Got into Beijing last night, tired but happy. First time in china and I must say, it's quite amazing, from the long lines at the cab stand outside the airport, where it's free for all and everyone for him/herself. Luckily I had a surly elderly gent in front of me who would loudly drive off people who jump the queue.
Hailed a tiny hatchback cab. No fastening of seatbelts, like what bb advised. The driver was nice enough, locked up in his metal cage and listening to English oldies on the radio. Got to the vicinity of bb's apartment but we just can't find it! Unbeknownst to me, the spot where the driver dropped me off was actually the very gate that bb uses, but anyway, after asking the friendly security guards (friendly=flat, matter-of-fact tone) where the public phones were, I lugged my luggage across the street to call her. Makeshift roadside stalls had sprung up at night, selling mutton satay. But I was too desperate to see bb to care. Couldn't find the damn phone until finally another passerby snarled at me and pointed to a shack a few meters away. "There! Can't you see it?!"
They were normal phones, but the owner of the shack charges for their usage... Nice piece of entrepreneurship I guess.
My joy at seeing bb walk towards me was indescribable. Her apartment--nice and new. Her couch--very steady. This is bb, in Beijing.
5000 years of history and culture and a current economic boom lay upon this country and its 1.4 billion inhabitants. It's good to go back to my roots.
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