Jennifer and the Olympics..part 1

Ok the adventure with J begins

We had a good start…missed our 600 wakeup and got to the airport at 645…..I checked in my two overweight bags with no problem and all the tickets were done….Easy flight to Vancouver and a good flight to Beijing…met a few people from US and a guy from university of Brandon…a volleyball referee….talked for a few hours with others on the flight….heard of some price gouging 100 -150 dollars for a normal 80 rmb ($15) taxi from the airport …along with the hotels who as we know would do the same thing….

Heard of parents of the US vball coach being killed by a Chinese man….the US lady was a little concerned…told her how I felt unthreatened when I was there….

The new airport…very functional….waited a long time for my pe equipment…got checked at the door, asked what was in the big bag and I told them only balls as I am a PE teacher….they didn’t even check the bag…a few tense moments waiting for the driver…J’s was blown away by the way that the taxi driver swerved in and out of traffic and the horns blowing and all the other stuff that goes on here….just as I was initially

Phone calls to Henry Sophia , Rosamund, and Ron…to check out all the times for meeting and getting my stuff checked in and making sure our rooms was available

Was welcomed back by the staff…even the guards…. wrestling team getting ready for their matches and some practice with the mat at our school……checked in the pe stuff in at the room and got it our of the room…mailed a letter for a wrestler who had no idea how to do it …so I took the bike and headed over to the post office…J took the time to get to sleep


Had to get us some groceries....tried to take the 3 wheeler but had to go down stinky alley to get the tires pumped up.....no charge from the ladies who I first went to to get tires fixed the first time...

Rosamund came over and introduced herself to Jennifer.

Saw Francis and Charles and a meeting already planned for the interactive playground…Sophia and Bei Lu so Jennifer was getting to know some of the people who I deal with....

I was able to get about 3 hours sleep.....did not seem tired though

Monday August 10
WEnt to meet Ron about the accommodations and to check in to see if he wanted to go to wrestling...also to pick up the extra bedding that we would need when the Americans came to meet Henry....

Took J down Stinky Alley...to see what poor Beijing looks like and to show some of the shadier side of the city...a lot of poor houses and businesses.....including hookers in very small places...barbers, dry cleaners, garages, restaurants, convenience stores, etc

Met Henry to get our tickets to Xi'an and to make sure he understood what was happening with the accommodations and he told me this....he had tickets and did not go the opening ceremonies.....apparently he and his friend were going to get in to the Bird's Nest by his friend's dad who was a General but the General got word that it was "very dangerous" to go so Henry did not go with his friend and did not use his ticket to get into the Opening Ceremony..so I told him that he should hold on to the ticket as it will be worth MILLIONS in the future...an unused ticket to the Opening Ceremonies to the Beijing Olympics!!!!!! We laughed a lot about that

Went over and picked up our tickets for Track and Field.....several people were there...had been told to bring passport and their confirmation of tickets....did not and were wondering why they could not get the tickets...people are strange

Jennifer had her first attempt at the Silk Market…and she did not like the bargaining ...she did buy a purse and a pair of jeans…saw John re clubs and a couple of stalls re jewelry and making some clothes

Decided to take the subway and had a really good ride....but lots of people and had to get off the subway.....we made it to the train with 1 minute to spare...walked from the front of the train to the back where our berths were...I took the upper and she the lower.....we shared it with another Chinese person who was going to Xi'an as well...Jennifer said she slept with her passport under her pillow...there was no bar car on the train so we bought from the person who was bringing the stuff around...also had a coffee and tea ordered for us for the morning...slept with a little help from a Lorazepam...saw some local scenery as we travelled into rural China...poor lnad....farming practices....terraces...there were some hole in the mountainous areas where it is presumed people lived from time to time with actual doors into the hillside..very poor housing and farming is still the major activity...it is not overpopulated here....or is it....

After just the first two days, I realized that Bette would have had a hard time keeping up with us and may have been very distraught over the holidays....maybe it was a good idea for her not to come here...things happen for a reason......Jay and I
talked for a bit before sleep....father daughter chat.....my life...hers... others....Christmas's...the standard Christmas vacation!!!

Tuesday August 11

Hotel was good…we had some trouble communicating even for something as simple as getting a taxi to the hotel.....it was raining there...most of the time it hot but this seems to be an aberration....

Got trip to Terracotta warriors….lack of communication….thought it was a tour…no just a taxi ride out and back and we did our own booking….Jennifer and I got an audio guide instead of the guides who were offering their services… there is lots of stuff to see…J had her picture taken as a terracotta warrior…..then we had a picture with the chariot in dressed up garb…..it is an amazing place.....we did not go out to the water musical as it was raining hard so we stayed at the hotel and they made dumpling especially for us....night time and to bed….middle of night pees because of the beer…..also went on computer as woke up early….

Wednesday 12
Got up early and went out for a walk…nope ...no Tim Horton’s ..into an alleyway and bough some doughy kind of material...it actually tasted good….saw two butchered pigs on the mantle of some place it must be some sort of meat market and this was the days stuff.

We took a cab to the airport… Flew Chinese Eastern and it was a good flight…..bought a revello at airport 4 times the cost of what I get it for near the school….We took the subway back for a cost of 25 rmb but fast and it takes us to Liangmaqiao..it is about a 70 rmb cost by taxi…over to the store bartered for 3 t shirts and 2 jackets….650….thought it was and ok deal….paid bill for internet 410 rmb for 2 months…I thought that was high and gave the bill to Michael in IT. Chloe and J met….We had supper at Texas Roadhouse… when I ordered Sex on the Beach the waitress was a little taken aback and we had a good laugh about that incident….Henry met us late so he ate with us. We went back to CIS getting ready for his boss to come back to building Jennifer and I moved to Reg’s apt for 4 days …..We met boss Michael and son Sam….Will try to get a good sleep tonight and will be going to look for tickets tomorrow for Beach volleyball.

Thursday August 13
Got up early and went for a run then took a trip on my three wheeler and waited outside the front of the beach vball venue….got vball tickets for about 4 times what they were worth (400 rmb..or about 56 dollars for 2 tickets) but it was ok as Jay really wanted to see some... J missed seeing her favourite beach player by 10 minutes….took Henry and his boss and son to the gate to do the same thing..they got theirs as well and we sat together..the place was supposedly sold out but is wasn't as were many venues....told Henry's opening ceremony to his boss on video so that all the world can find out.…. it was pouring rain for a few games but we had a blast....pouring even had a few beers..they handed out free rain coats and we put them on but they eventually let in a lot of rain...Henry and Sam loved the beach girls (cheerleaders)...some people were fascinated with my Canadian umbrella hat and wanted souvenir pictures..... funny...Henry and Michael were a little wet...Michael didn't even bother take off his hat ...looked like drowned rats....Henry looked like ET..

A fun day ended with us getting on a bus...going past our school for about a 10 minute taxi ride back...gunny...the bus was steamed up too and paced with people getting away from the vball venue....Jennifer met Rosamund and we had a Korean hot pot with a spicy and a regular side....well no one had the spicy side hot pot..it was anew experience for Jennifer as we put stuff in and et it cook and then took it out to eat...we had a lot of food to eat and it was fairly inexpensive

Will add a few more pics and then give you the 2nd half so that this is not too big