"Is it foggy or smoggy?"

Today, I went shopping with two ladies from South Carolina who are on the trip with us. We met in D.C., and I could tell from the start they were fun, smart, and not crazy, meaning we would get along. (sometimes, there are crazy people on group trips.)

So we started off with this older woman named Evelyn, but she had trouble walking, so we took her back to the hotel and then set off into the madness that is the Not-West. Did you know that pedestrians do not have the right of way here in Beijing? Or maybe we do, but certainly no one respects that. You either have to speed up, slow down, or stop when a car is coming. Thankfully, there are traffic lights for us humble bicycle- and car-less folks, but goodness---they really don't help much. So there were moments when I thought (again) that I would die in China. Or at least get seriously injured.

We found an expensive mall, and a "bargain basement" type mall. The expensive mall had dresses to make a girl's heart sing. The bargain basement, Big Lots-type place didn't, not so much. And at the latter, you could haggle. This is what I heard all day:

"Lady! Lady! Lady! LADY!"
"Friend! Friend! Friend! FRIEND!"
"Beautiful girl!"
"You are beautiful girl. Everyone else get this price, but for you..."

And of course, there was the priceless grab-my-wrist-and-drag-me-back-into-the-store move that made me want to shout "Security!"

I bought a yellow jade necklace that I know Michelle Obama would approve of (big round stones). Also a purse, and a halter dress.

I found an upright piano in the hotel, so I'm going to go play later. After I get measured for my tailor-made clothes.

Tomorrow, we do La Gran Muralia (I learned how to say that on this trip! Ah, to practice my Spanish in China), which is the Great Wall, and also, the Ming Tombs. I can't wait for the Great Wall, because a picture on it would prove the best Facebook picture EVER. Gooooo Gen-Y.


K$Breezy