At Hotel

Pa says and he still has jet lag,

"The hotel which is supposed to be very fancy is culturally mixed..1980s American pop music, heavily decorated for Christmas and clientele multinational, mostly Chinese on their Cells and iPads in thick winter coats of the down variety. Smokers. Men seem to wear glasses as opposed to contact lenses.

I went outside and stretched my legs while all were sleeping, where are the masses? Not on our block at any rate. On our block.. No

street food but there is a 711 where one can buy Oreos. The availability of package snacks is obviously more since we were here last. At 0300 CST we had some.. Wonderful and exotic as well as BBQ chips.

On our block I see buildings from the 1970s and more recent. Big screens tout the high tech wealthy future with models in their 20s

enjoying the yachting life. Like 1950s Cadillac commercials. I wonder if 1950s Americans had to boil their water also?

The glass tube in the hotel lobby is an elevator and Santa is about 5 feet tall. He leans on the rail peering out at indoor courtyard.

Sami riding the elevator with S. Claus.

We changed room it was roasting. New room looks down on outside street... Wonderful. Now running toilet. 

We walked down the THIS IS OUR CAPITAL LOOK AT ALL THE STUFF WE HAVE street. Interesting that the big poster on the wall of the huge Apple store was the iPhone 4S.  Not the 5 we now have so often on back order. 

I wonder what goes on behind the glitz, in the upper stories of the buildings. I now have come to suspect micro factories.

Poster size ads of American celebs hawking watches and shampoo.. Aud thinks would not be seen in the US.

Saw a couple of people looking through garbage cans and a couple of beggars. Not as many as at home.

Also unexpected and happily.. I saw no obvious armed soldiers in any airport nor on Chinese streets so far. 

Watched badminton on tv. Serious business. They spit on the court... Men stand by to clean the court between plays. Men, women doubles.

I got a walking tour/GPS App for my iPhone and it tells me that we are 1.2 km from Tienamin Square and 870 m from a Starbucks.

Ma says the coffee is not good.

Ma comes down. We are off to the big Beijing toy store and a food court known for dumplings.  "