Love you long time BEIJING

B: Nee-How (hello)! We crossed from Russia into China on my birthday (Aug 29). While we were waiting for them to switch the wheels to a more narrow guage used in China, Deni and I and a group of English speakers in our car went out to a great little Uzbekistan restaurant in the town. It was definitely one of my more unique experiences. The train was pretty interesting but now we're taking our time exploring Beijing. We got kinda down in Russia, but we've been rejuvenated since coming here. It is a pretty amazing city and we're having a lot of fun riding our bikes around and trying new foods.

Our original four night stay has turned into a couple of weeks. We've been moseying around the hutongs (traditional neighborhoods) and trying some delicious foods. We decided not to eat the still moving scorpion on a stick, but have enjoyed a number of dumplings and other fried things. We've been feasting on $5 meals-two entrees, couple rounds of beer, etc. Can't say enough about Asia so far and this is only the first place we've been. We've done all the tourist stuff you're supposed to do --Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Tian'anmen Square--only the wall is left, but mainly we like just looking around the city. Each day we get gutsier and gutsier when it come to dodging traffic (and our butts get more and more numb from the seats). After we get tired of Beijing we'll head south for Xi'an and the terracotta soldiers. We're undecided about Shanghai, but I still want to do the three gorges and see Hong Kong. From there, at this point at least, we'll head for Manilia and the beaches of the Philippines. But that's probably not for at least another month or so.


D: We have decided to extend our stay in china another 4 or 5 days. It is true what they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. We are moving to another part of town. It is more traditional and not as many "round eyes" -- that is something Bill says. It was off some hutong and tucked away in the back. We are actually getting it for about $28 a night. Now our last place was about $35 and we got what we paid for, (roach on bed, dirty towels, unchanged sheets) but this other place had Polish people coming out who spoke English and they said it was nice, clean and good. That made it for us. They paid 240 RMB and we got them down to 200 RMB ($26.50/night). We just keep low-balling and get what we want. Works that way for absolutely everything -- kites, fruit, books, rooms, phone cards etc. Never pay what they tell you first. Pay half or three-quarters. Our main thing is sit-down toilet, one big bed, and A/C. Now I am adding to the list clean sheets. We are sweating black stuff everyday!!! Sometimes taking a shower does not help. But the hotel guy, Harry, insisted that they clean every day. They seem to cater more to the Asians and you know that a lot of Asians are pretty insistent on what they want. We try not to be, but we do want to be happy.

The people here are so nice! It is really unreal! I have started to call Bill "The dream crusher". There are a lot of people that just love Americans here and just want to chat like the day is long. They love our accents and love to hear about where we are from. One guy the other night in Tian'anmen Square had on an American flag belt and just came right up and talked to us! He just loved us. He wanted to know why we did not have blonde hair like in California and where we were from. All kind of typicals that I think foreigners think of when it comes to the USA. Also, a lot of people want to practice their English for the upcoming Olympic games and just to practice their grammar. Right as he is getting good at asking questions and is about to ask another, Bill just goes "Alright! it was nice to meet you!" and grabs my hand, dragging me, and walks very quickly off. I am still in mid-sentence with the person and as I am being dragged off I just see the brightness in his eyes fade and walk away head down. It makes me feel so bad. You know me, I'll talk to a wall if it talks back. I guess it comes from Texas Girls' Choir and always talking to people and I really enjoy it. I guess he does not as much. I always feel like they think "Oh! I got to talk to an AMERICAN today!!!" It does make me feel bad sometimes.

B: Now hold up a second D, tell everybody the tea story and why I'm a little wary.

D: There is a back story to this though...in Tian'anmen Sq. Well, Forbidden City, we met this couple. Tom and Lucy. About 18-19 years old about to head to university. They were here on holiday. They recognized that we were foreign and started talking to us. Asking us every question you could think of with exception of how much we weighed. In the Lonely Planet book, they warn of pesky "art students" trying to sell fake or over priced art. They seemed very genuine and sincere. At first Bill was like..."DENI!" Then I explained to him that they just wanted to chat and practice English. Well, the boy was VERY insistant that we ditch our plans at the Forbidden City to have tea and hang out with them. We were kinda like, hmmmm, but we just waved it off and told them we had a schedule to maintain. About 30 mins later I notice Lucy give Tom a nudge and say something. I caught it but just shrugged it off not thinking a thing about it. We insisted that they meet us for dinner and that we would even pay. I mean, who turns down a free dinner? Not ever us! They could just not make any of the plans we made and so we just told them we would catch them on the flip side. Seems innocent, eh? Well maybe, maybe not. Hanging out at a little dive bar here we met another American, Jeff, who has moved out here just for grins. He was telling us about when he first got here and got scammed big time out of about 1500 RMB's ($200) at a tea shop. You remember I mentioned that they were insistent that we catch some tea with them right then???? Are you putting two and two together like we did? Jeff said that they had him try all these teas and I am not sure of the details but these people can be very sneaky. Then I mentioned to Bill about that "nudge" I saw Lucy give to Tom. I feel as though, if they were scamming us, that she got the hint we weren't interested in tea. I really hate to think that they were scamming us, especially since we spent all that time and thought they were really friendly. But who knows?

