Beijing Tourist Day 1

After a uneventful flight back, save for what I suspect was a plane full of first time fliers from Xichang, we are back in Beijing. Gretchen and I are now staying several nights at a hotel in the area called Hutong. It is a great location. Near the center of the city, surrounded by the single story, gray buildings along labyrinth-type streets which at night light up with traditional red lanterns marking open businesses, it definitely has that "China" ambiance.

After one day of office flurry to get everything done before Gretchen is finished with her assignment and Kate departs for home-leave, I am spending two days with Gretchen as a tourist. On the 21st I move into Kate's apartment for the duration of my stay. I had a tutorial on how to order water, operate the Chinese remotes, locate the Walmart (yep) and met both the elevator lady and the management staff. I also have use of her bicycle which should be very interesting.

As tourists today, we visited and hiked around the vast Summer Palace site and then walked through both the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. It was a lot to take in but well worth it. With the number of domestic tourists we saw on a weekday afternoon, I can't imagine what high season or the Olympics will be like (according to the signs at the ticket offices, we are in the "slack" period of the tourist season - how appropriate for Portlanders). Tomorrow we are going to a section of The Great Wall and if energy permits may hit another temple or two.

And tonight we are going out for the well-known hot pot dinner in the Hutong!