Day 71 – Ni Hao (hello) Hong Kong

Nov 7th

To Beijing
We took a mototcoach to the Hong Kong International airport to catch a China Southern flight to Beijing. The SAS leaders put stickers on us with our flight #309 on it as if we were children who someone would come across and steer in the right direction. I half expected them to pull out a rope that we would have to hold in a line to stay together. Once we got through the three or four security lines (which I got all my liquids through), we were set free to explore the enormous airport. Cory, Julie and I found a nice table where we could set up wireless and have lunch. We marveled at the sheer size of terminals. The airport seemed to have everything, including a movie theatre and a Krispy Kream. While Cory lunched on a McDonald’s hamburger, I found Pak Loh Chiu Chow, which had some fabulous vegetable and pork dum sim (like dumplings) and tried mango bubble tea (which seems to be everywhere in Asia). We made it on the plane just in time for the three-hour flight to Beijing.

Beijing 2008
Upon arriving at the Beijing International airport, we were scanned by infrared cameras that took our internal body temperatures to make sure we didn’t have a fever. Several security guards also walked the quarantine check point to make sure we didn’t look sick. The only problem was that the check point was at the top of a long flight of stairs, so I think some of us looked like we were glistening more than we should have. One thing I also noticed about the airport is they for some reason like to make it a game about finding the bathroom, since they aren’t marked on any maps. I have a feeling there is a higher UTI rate in Asia for that reason. Bella, our tour guide, collected us all and brought us to the buses outside, where we had our first view of the city’s smog and pollution. Even though it looked like hazy weather for the trip, we would learn that it was just pollution. (Hence the reason many Asians wear surgical masks daily.) On the way to Tsinghua University where we were staying, we passed the Olympic “Birds Nest” stadium and glowing, indigo Water Cube. Both are breathtaking structures regardless of the mystic they have for recently holding the 2008 Olympics. A short while later, we arrived at a Tsinghua University lecture hall to hear about the sites we would be visiting over the next few days.

Dinner and (Mis)adventures
For dinner, we had peking duck, chicken-veggie dishes, tofu dishes, beef dishes, fried noodles, fish ball soup, steamed veggies and whole shrimp. They served us on these microscopic plates that were about the size of an American tea cup dish. We also only had chopsticks and no napkins. After the meal, we all knew quite well why they are so freaking skinny! After dinner, we were given free rein to be on our own for the rest of the night. A group of us decided to walk to the Lotus Center, which is a supermarket-slash-Walmart store on the other side of the campus. The walk really introduced us to the fridge cold of Beijing’s Fall, but we also got a nice view of the campus at night. There were beautiful pond with architectural bridges and walkways. Large Trees covered the campus and drooped down over the sidewalks. When we finally made it to the Lotus Center, we spent a good few hours looking at Asian products and buying weird snacks. I ended up trying corn juice, which tastes remarkably like sweet corn. When we finally went to pay, the check out process was a bit of a disaster. First, Angela thought she got the wrong change back from the cashier who only spoke Mandarin, so communicating with him just made him angry. Then, Cassidy didn’t understand that you had to pay for plastic bags and ended up just taking one from him because she didn’t understand. Then, Julie and Todd tried to buy a lemon but never put a sticker on it like they were supposed to (it just made them more upset). When Julie tries to buy a reusable bag at the counter the woman started screaming at her because she couldn’t get one down. Needless to say, we caused quiet a commotion and I think they were very happy to see us leave. We all never realized how hard it would be to travel in Beijing without speaking Mandarin. On the way out, Cassidy and I bought these strawberry-cherry like fruits on a stick covered in warm sugar syrup. Reeling from a sugar high, we headed with some girls to hang out in the Pizza Company (since they did not like the peking duck served earlier). That’s where we met the most adorable young man who explained that eating cheese pizza was the weirdest thing he had ever heard. Apparently, they only eat pizza with toppings in China. Afterward, we just headed back to the guesthouse to hang out and play beer pong in Cory’s room.

Highs and Lows
My “high” was getting extra breakfast tickets because my roommate never made it. My “low” was witnessing our group become the laughing stock of the Lotus Center.