Friends, let's get this party started. I probably have a dozen different blogs to upload from this trip alone. It is going to take me days to add to my stories and pictures.
I arrived at the Taoyuan/Taipei Airport at 4:30 AM for a 6:30 flight. I was clutch all of my NT$ and looking for a money exchange kiosk. None were to be had until 6 AM, plane loading time. I asked a guard where to go, and he escorted me to the next building to a 24 hour stall. We woke the clerk who was none to happy...another TM. I exchanged NT for US. I exchanged US for RMB in the Hong Kong airport before taking off for the mainland. Now imagine coming back again and reversing the process. No wonder the banks are on their way to recovery!
The plane departed for the PRC almost 2 hours late...no explanation...another Asian moment. At least my driver was able to call ahead and find out we were going to be late.
Beijing was absolutely wonderful, and my guide, Suzie Cheng, was superb. The Kreilings had used her when they visited, and she was very personable and very knowledgeable. This update includes my arrival in the Beijing Capital International Airport. It is the biggest airport I have ever been in to date. Of course, it was all built for the Olympics. The blue gumby figure is the symbol for the Shanghai Expo. I will not be attending the Expo, but I am trying to talk the Kreilings into going next fall before it closes.
The city road system has five rings, and Suzie said they were going to add three more. The MRT system is excellent, and they are trying to get it built up through all 8 rings. It may finally end at the Great Wall.
I have included pictures of myguest house home in the Banqiao Hutong. The driver went in and out of the alley ways in the hutong trying to find the guest house. I could hardly squeeze myself through the lanes in which he drove. If you look at the picture of the front door, you MAY be able to see the name written in English ... but just barely.
The first pictures are of the "great room." Breakfast, computers, English TV, books ... everything in one room. I walked with my camera through the courtyard. The bird cage holds a mynah bird that sings like a nightingale, quacks like a duck, and greets everyone in both Chinese and English! He sleeps in the great room at night, and was always very excited when I would come in early to read mail and papers on the computers. Very entertaining and someone to talk to every morning!
The other pictures are of my room and bathroom ... simple, but perfectly fine for US $ 50 a night, including breakfast. They charged me US $ 7 for a glass of wine the first night I arrived. The next day I bought a bottle of "Dynasty, "Chinese red, for $ 7 that lasted me the rest of the week! They also charged an extra US $ 4 for a cup of coffee ... of course, I drank the tea. They were shocked to find out I didn't have any other charges when I checked out.
The front door was only one block from the MRT entrance ... lucky, indeed.
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