Filling in the gap ...

So far, I know I've only talked briefly about first impressions and posted some of our first photos, so I thought I would describe Beijing a little bit more for those of you stateside.

Despite what people may think, Beijing is a very friendly, laid back town. People here, while enjoying ripping us off for 10 cents here and 5 cents there, seem to put up with us few anglo tourists with great patience and a necessary sense of humor.

The people are also very social. While you will see individuals mulling down the streets to get here or there, most of the time people here are in groups, or with close friends or family members. It is not out of the ordinary to see a daughter or son escorting an elderly grandparent to go shopping or to go walking in the park, a young couple playing with their adorable little children, or best friends, no matter what sex, walking arm in arm or hand in hand.

Games are also very popular, especially with the older gentlemen. Walk by open doorways at night in the hutongs, and you will see cards, dominoes, and go games which will draw crowds of onlookers to take in the action. These games are played everywhere, from the park to the street outside their shop.

While Beijing is a fantastic city with a lot of things to see, walking around the city can be daunting at times because of the pollution and the sheer scale. City blocks are very big, and what looks to be a short distance on the map will take hours to trek. Yesterday alone Ted and I walked for about seven hours, but as always, Beijing by foot is the best way to experience the city. Why? Because it is only off of the main streets do you find the hutong, which are a world unto themselves in Beijing. I don't have any pictures yet to really show you what it is like, but let's just say that the noise from the streets fades far away as hordes of shoppers come to these back alleys for everyday goods. Need some used shoes, fresh vegetables, or delicious baozi? Everything can be found in these tiny little alleys, which are well-trafficked during the day, and off-the-hook crazy at night.

Even though it is raining today, Ted and I are still going to brave the crowds to visit the Forbidden City on the National Day. And because we are taking in the local traditions, we are going to make a stop at one of the biggest shopping districts in Beijing, Xi Dan. Check out Ted's blog later to see some of the best products we could find.

Bye for now!

We finally got our luggage: here are the pictures to prove it ...

We were up on our hotel's rooftop terrace when we found out the good news ...

so we decided to hit the streets, where we came across the Drum Tower where Ted got friendly with the locals.


The view was amazing ... or at least it would have been if it weren't for the smog ...

but we had a great time anyway. After that, we ended up wandering towards Houhai Lake, where we found China's answer to Tenacious D ...

which made us want to get some more exercise. Luckily, you can find these jazzercise palaces in little corners of Beijing ...

along with a starbucks next to the lake. How great is this place?

But tomorrow the fun really starts, as every one is getting ready for National Day. The flags are out and waving proudly, and there are even more men standing around on the street in ill-fitting uniforms than usual. We'll be going to Tienanmen to catch all of the patriotic action and get caught up in the national fervor.

Also, if you want much more eloquent accounts of our travels, you can always go over to Ted's blog at http://www.flyingelephantexpress.blogspot.com. We can't read our blogs here in China (we haven't seen the great wall yet, but we've sure come across the great firewall), so you should. And as always, you can always email Ted or I if you want to keep in touch.

Could my feet be any dirtier?

I couldn't have been in a worse mood when they told us that our tickets on the Air China flight did not exist.

It had started with a canceled flight out of Eugene, then our e-tickets listed us coming back from Beijing but not going there, and on top of it all, before we could even make it to Beijing with our imaginary tickets, we had to stop over in that wonderful facility we all know and love, LAX. Because some of you may have eaten recently I won't go into the details, but let's just say that the public toilets in the hutongs of Old Beijing smell better, and that's saying a lot.

While we finally got our seats and made the 1:40 AM flight, and even watched a touching story about an opera troupe who falls onto hard times before working their way back to the top while cruising over the pacific, little did we know that our whole two bags did not catch the same flight. Maybe they had imaginary e-tickets, too.

So weary, tired, and sick with the worst head cold I've had in quite a few years, Ted and I decided to brave the streets of Beijing in clothes we have been wearing for I don't know how many days. Even though we stunk (and still do at this point, by the way) it didn't stop our first con from coming up to us right outside of the airport door asking if we wanted a taxi, only to attempt to lure us to the parking garage to his private car.

But after hopping into a real cab, it was time to actually see what this whole China country was about. First impressions:

1. Man, I miss the Oregon air. The smog is thick and you can taste the pollution, although it does do a heck of a job blocking the entire concrete jungle from view, which is nice when you are in the park.

2. I think Ted needs a man purse. I have seen quite fashionable hordes of businessmen in khakis and polo shirts with very expensive leather purses, and to tell you the truth, they put my tacky cheap purse to shame.

3. I love the park. Beihai Park is absolutely amazing. It has everything from roses, water lilies, and ancient architecture to knick knacks, cute old couples doing tai chi, and tango dancers. And weeping willows. Love it.

4. Everyone thinks I'm hot. Ted likes to point out that every other man on the street stares at me, but I think he's just jealous that he's not getting all of the attention.

5. Did I mention that the food was delicious? For 8 bucks (which was more than likely the jacked-up "laowai" price) Ted and I shared tea smoked duck, sichuan beef, and a Tsingtao, which hit the spot after walking around the park for hours.

So for all of you in the fam who want to know, I'm doing fine, I'm staying safe, and yes, I'm having a great time. Despite the smog, some nasty smells here and there, and seeing a few hutongs being torn down just in our first day of travels, I've really enjoyed our time in Beijing so far. The people are very nice, the food is amazing, and what areas of the city are preserved are absolutely stunning.

Because of the luggage situation Ted an I didn't have our cameras today, but I promise as soon as China Air delivers our bags, we'll be hitting the streets, snapping pictures, eating dumplings, and walking them off just as quickly as we shoved them into our mouths.

And a note to Facebookers: apparently the Chinese government does not want us to access the site, so we may not be able to keep in touch that way. If you need to get a hold of Ted or I, just send us an old-fashioned email, OK?