First Day in Beijing

After sitting on a plane for more than 24 hours, today we decided to walk. We walked, and walked, and walked some more. My rear end still hurts from all the sitting, and now my feet from all the walking. We meet the other couples with our travel group tomorrow. After talking to our guide and the hearing the list of sites we will hit in the next two days, I don't think my feet are going to get a break. I am surprised how much Beijing reminds me of other big cities we have visited. Everywhere we turn there are familiar brand names, stores, and restaurants-- McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Nike, there is even a Sizzler on the corner. This isn't to say there aren't remarkable differences. My first trip to the bathroom was the first reminder I was not in America.
I have enjoyed the food more than I expected, and no we have not eaten any fast food. We cheated a little and had breakfast at the hotel, but even that was largely Chinese fare. We had lunch at a steamed bun restaurant which was excellent. David swore he would try scorpion on a stick, but when given the opportunity to eat these goodies, he declined.
We both really enjoyed our first day. David is remembering more Chinese. He really enjoyed browsing a Chinese bookstore. I enjoyed looking in many of the little shops and strolling through the park with David. It has been a while since we have had so much time to talk.