Beijing Blessings

Our trip from Guilin to the airport and onto Beijing was easier than expected. Our taxi driver was very cute trying what little English she knew or could look up while navagating roads overcrowded with bikes, buses, and little 3 wheel carts that look to be motorized by lawnmower engines hanging off the front.

We were blessed again at the airport when both of our suitcases were a little over weight and they waved the overweight luggage charge. Apon arriving in the big city, we were met by our Beijing tour guide, Jill, who took us back to our hotel where we met several very tired and jetlagged couples in our CCAI group. It has been very exciting to meet the other parents in our group. Some have other childeren, but many are first time parents like ourselves. Back at the hotel room we totally discombobulated, after several days trying to speak Chinese and remember how many hours difference between here and back home, converting money, and trying to read street names in Chinese. We even called the concierge to ask.."Where are we...I mean, what street are we on...I am looking at a map trying to find out where we are..." As Deb was reading our China Guide book about a very applicable and well known phrase describing the Feng Shui of Beijing. "I was so happy I didn't know which way was north" used to describe an extremely disorienting state of joy.

Deb and I were playing tour-guide-in-training, as we lead about 5 other couples into the city to the nearby famous night food market. Everybody was generally grossed out by the assorted "delicasies" that are offered there, which include: scorpion on a stick, centipede on a stick, cicadas on a stick, squid, kidneys, caterpillers, worms, grasshoppers, cow private parts, and various other creatures great and small on a stick. Most of our group could stomach the looks of the various animals on the menu, but not the smells, especially of the infamous stinky tofu.

The next day was our tour started with Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City. We are having fun getting to know the couples in our group. Jill, our guide was teaching the group a couple useful phrases in Chinese and Chinglish. "BooYao, Randy. BooYao!" spoken in a loud Texas accent. One of the dads (also from NM) who is Japanese-American from Hawaii is the doppleganger of our good friend Paul Mittman.

More about the rest of our 1st full day in Beijing to be continued...
Blessings, Debbie & Justin.