ni hao!
 

I'm not in Kansas anymore. Wait, I've never been in Kansas...except for the week I spent one night...

http://nostatic.com/blog/china1.jpg

What I've learned is that it pays to have friends who have friends who are travel agents in foreign coutries (at least for getting a hotel). I'm in a suite at the Crown Plaza for the price of a regular room...with free access to all the priority club perks.

More on this breaking story.

Hey Todd..... am just down the coast in Shanghai at the JW.

If I had more time I'd figure out a way up there, but I'm scheduled with meetings until I leave on Saturday. A bit early to tell, but I think I like Shanghai better than Beijing...different vibe.

Actually, you'd have to figure a way DOWN here.

Shanghai is a party town, Peking has it's own flavor allright, but party is not it.

That is a kick butt hotel. The pizza place just behind you is cheap and has good clean food. Gorge yourself on the breakfast. Go up to the pool/spa area. It is to die for. There's a fabuluous Chinese restrauant within walking distance of the hotel, maybe a block away. I don't remember what it is called. Just ask the front desk for the best place to eat within walking distance. My relatives chose there when we wanted to host a fancy meal for everyone. I think it is almost next door. You can get a massage at the spa, too, but it's a little expensive. You can get the same massage at a real steam bath outside of the hotel cheaper. And make sure to take advantage of the two for one happy hour at the lounge.

I could live at that place. . .

yeah, it's pretty suite (pun intended). Here are the digs (hell of a lot nicer than my apartment). We stayed in some nicer places in Shanghai, but this works just fine...

http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/room1.jpg

http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/room2.jpg

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Todd, is your hotel on Wanfujing Dajie? If so, there are some very cool Hutongs (Beijing's famed alley ways) just around the corner. Head out onto Wanfujing, go left and just past the Fuhao Hotel (on your left), cross the street and get lost in those alleys. They are SO awesome. The foot massage places there are ripoffs though.

Rick, yup I'm on Wanfujing. I'll check it out. I hate the tourist things, and prefer to just see the "real" city and take lots of photos...

I wish I knew more Mandarin though. It sucks not having my interpreter with me ;)

I can't imagine being in China and not knowing some basic Mandarin. It's very tough. You have to at least be able to count so you can negotiate prices. If you want a local guide, PM me. I know one who is has her state tour guide license, speaks perfect English and charges about 300RMB a day.

You're a few blocks away from the Forbidden City. Walk around that perimeter at night and it's unreal. You'll need local help to keep away from the tourist nonsense. Beijing seemed so touristy to me that it felt like they trucked in the Chinese folks for decorations.

Interpreter. So that's what you kids are calling it nowadays... ;)

Yeah, the language is pretty impervious. Having a native really helps getting into the real Beijing.

Remember, notice that all the big trucks are blue.

Looking forward to seeing the photo's!

why ARE all the big trucks blue? :D

Just call me "Bu Yao." That means, "don't want." Turns out a lone laowai walking around the streets of Beijing appears to be an easy mark for the local scammers. My day went like this:

pretty girl - "Hi, where you from?"
me - "bu yao"

pretty girl - "Hi, I'm a teacher..."
me - "bu yao"

some guy - "you need this..."
me - "bu yao"

pretty girl - "Hi, I have art show..."
me - "bu yao"

At least I took pics...

<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-1.jpg" />

<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-0.jpg" />

<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-2.jpg" />

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<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-5.jpg" />

<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-13.jpg" />

<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-14.jpg" />

<img src="http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-15.jpg" />

Wow!!! At least you've got blue sky and sunlight. I spent a week in Chengdu a month ago, the best days looked like this through the smog.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1163447553.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1163447763.jpg

The two afternoons that I transitted Beijing's airport, it was early afternoon both times and it looked like twilight. Visibility was less then a mile (ie. less then one run-way's length.) When we flew out, we didn't break out of the smog until 15,000 feet!

http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/a_pukey.gif

Where were when you took that shot of Chengdu? Looks just the view from my room at the Xin Liang Hotel. Chengdu is by far my favorite place in China. Hottest food and women in the world.

Crown Plaza (formally Holiday Inn). Very nice hotel. Yup, the food was great -- I saw more pidgens on my plate then I did on the streets. Hmmmm.....

Was I there on a bad week or is that pretty average air quality.

Beijing's air is worse than Chengdu's. Chengdu is usually rainy. First time I was there it rained every minute of the four days I was there. When I was last there in May, it was warm and sunny, but my friends assured me that was a rarity. Sichuan has an irrigation system that's over 2000 yrs. old and is supposedly responsible for the weird climate there.

Visibility in Shanghai for the last two days has been the same. Can see only two skyscrapers away.

Add "mayo chien" (I have no money) and you'll be all set for the street vendors. Or you can always pretend to speak Spanish. They speak English and can work in Russian and some can handle German. But you usually draw a blank if you tell them that you are Espaniol and say "mayo Englais". I tried French, too, and that was working but I couldn't quite pull it off and ended up laughing half way through. The vendor refused to believe I couldn't speak English.

Oh, and just go down to the hotel front desk. If they can't set you up with a perfectly good translator in five minutes, at a reasonable price (negotiating expected) they are losing their touch.