Ni hao!
I moved hotels today, and heard from my contact. I expect to meet up with him and be on a bus to Datong Friday morning around 1030.
At about 0930 this morning, (when I sent my last email), it began raining and continued throughout the day. At least I think it did since I had to have a nap from 1300-1700. If there was ever a city in need of a washing this is it. It helped. A bit. I can’t tell if all the smog is from the traffic or from *everyone* smoking. Likely the amazing traffic. After about a day you stop listening to the honking of horns, they seem to figure that the car has one so they should use it. Constantly. I’ve also become quite the bold pedestrian in my attempt to follow local custom. Most major streets have frontage type roads on both sides for bicycle traffic so you have extra opportunities to get honked or ‘belled’ at.
This evening I went to the night market with the street vendors offering fried everything. I took some pictures but couldn’t bring myself to actually eat any. Or grubs. Or grasshoppers. Or squid. I had both chicken and beef but it wasn’t nearly as good as the lamb, (or maybe it was goat since it was described using sounds), that I had last night. I am trying to not eat at anywhere with roman characters. I’m thinking about breaking down for som KFC but it might just make me more homesick.
My fellow round-eyed tourists aren’t generally social although I have met a few that were friendly. Most just nod and keep walking but some don’t even do that.
The major plaza here is a bit like Times Square only you can’t understand most of the words unless they are major corporation, (Nestle - Good Food, Good Life), but it is glorious eye candy.
My Chinese has improved to the point that I now say ‘thank you’ constantly,(shee-shee), and ‘please’, (ching) quite a bit as well. Oh yeah, ‘ni hao’, (nee-how), is hello so I’ll mutter that quite often. It also how they answer the phone.
The Kings will be playing the Rockets in Beijing on the 14th and the 17th. I’m hopeful that I can come back since the 17th is a Sunday and attend the game. Now that’d be cool.
I look forward to having more regular internet access. I miss you all. The movies I brought to watch only seem to make me more homesick. I found a store today that has movies still in the theater for you on DVD for me. I might swing by and get Shrek 2 and Collateral.
Hope you all are well. I am making it. I appreciate all of your support!
O.