BEIJING (AFP) — He argued with Vladimir Putin, chided his hosts on religion by singing hymns with children, played a little basketball diplomacy and even found time to ride his beloved mountain bike.
US President George W. Bush's four-day Olympic odyssey was a strange mix of deeply serious matters of state and lighthearted sport which saw him tiptoe around a pledge not to politicise his visit to the Games.
Facing criticism back home for attending last Friday's opening ceremony despite China's questionable human rights record, Bush raised several touchy issues in a low key, informal way.
His message throughout was that China and the United States now had a mature relationship that could survive frank discussions on areas of disagreement, and that he would leave office in January 2009 with relations in good health.
"It's really important for future presidents to understand the relationship between China and the region, and it's important to make sure that America is engaged with China -- even though we may have some disagreements," said Bush on Monday, summing up his visit before heading home.
In fact Bush, a committed Christian who wears his faith on his sleeve, spoke up several occasions for expanded religious freedoms and attended a Protestant church service on Sunday.
After hearing a choir of boys and girls sing "Amazing Grace" in English and Chinese, he stood on the steps of the church with the congregation and urged China's leaders not to be afraid of religion.
It was a message he raised again several hours later in face-to-face discussions with Hu Jintao, and aides said the Chinese leader was receptive.
While Bush tried to keep the tone of his visit mostly light, the war between Georgia and Russia loomed large throughout, notably during Friday's opening ceremony when he was seated next to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Witnesses saw the pair having a heated discussion, and Bush later confirmed he told Putin that Russia's bombing in Georgia was unacceptable, adding fuel to an angry diplomatic row that escalated over the weekend.
Yet the morning after Bush was back in relaxed mode, donning black shorts and a white T-shirt as he went mountain biking with several aides in the hills of Laoshan west of Beijing, and returning with a fresh graze on his elbow.
"Biking was really, really difficult. That's why I am an amateur, and they are Olympians," he joked afterwards.
From biking he moved onto beach volleyball which yielded some racy picture opportunities as he practiced with bikini-clad members of the US team.
At one point he playfull tapped Misty May-Treanor on the small of her back after she offered to let him pat her bottom, which is considered a customary form of encouragement in the sport.
Bush also hung out with the US women's softball team, before on Sunday watching US swimming sensation Michael Phelps win his first gold medal.
But perhaps the highlight of the trip was watching Sunday's late-night match-up between the US men's basketball team, packed with NBA stars, and a Chinese team led by the giant Yao Ming.
After giving the US team including superstars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant a pre-game pep talk in the locker room, Bush watched as the NBA stars put on a dazzling performance in an electric atmosphere to overcome China.
Tickets for the match were rumoured to be selling on the market for over 1,000 dollars each and Bush was forced to use his best political connections to secure a seat -- he raised the weighty issue in public with President Hu at the G8 summit last month in Tokyo.
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