beijing, day 1 (lomosite, 12 sept '04)

i was wrong.

in reality, it went like this:(while having b'fast in McD's at KLIA)

07.35, on phone:
me: hello, debao hotel? do you speak english?
debao: yes, a little.
me: my check in reference number is...can you arrange for an airport pick up?
debao: errr...can you repeat? what is your name?
me: Ng Poh Ling, can I spell that for you?
debao: yes please.
me: N ... G ... P... etc.
debao: errr...can you repeat slowly?
me: N ... G ... etc.
debao: I am sorry, we don't have your reservation.
me: what? i have a reference number!!
debao: can you spell your name again...?

needless to say, after 20 mins of fruitless ding-donging around on the phone, i gave up.

Rizal gave me a look, blurted out, "I told you!!"

He had warned me to take someone along who knew mandarin. Me being the intrepid and adventurous traveler that I am, had decided I could wing it on my own. It's a trade fair anyway, they have to know english on the fair grounds!!!

So wing it I did...albeit with my balance a bit thrown off by that phone encounter.

15.15, upon landing...
holy shit!! the smog blanketing beijing is thicker than the haze from the open burning in KL!! (The authorities in KL are in denial about the shrouds making their way across the sea from open burning in Sumatra.)

luckily the people at the travel agency noted the hotel name and address in chinese characters so i had no problems getting the cab driver to take me right to my destination.

No incidents. arrive at debao with all limbs intact and luggage accounted for. bargain for 2 more nights' extension at a discount!!

18.30pm, xhichimen:
there's a supermarket right across from the hotel, sweet. peddlars on the sidewalk.

take the subway with no incidence. if i'd know it would have been this hot (i knew it'd be hot, but didn't realize how hot), i'd have brought my tevas.

Full Link Plaza:
main target is watsons for supplies. can't find what i'm looking for, settle for second best. spot a starbucks, too hungry to traipse around for a food court or other eating establishments.wolf down a sandwich, cheese cake and top it all off with hot chocolate. it is so pathetic. i promise myself tomorrow and the following days i will taste local fare.

heading back out, i realize there's a yoshinoya right across the main road next to the overhead bridge. damn! take a peek, realize i wouldn't have known what to order: everything's in blurdy chinese!! and not enough pitcures to point at!!group of oldies practising a dance with fans, traditional instruments. cool. snap, snap!

at subway station:
man nearly gets his arm squeezed off his body trying to get on train. platform guard shrieks, curses and berates him. a woman, no less.

walking back to debao:
a woman asks a pedicab driver how much for a destination, finds the price disagreeable and walks away. The driver calls out to her and she turns back, fully aware he'll drive her at her price.

tomorrow to work! groan..