Beijing Arrival

Greetings from Beijing! It is now 5am; I am up and about from the jet lag. This is an interesting city, very similar to the old Taipei I remember as a kid. People are everywhere! There are tall & modern skyscrapers interspersed by really ancient neighborhoods with narrow alley ways (hutongs). There are new constructions everywhere as well. The city is teeming with excitement for the upcoming Olympics. Our first impression of the city was the Beijing International Airport. How impressive that was! It's got the reputation for being the largest airport in the world (so far). We're staying at a hotel near the Beijing Railroad Station. The window to my room overlooks railroad tracks. It's a bit noisy, but didn't really keep me awake. I think I was just really tired from the traveling the day before. We were trying to find a place to eat last night in the Station, but couldn't get into the building at all without a train ticket. Wow... what a sea of people there! We'll be exploring the city some more today, at least figure out the best way to roam around.