Meeting Up With Lixin

Tiananmen square - See Mao's picture.
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We arrived in Beijing on Friday, August 17th.  We were greeted at the airport by our friend, Lixin Guo.  (thank Jack!)  Lixin held up a sign, but he didn't need it because he was all excited jumping up and down yelling, "Nancee, Nancee!"  So fun to be greeted like that.

Anyway, he drove us through the main through faire in Beijing.  On the way through, we saw Tinnanmen Square and the Forbidden Palace.  The street is the widest I think I've ever been on in my life.  Visions of that infamous day in 1989 when the tank ran towards the students in the square came to mind.  We are in a very historic place, it feels amazing.

Beijing is more like one of those burbs outside of LA, say like Norwalk

Heibei Lodgings - Beijing
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It took a while to find out hotel, because it was located in an old neighborhood.  Turns out the neighbor hood has a really good reputation.  Land prices are so high that those who live there now are very lucky and/or very rich.

Back to the neighborhood, the streets are so narrow that  cars can barely fit on it.  Lixin managed to squeeze his car though it and into our hotel.

What a place it was.  With over 200 years of history our hotel was a classic chinese courtyard home that the Chinese government took away for a wealthy man for themselves.  Truley, our hotel was run by the province of Hebei that has an office here, much like Feinstein and Boxer have an office in Washington DC.

Summer Palace - Beijing
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It was a cute place.  Lixin dropped us off and told us that his wife would pick us up the next day. We said our goodbyes.

The next day Lixin's wife arrived and took us to the Summer Palace and the Temple of heaven.  I'm still working out the details in my head for that day, so look for those on later blogs.  But suffice it to say, Lixin treated us like royalty.  At lunch we dined in a VIP room and were served the famous Peking/Beijin Roasted duck.  Delicious.  The boys refused the duck and other items.  The boiled fish and the whole fish (with heads), well it shocked them out of an appetite.  However, Kenton and I enjoyed the food so  much.  Lixin and his wife really went out of their way to make us feel comfortable.  Lixin also felt it necessary to teach Kenton the Chinese word for beer.  This way Kenton could sample one of the best beers in the world, according to Lixin.  They finished off 4 bottles.  Good thing we were not driving.

Temple of Heaven - Beijing
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Eventually after the 10 or so courses we left the restaurant to get through traffic and to the Temple of heaven.  On the way out the boys got to use squatter toilets.  Wow.  And watch an employee washing her hair out in the sink next to the food.  Nice.

As we drove around the streets of Beijing we were told the reason why cars don't seem to give pedestrians the right of way...According to Lixin's wife, there are so many people, that if they wait for them to cross they would be there too long.  Makes sense.

Entrance to Heibei Guest House
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So far, Beijing has been so interesting.  The City is the hub of Chinese Culture. So different from the city of Shanghai-which is so modern.  Beijing is more like one of those burbs outside of LA, say like Norwalk...seems stuck in a time warp of 50's style architecture.  Well Beijing definately is stuck in a zone where there is not a lot of modernation.  Some parts are really developing to prepare for the games...but much of it is still perserved.  We are enjoying it so much.

Hebei Guest Hotel at night. Pretty lights!
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Tomorrow, the Great Wall!