The Great Wall to Great Food

The Great Wall was just that great. Loads of people, too many stairs and too many stares. The Chinese have no problem with staring, so naturally, I stared back. Sometimes it worked but other times they would just stare harder and that would lead me, stubborn as I am, to stare harder still. Occasionally I would walk into other people as I had a stare down match with a Chinamen, no it's not Asian American in this case, please, across the street, but here everyone runs into everyone else because there are way too many people here in comparison to the amount of space. Overall, China was good, or should I say Great!...except for the food and the overwhelming smell of feces everywhere you go. The culture, the history the opium...it was all worth it. Now, onto more important matters - India.
Anna had had it with China, or at least that's what I gathered from the disgusted look on her face every time she brought herself to eat something and for that matter I had seen what I needed to this trip, so I was all about bouncing myself. We found a flight. It was last minute, so naturally, we paid for it. The original trip was supposed to take us across China into Tibet and then through Kathmandu and on to India - come to find out, that was a little more difficult than we originally thought due to the Chinese having a crazy strangle hold on everything within Chinese borders (please note: security cameras everywhere you walk, coupled with the fact that once in the country side, outside of the tourist circuit, you have to report your whereabouts to the police immediately). Anyways, I was onto India, right?
We boarded the flight, the flight attendants wearing saris, and serving whiskey immediately. I was the only male who didn't order two double shots of whiskey. I played it safe with a beer and a whiskey. But now I know it's not just me, whiskey is in my people! We started the flight and bam, better food than in all of China, an Indian airline meal. I should have known.
We landed, went through customs and looked for our airport picked, it was 4:30 am after all. It was no where to be found, so Anna made a call - they weren't coming. We caught a prepaid cab to the hotel. The cabbie tried to take us to another hotel, where he would have been paid a sweet commission, then after repeated nos, he filled up his already full gas to chat with some shady gas attendants. At this point, we didn't know if we were ever going to make it. Finally, after the cabbie asking around we made it to a dark alley that smelled of urine; this is it, or at least an alley. We found it. The Hotel Namsakar, which we originally had the reservation, sped us down the alley and we were finally in a bed, not the most cleanly, but a bed nonetheless. We made it.

Hot Pot

Today was a little mix of history, Tienanmen Square, with a little modern culture, 77 Plaza Beijing. First, let me start off, for those of you that don't know me and those that may not not know this side of me, by telling everyone I am a star. I know I told some of you guys this already, but now it's confirmed, I am a STAR...at least here in Beijing. Twice, not three times or even four, I was approached by "fans" who wanted to get a picture. So, naturally, I reached for their camera to take their picture. To my surprise, they politely said no and insisted I take a picture with them in front of the Mausoleum, yes the Mausoleum, and another site where Chairman Mao's picture lay. Other than the uncanny resemblance to Kumar, from Harold & Kumar, I can't say I understand any of this but, Anna can confirm it; I am pretty much on the same caliber as the guy from Prison Break, you know his name, here in China. So, the next time I am back approach me on bended knee and address me with the respect I deserve or at least the respect you would give that guy from Prison Break.