Started wandering around the airport, and naturally didn't bring my camera. Missed a couple of great photo ops... little girl standing in front of a diorama, and the sunlight pouring through the frosted glass and silhouetting the people in the smokers' lounge. All the shops in the airport are lit incredibly bright, almost too bright. The girls working the different shops (Bulgari, Lancome) all have dyed hair and are actually pretty cute. Sumo is playing on all the plasma screens scattered throughout the airport. Though I can only wander through the terminal and check out the restaurants and shops, I still get a glimpse of a different culture, and I love it. I'm realizing, after getting my first taste of foreign culture in two years, that it doesn't necessarily matter where I am... Europe or the far east... the exploration and adventure will always be there, and always add a touch of excitement to my travels.
Miss Ling accompanied the author to Beijing |
Flight to Beijing was non-eventful, aside from the fact that I think Lisa Ling (from tv's The View and National Geographic Explorer) was on our plane... couldn't tell for sure though, as she was secluded in first class. Watched Almost Famous on the flight, arrived in a snowy Beijing.
We were met by our 'guide,' named Grace. Mousy voice, nice girl. A driver came to pick us up. First thing you notice about the car are the windows, which sport a serious illegal tint... kinda suspicious... nobody could see what's going on inside the car if something were to happen. Get inside, and the tint is the same. You can't see outside! All the windows are tinted, with the exception of the windshield and a small portion of the passenger and driver's side windows (enough to see the side mirrors). I'd ask what the Chinese word for "blind spot" is, but apparently such a thing doesn't exist.
Thanks goodness it was snowing. Everyone was driving no more than 30 miles per hour (I'm sure my mom felt right at home). Grace told us how brave the drivers in Beijing are (read: dangerous). I'm thinking the passengers need to get a little credit too, given the constant swerving, honking and complete lack of seat belts in the back.
Got to the hotel, which was fine, and finally managed to take my contacts out and fall fast asleep (10:30 or so).
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