Gil and Friends. That's me, Lower Left.
On the first day I was able to enter before it officially opened. This was because I was part of a performing group (the USC Trojan Marching Band). We were able to tour the area around the dressing rooms about an hour before it opened. Of course, the souvenir shops were closed but we did get to see the fountains, which were shaped like volcanoes and erupted every few minutes. We also had first crack at taking our picture with "Gil" the wave-shaped mascot of EXPO '98. What surprised me most about opening day was the absolute lack of people. Granted it was a Friday and not too many working locals were apt to show up, but the attendance was far below what one would expect for the premiere of a International Exposition.
The band performed eight times in our three days at the EXPO which gave us ample opportunity to interact with the fair-goers but little time to tour the park (and for our uniforms to dry between performances). On the first day, we opened the United States Pavilion and led a group of dignitaries (one of them was the Secretary of something, a Cabinet member) to an American battleship. Then on the last day, we led a group of Senators from the Portuguese Pavilion to the American Pavilion. Because of where I was marching in the band (in the very last row) I got the opportunity to talk to the Californian Senator. He was very nice and down-to-earth. During the course of the three days, we led parades and performed short concerts in front of the American Pavilion to very receptive and surprisingly enthusiastic crowds.
EXPO 98's Aquarium
But just because we performed so much did not mean we were unable to tour the EXPO at all. The pavilions, in accordance with the EXPO's slogan, were themed to the seas. Not surprisingly, there was a gigantic aquarium. It was divided into one large tank and other smaller tanks that each represented one of the oceans (Indian, Pacific, etc.) It was a nice experience, (even though I kept bumping into people in the dark)
The other major pavilion I was able to see was the "Virtual Reality" Pavilion. It cost 800 escudos (about $4.44) and had a fairly long wait but it was generous in the amount of its ride experiences. While it was quite obvious that it was a lesser version of a Disneyland ride, it had a coherent story and many different "VR" attractions. First, there was a video presentation that was a commercial for Portugal Telecom ( their AT&T) presented on a sphere comprised entirely of televisions, then there was a Star Tours-like simulator ride where we were taken to an underwater research station. Next, we walked through the deep-sea base to a 3-D video presentation that was viewed individually at separate viewing "binoculars." We were led afterwards to an interactive movie where the audience was able to choose by popular vote which place we where taken (to a land of fire or a land of ice) by pressing either a red button or a blue button. Finally, we were led to lifts that brought us back to surface (reminiscent of the ones in the Living Seas at EPCOT). Overall, the production value on the attraction was very good. Although it paled in comparison to Disney rides, it was able to immerse the audience in the experience and its story was well-executed (despite its translation in to Portuguese, Spanish, and English).
A Friend Dances with a Peformer from the United Arab Emirates
Much like EPCOT, the EXPO also had an International Area where different countries present an exhibit. I was able to visit a couple of the countries: Saudia Arabia, Japan (nice technology), Columbia (free beer and coffee!), South Africa (free internet connection), Macedonia (famed for beautiful women), and United Arab Emirates, to name a few. Some friends I was with were able to participate in a dance with the U.A.E. performers in front of the pavilion.
The only thing that detracted from the EXPO experience was the size of it. It was huge. The grounds covered a long dock area and the walk was painful, especially on cobblestones. The only relief was a nice skyride that ran almost the length of the EXPO.
There were many diverse restaurants in the EXPO representing some of the countries in the International areas. But due to time restraints and monetary concerns we ended up eating American, that is, Pizza Hut and McDonalds. I don't usually eat at McDonalds at home and now I'm really sick of it. (We were given lunch there all three days.) By the way, they do put a mayonnaise sauce on their fries.
What was remarkable to me was that the EXPO only expected eight million people to visit over the five month period that it was open. It was obvious that much work was put into the area and into creating an enjoyable experience. For example, every day the EXPO published a newspaper in three languages (Spanish, Portuguese, and English). Addionally, most of the fair's building were built specifically for the event. In a way, it was sad that so much effort could seemingly be wasted on such a small amount of people. But I know that Lisbon will use the fairgrounds after September 1998 for a civic center with convention areas, an arena, and tourist attraction.
Overall, my experience at the EXPO '98, (which lasted only three short days) was quite memorable. I feel privileged for being able to be there on opening day and perform at a place as prestigious as a World's Fair.
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