Beijing

Thursday, 8 May 2014

 

Every hotel room should have a fax machine



Life size statues in a shopping mall

Hotel lobby flower arrangement

Our first day in China and our first breakfast – a lovely western buffet.  Also our first “real” look at the hotel, which is rather swish!  I think my credit card would be maxed out in 15 minutes if I shopped in one of the hotel stores!!!

Then it was time to be brave and head to the recommended shopping centre at Silk Road.  We thought the taxi was very cheap, compared to home.  Then the traumas started – which shirt shop, which suit shop, which scarf shop, which coat shop, etc, etc, etc???  I have never been called a “beautiful lady” so many times and we were surprised that most of the shop assistants could speak English.  I am sure Shan’s mother would be horrified at the prices we paid, but we were happy that we had bargains.  We bought some fresh fruit salad for lunch and realised afterwards that perhaps we shouldn’t have eaten the strawberries.  Here’s hoping …

I also made the discovery this afternoon that I cannot access my blog or facebook in China.

 

After a very nice, but expensive, dinner at the hotel, we met our tour group for a briefing this evening and started to get to know one another.  Of course, we didn’t take long to realise we are blessed with a couple who talk constantly, totally ignoring our guide when she was briefing the group.

Our first day in China ended with memories of the intense smog, the many bikes and trishaws on the roads, the traffic which is reminiscent of Paris and Les standing behind a piece of waist high material trying on a pair of trousers and the young lady shop assistant helping him zip them up.