B: Heck, we even gave them a Texas pin.

D: There was also another guy...Near our old hotel there is a lake with touristy bars and you can buy floating lanterns. They are paper lanterns with a patty that burns, and heats the air inside a paper sack until it floats away. You write a wish on it and send it to the heavens. Also, they say that when someone passes away you send up a floating lantern and you can see their soul pass into heaven. We wanted to do one. They are huge here and a lot of fun. This one guy wanted 50 RMB, no bartering. We said forget it! We walk off and he asks if Bill is a special friend. I said he isn't "special," but he was my fiancee. So the guys took the lanterns and said to follow. He has Bill hold one side and me light the thing. As we are walking over I say to Bill, "I ain't paying for this shit". We set the lantern off. Lots of smiles and clapping. We stand there and and decide to go ahead and buy one. The guy said okay, 100 RMB. I look at Bill and say that it should only be 50. Bill has no clue what is going on. He didn't seem to understand that I expected some change for my 100RMB note. I notice the guy turned away to split some money with another guy and I tell Bill to RUN!!!! I mean, HE , the guy, was the one that set it off! I was not going to pay for it. They make it seem like they are doing it to show you then charge you. I am not hip to that and I WILL NOT pay for some stupid schemes they must play on other travelers. I am a bit smarter than they think I am. We found a guy that did two for 40. Then last night we found him again and got five for 60. It took a while to haggle but we told him that another lady down they way has one for 10 and we came back to him cause we like him. We wanted five for 50 (10 a piece) but we got five for 60. Extra 10, he was a good guy

B: Deni always calls him "homeboy."

I met a reporter from the China radio news at a bar the other night. I had a very interesting conversation with him. His job is to go to events like a factory opening and write about how great it is and how the government is doing good. He knows it's all BS and doesn't care. Said China is too big for a democracy and that its people have to all work together. He has spent a lot of time in Canada and thinks that white people are lazy. From what I've seen, he's probably a bit right and China will probably be calling the shots soon. They really have their act together. The reporter said that you're not too worried about democracy and rights when you still have millions of people too poor to get their hands on some rice. It really made Deni and I think because in America we're taught to assume that everyone wants the same rights and freedoms that we do, but that's not the case everywhere. We're scandalized that we can't even read our blog here (only post as we're doing now).

We had a realization the other night when we saw four white American guys standing in the middle of the street with a beer talking loudly that they looked weird to us and out of place and that we've kind of crossed that point where we don't identify readily with the rest of the white "round eyes" we bump into occassionally. We feel much more like travelers than tourists.

D: Man, sometimes we Americans are annoying. But that is just a few of the good things going on here. We found a Subway (the restaurant), the Chinese must eat fresh too. It's the only place we've seen anyone in this country eating a sandwich. Of course, we run into more white people there. There were two very nice English couples having a sandwich that we talked to for a while. They actually lived only a couple miles from the English family we met on the cruise. Small world. We're excited and enjoying Beijing and trying hard to do some blogging, but having enough fun to where are not blogging as much. It is not as much fun when you cannot even see what you've written, read comments or upload pictures. We have so many. We are working on it. Bill is watching Maury Povitch on youtube right now. Why did I ever get him started on Maury????

You are...NOT the father!

Miss and love you all. Our new number is 51693535-800 or 51693535-816. You may have to experiment with those numbers to make it work. The place is called the Forest and Land Hotel Beijing.

http://www.asiatravel.com/china/beijing/forestandland/index.html

The brochure promises "So comfortable situation, big light hell, which make natural feeling for you." Chinese translation into English is funny. The other night at dinner the menu offered "fried crap." We hope they meant "carp." They also have "pork in bowel," but we hope they mean "bowl." We do not have our room number just yet so you can ask for Beer Schneider.

Probably Roy Schneider.

Just ask for Snyder.