium. The name is derived from the way the ouside support beams are curved to form a nest of sorts which holds all the goings on inside. China has created some marvelous venues to stage such a sporting extravaganza and the Olympic spirit is sure to be soaring. All this though has not come without a few detractors.